Following an active shooter scare on campus, students at Penn State Altoona are wondering what to do if the situation reoccurs.
Penn State Altoona is known for its open campus where locals can walk around the pond and the fields freely. In the event of an on campus shooter, this frequent foot traffic can cause safety problems and chaos among everyone.
On February 12, 2017 a note was found on a bench in the Port Sky Lobby that contained the word “gun.” A campus police officer responded to Port Sky only after workers decided to evacuate the building. The police officer assessed the situation and found the note was only song lyrics and there was no threat to campus. After the building was searched, Port Sky reopened and was able to resume service. During and after the incident, many were uninformed and looking for answers.
As with any other campus emergency, the department held an “after-action” meeting after the incident. Policies Services, Chancellor Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry, Housing and Food Services, and University Relations all gathered the next day for this meeting. Here, they discussed their approach to the situation and assessed any possible improvements — one of which being the issue of the rumor mill. Troy Johannides, Sergeant of the PSU Altoona Police Department, says that in the 15 minutes between police services being called to Port Sky and the issue being resolved, countless social media posts with incorrect information were spread.
“The Campus Police phone was overloaded with hundreds of calls from concerned faculty, staff, students, and parents,” said Sergeant Troy Johannides.
There are nine full-time, armed police officers who are employed by Penn State Altoona and trained in the University’s active shooter protocol. Johannides is one of these officers, and thinks that the staff is well prepared for any emergency.
“PSU police officers attend numerous situational trainings, including mock active shooter scenarios, to gain knowledge and awareness. Our agency has the necessary tools and skills to respond to and address any incident that may occur, ” Johannides says.
Whenever there is an extreme campus emergency, officers always have the option of calling for backup in the form of Altoona City Police and Logan Township Police. One of those extreme emergencies is in the situation of an “active shooter.” In that case, an email and text alerts are sent out by University Police or University Relations to students and staff, warning everyone of the current situation. A notice is also posted on the Penn State Altoona website. Johannides says the goal of these notifications is to provide information while keeping campus safe.
“The lack of communication often adds to the problem and the distortion or rumor mill feeds the chaos and can spin a situation out of control,” he says. “ It is important for people to remain calm and not draw attention to themselves during such an incident.”
As for the visitors walking around campus, they do not have the “luxury” — as Johannides puts it — to have alerts provided to them via text or email. However, Penn State Altoona is equipped with a Carillon Campus Alert (CCA) system on campus.
“The CCA system consists of speakers placed across campus that broadcast alert tones and voice announcements to notify persons on campus of situations or conditions that threaten their safety,” Johannides says.
The CCA is only activated by approval of the Chancellor or Chancellor’s designee in the case of an emergency.
Each on-campus building also has designated Emergency Coordinators, alternates, and safety monitors who are trained to guide people during an emergency.
“It is very important for students, faculty, and staff to pay attention to the information provided by the PSU alert system and follow the instructions by staying away from the affected area,” says Johannides. “It is imperative that they fight the curiosity urge to see for themselves what is happening. Just because the alert identified one side of the campus as being involved in a critical incident does not mean there is not any danger in other areas not mentioned.”
Johannides says the most important thing is that individuals evacuate the areas in danger and get to an area of safety as quickly as they can. Once the campus is deemed safe, the text message or email system once again sends out a notification, and the Penn State Altoona website is updated.
“More trainings are scheduled,” Johannides says. “However, it is not because of this incident but because of the University’s concern to be the best and safest education institution around.”
Campus police encourage anyone that sees an emergency to either dial 911 or Police Services at 814-949- 5222. If an on campus phone is used to call 911, campus police are notified of a ‘Crisis Alert’ so officers can respond directly to where the call was made. PSU Police Officers respond to all calls for service, including Fire and emergency medical services. If there is suspicious activity, a crime, or a simple question, campus police can be contacted at 814-949- 5222 or on their website http://altoona.psu.edu/police . Anonymous tips are accepted.