Emergency Response Policy

When a serious incident occurs that causes an immediate threat to the campus, the first responders to the scene are usually the Yates County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO), the New York State Police (NYSP), Penn Yan Police Department (PYPD) and/or the Branchport-Keuka Park Fire Department (BKPFD). These units typically respond and work together to manage the incident. Depending on the nature of the incident, other Keuka College departments and local or federal agencies could also be involved in responding to the incident

The fire alarm systems are directly connected to Yates County 911, which is monitored 24 hours per day. When an alarm sounds, all occupants must vacate the building quickly, safely, and meet in the designated rally areas. The fire department, campus safety officers, and residence life staff members (when applicable) will ensure that the building has been properly evacuated. Any resident found in the building during an alarm will be subject to disciplinary sanctions. The fire department determines when it is appropriate to return to the building. Under no circumstances should you return to the building unless you are told to do so by the fire department, campus safety officers, or a residence life staff member acting for the fire department.

General information about the emergency response and evacuation procedures for Keuka College is available and is also published each year as part of the institution’s Clery Act compliance efforts, which is available on the College’s website.

Active Shooter Drill & Policy

An important video clip that describes what you should do in the event that there is a dangerous assailant on campus is available for viewing at: https://www.keuka.edu/life-at-kc/safety/emergency-plan. You can also access this video by going to the Keuka College Campus Safety website and clicking on “Emergency Plan.”

Annual Security Reports

In accordance with the Clery Act, we provide a full report of the past year's crimes. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online and in the Office of Campus Safety. Additional documents available for your review are:

• Campus Fire Safety
• Fire Safety Training
• Drug-Free Schools Biennial Review (2018)

Preparation of Disclosure of Crime Statistics

In accordance with the requirements of the Clery Act (The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act), Keuka College gathers and publishes statistics on a variety of crimes that occur on or near campus. These “Clery crimes” include criminal homicide, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, and hate crimes—as well as alcohol, drug and weapons violations. These and all other crimes are to be reported to the Department of Campus Safety and/or local law enforcement or to other school officials referred to as Campus Security Authorities who have a “significant responsibility for student or campus activities,” including the Office of the Dean of Students.

The statistics are reported by calendar year, not academic session, and definitions of named offenses may be found in the handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, a copy of which may be reviewed at the campus safety office. Historical data pertaining to these Clery Crimes is included in the Keuka College Annual Security Report and the Annual Fire Safety report, which can be viewed at https://www.keuka.edu/life-at-kc/safety.

In some cases, you may see a significant increase or decrease from year to year to year, which may be unsettling. In some instances, however, an increase in reported violations may merely signal an improved reporting process (including ongoing education of the College community on the importance of reporting crime) rather than an increase in crimes. We are striving to make our Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report (the Clery Report) a more accurate representation of the relative safety of Keuka College’s campus, and we have made improvements in the reporting process and in the prevention of crimes. We welcome your comments and suggestions about ways that we can make Keuka College safer for all. For more information, see below.

Request for Crime Statistics

The Keuka College Advisory Committee on Campus Security will provide, upon request, all campus crime statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education. Individuals making requests may refer to the United States Department of Education website for campus crime statistics at http://ope.ed.gov/security. Individuals may also contact the director of campus safety at (315) 279-5250. This individual is authorized to provide campus crime statistics for the College.

In addition, when an individual requests campus crime statistics, Keuka College will mail a hard copy of the information to the requester within 10 days. The information provided will include all of the statistics that the campus is required to tabulate under Title 20 of the U.S. code section 1092 (f). A copy of the full report can be downloaded at the following: http://www.keuka.edu/go/safety. Click on Campus Safety and then click on “Clery Report.”

Duty to Report

• It is a requirement that students, faculty and staff be notified on an annual basis that they must notify the Yates County Sheriff’s Office and/or the Office of Campus Safety of any situation or incident on campus that involves a significant emergency or dangerous situation that may involve an immediate or ongoing threat to the health and safety of the campus community.
• Keuka College community members, students, faculty, staff, and guests are encouraged to report all crimes and public safety related incidents to the Yates County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) and/or the Office of Campus Safety in a timely manner.

Emergency Services Phone Numbers

• Campus Safety (24 Hours a day)
  • Campus phone: ext. 5250 or 5911
  • Non-campus phone: (315) 279-5250
• Residence Life (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)
  • Campus phone: ext. 5425
  • Non-campus phone: (315) 279-5425
• Ambulance, Fire or Police Emergency
  • Campus phone: 9-911
  • Non-campus phone: 911
• Yates County Sheriff Department (non-emergency): (315) 536-5191

Fire Alarms & Evacuation

• In the event of a fire, the College expects that all campus community members will evacuate by the nearest exit, closing doors and activating the fire alarm system (if one is present) as they leave. Once safely outside a building, it is appropriate to contact 911 and the Office of Campus Safety. Students and/or staff are informed where to relocate by staff if circumstances warrant such direction at the time of the alarm. No training is provided to students or employees in firefighting or suppression activity as this is inherently dangerous and each community member’s only duty is to exit safely and quickly, shutting doors along the exit path as they go to contain the spread of flames and smoke, and to activate the alarm as they exit. At no time should the closing of doors or the activation of the alarm delay the exit from the building.

