Emergency Communications

A MESSAGE FROM: Mississippi Valley State University Police Department-August 10, 2010

RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY

The MVSU has detailed plans to deal with emergencies and crises that may occur on campus.

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION

In the event that the campus community must be notified of an emergency or crisis on campus, the following mechanisms could be used:

  • Notices on the MVSU web home page
  • E-mail alerts to all faculty, staff and students
  • Phone messaging system
  • Voice messaging utilizing alert siren
  • Media alerts sent to local television and radio outlets

COMING SOON

  • The University monitoring system with cameras
  • Campus training for staff and students

UNIVERSITY SAFETY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

The MVSU Police Department, with 17 full-time officers, is a fully recognized and accredited law enforcement agency by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

  • The MVSU receives ongoing specialized training with the Itta Bena Police Department and the Leflore County Police Department in Greenwood, MS. All of these agencies are prepared to respond to a call for assistance from the MVSU Police Department.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Faculty, staff, students and others in the community should contact the MVSU or the Office of the Dean of Students with any information regarding behaviors of a person on campus that might be viewed as cause for concern.

If you are notified of or involved in an emergency or crisis, stay calm, assess the situation and be prepared to take safety precautions based on your personal situation.

Here are tips to follow:

  • Stay away from the area of the emergency or crisis.
  • Find a safe place and stay there until you are notified that the emergency is over.
  • If you are directly affected by the emergency call the MVSU Police hotline (662)254-2700  as soon as it is safe to do so. Provide as much information as you can and stay on the phone until told to hang up. (662)254-3479/3479
  • Alert others if you can without endangering yourself.
  • Evacuate the area by a safe route if possible.
  • If the emergency is an active threat and you are unable to evacuate the area, attempt to seek an area of safe refuge.
  • If you must seek refuge, secure doors and windows as quickly as possible and barricade as many items between you and the threat.
  • Do not attempt to make contact with the individual(s) responsible for the threat unless no other option is available.
  • Once in a secure location, do not open the door for anyone but the police.