Immediate Threats

• Federal Law requires that all Title IV institutions immediately notify the campus community and/or the appropriate segments of the community that may be affected by an imminent danger to persons or property. Emergency notifications will be made by the College and concurrently by the sheriff’s office utilizing independent emergency messaging systems.
• In the event of a serious incident that poses an immediate threat to members of the campus community, the College has various systems in place for communicating information quickly. Some or all of these methods of communication may be activated in the event of an immediate threat. These methods of communication include network emails, Ball Hall public address system and emergency messages that can be sent to email addresses, a phone via Nixle, the College’s emergency messaging system. Students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to sign up for this service, which can be quickly accomplished on the College homepage. Click on “Emergency Alerts” in the upper right hand corner of the home page. The College will post updates during a critical incident on the Nixle system as well as other messaging systems when practical. Individuals can also call the College recorded information telephone line at (315) 279-5999 for updates. The campus safety patrol vehicle is equipped with a public address system and can also be strategically placed throughout the campus to facilitate communication by utilizing this system.

Investigation of Violent Felony Offenses

• Keuka College has entered into a formal agreement (Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU) that places the authority for the investigation of violent felony offenses with the Yates County Sheriff’s Office. This MOU states in part that the sheriff’s office will have primary responsibility for handling law enforcement-related events occurring within the Keuka College campus as follows:
  • All felonies and all crimes of violence resulting in physical injury or death, including actual and attempted homicides, rape, and sexual assaults, robberies, arson, kidnapping, serious assaults (such as first degree assaults and those involving the use or implied use of a weapon), suicides, suspicious or unattended deaths and industrial accidents. Physical injuries are defined as those injuries requiring hospitalization and/or significant medical treatment and include in-progress and late reported crimes. The Office of Campus Safety will immediately refer any such crimes to the sheriff’s office for investigation.
  • The sheriff’s office will make every effort to promptly investigate crimes reported to their office assisted by either the Office of Campus Safety or members of the campus community contingent upon the availability of investigative personnel.
  • Missing person cases. The Office of Campus Safety will report missing person cases to the sheriff’s office immediately so that a sheriff’s deputy may be dispatched to handle the investigation.
  • All controlled, dangerous substance violations. The Office of Campus Safety will immediately refer such matters to the sheriff’s office for investigation and action.
  • All other crimes for which the Office of Campus Safety has not assumed responsibility pursuant to the above.

Lockdown Policy

• A lockdown is the temporary sheltering technique, e.g. 30 minutes to several hours, utilized to limit civilian exposure to an active shooter or similar incident. When alerted, occupants of any building within the subject area will lock all doors and windows, not allowing entry or exit to anyone until the all clear has been sounded. This procedure converts any building into a large safe room.
• If the risk assessment determines the need to secure a building or buildings in order to protect the campus community, or to prevent an escalation of the emergency, the on-call administrator, in consultation with the vice president for student development or associate vice president for student affairs, will make the decision to do so.
• The order will be given to lockdown either specific areas on campus, or the entire campus. Official notice that a lockdown has been issued will be broadcast over the Nixle system, as well as any other appropriate, supplementary means of communication.

Shelter-in-Place Procedures

• If an incident occurs and the buildings or areas around you become unstable, or if the air outdoors becomes dangerous due to toxic or irritating substances, it is usually safer to stay indoors because leaving the area may expose you to that danger. Thus, to "shelter-in-place" means to make a shelter of the building that you are in, and with a few adjustments this location can be made even safer and more comfortable until it is safe to go outside.
• Basic “Shelter-in-Place” Guidance: If an incident occurs and the building you are in is not damaged, stay inside seeking an interior room until you are told it is safe to come out. If your building is damaged, take your personal belongings (purse, wallet, Keuka College I.D. card, etc.) and follow the evacuation procedures for your building (close your door, proceed to the nearest exit, and use the stairs instead of the elevators). Once you have evacuated, quickly seek shelter at the nearest College building. If law enforcement or fire department personnel are on the scene, follow their directions.
• How You Will Know to “Shelter-in-Place”: A shelter-in-place notification may come from several sources, including the on-call student affairs administrator, resident life staff, other College employees, the federal or county government, or other authorities utilizing the College’s emergency communications tools.
• How to “Shelter-in-Place”: No matter where you are, the basic steps of shelter-in-place will generally remain the same. Should the need ever arise; follow these steps, unless instructed otherwise by local emergency personnel:
  • If you are inside, stay where you are. Collect any emergency shelter-in-place supplies and a telephone to be used in case of emergency. If you are outdoors, proceed into the closest building quickly or follow instructions from emergency personnel on the scene.
  • Locate a room in which to shelter inside. It should be an interior room; above ground level; and without windows (or with the least number of windows). If there is a large group of people inside a particular building, several rooms maybe necessary.
  • Shut and lock all windows (tighter seal) and close exterior doors.
  • Turn off air conditioners, heaters, and fans.
  • Close vents to ventilation systems as you are able. (College staff will turn off ventilation as quickly as possible.)
  • Make a list of the people with you and ask someone (residence life staff, faculty, or other staff) to submit the list to NMS/Keuka College campus safety officers so they know where you are sheltering. If only students are present, one of the students should call in the list.
  • Turn on a radio or TV and listen for further instructions.
  • Make yourself comfortable.

Timely Warnings

• In the event that a situation arises, either on or off campus, that constitutes an ongoing or continuing threat, a campus-wide “timely warning” notice will be issued. The warning will be issued via Nixle, the College email system to students, faculty, staff, as well as the campus television station and paper postings, when practicable. The timely warning notice is required by federal law for all Title IV institutions.