Emergencies and Alerts
We're committed to safeguarding our campus community in case of emergency or campus closure. Sign up for Acadia ALERT to receive texts, emails, or voice messages in the case of an emergency or closure.
Emergency Procedures
Lockdown
Active Threat
Bomb Threat
Suspicious Person
Evacuation
Fire
Power Outage
Campus Closure
Campus building addresses and muster points
Download the Emergency Procedures poster
Acadia ALERT Notification System
- Email notifications will be sent automatically to your Acadia email account.
- Optional text messages or voice messages on your mobile device or a secondary email
- In case of a campus-wide emergency or closure, The University website will display an Acadia ALERT Notification Bar at the top of the website to provide information and instructions.
To sign up for Acadia ALERT, email security@acadiau.ca. After you've created your profile, you can update your information by going to the Everbridge Acadia ALERT portal.
Other Emergency Communications
If you do not sign up for Acadia ALERT, you will still receive notifications through your University email and/or telephone.
- If you hear a fire alarm, evacuate the building immediately.
- Our Information Line, 1-902-585-INFO (1-902-585-4636), will be updated to provide information about emergencies or situation.
- Voicemail will be sent to all campus telephones with a 585- phone number. You can check your voicemail from any location to get information about an emergency or notification of a campus closure.
- Residence Life Staff will communicate directly with students living on campus.
- Local radio stations will often broadcast information during severe weather situations or campus closures.
Contact
In an emergency, call 911
Safety and Security
Open 24/7
(902) 585-1103
or dial 88 from a campus phone
security@acadiau.ca (general inquiries)
Room 519, Acadia Students' Union Building
30 Highland Ave
Wolfville, NS
B4P 2R6
Access Control
Whitman House, Northeast Wing
18 Crowell Dr
Wolfville, NS
B4P 2R6
Lockdown
If you receive notification advising of a lockdown, seek shelter immediately. An alert will be sent to all Acadia University email addresses, and to the phones of anyone who has subscribed to Acadia ALERT.
If you see or hear a weapon being fired in the building, take the following immediate action:
- Dial 911 if you have specific information regarding the threat.
- Stay calm and communicate with others in a clear and concise manner. Tell others exactly what the situation is and what you need them to do. If it is safe to leave the area, do so quickly.
- If you do not feel it is safe to leave the area, get to a safe place out of hallways and common areas.
- If an active attacker/violent person enters your office or classroom, try to remain calm. Call 911 from an office phone or cell phone if it is safe to do so. If you can't speak, leave the line open so the dispatcher can listen to what is taking place. If there are no other options, prepare to fight. Look for anything that can be used as a weapon and commit to an aggressive attack. Do whatever it takes to stop the threat.
Sheltering in a safe place:
- Remain in classrooms, offices, or residence rooms. If you are in a common area, stay away from the windows and doors (whether they are solid or glass).
- Close and lock doors and windows.
- Turn out the lights and close the blinds and curtains.
- Stay silent. Silence cell phones and any other devices that may generate noise.
- Do not answer the door once it is locked, as this may compromise the safety of those inside.
- Do not respond to anyone or allow them to talk their way inside, as they may be the suspect or they are being coerced by the suspect, outside of your view.
Getting help:
- It is important to follow instructions from police at all times to avoid harm and ensure the best possible response. For their own safety, emergency personnel must initially consider all individuals as potential threats.
- Wait and stay in place until you receive an official "All Clear" message from Acadia Safety and Security and/or the RCMP/Fire Department.
- Individuals on the outside of buildings during a lockdown should move away from the affected area.
- If the violent person leaves the area, proceed immediately to a safer place and do not touch anything that was in the vicinity of the violent person.
Evacuation
- In the event of a building alarm or official notification, evacuate the building using the nearest exit (or alternate exit if the nearest exit is blocked).
- Do not use elevators.
- Take personal belongings (keys, wallet, etc.)
- Secure any hazardous waste materials or equipment before leaving.
- Follow directions given by emergency personnel or Safety and Security.
- Move to a designated muster point location.
- If it is safe for you to assist persons with disabilities or special needs, do so. If unable to assist, notify emergency responders of the location and number of disabled or special needs persons in your area.
- Wait to be contacted. Do not return to the building unless told to do so by the emergency personnel.
Fire
- Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station and call 911. Advice Safety and Security by calling 585-1103 or dialling 88 from a campus phone.
- Evacuate the building.
- Do not re-enter the building until authorized by emergency personnel.
Bomb Threat
- Evacuate the building. Make sure to take personal belongings.
- Do not use cell phones or radios within 200 meters of the area suspected of containing the explosive device.
- Faculty/staff should check for, but not disturb, unusual objects as they depart the classroom or offices. Report these unusual objects to Safety and Security and any emergency personnel.
- Do not enter a building until authorized by emergency personnel.
Power Outage
- Move cautiously to a lighted area. Exits may be indicated by lighted signs.
- Turn off and unplug computers and other voltage-sensitive equipment.
- For more information about a prolonged outage, call the Acadia Information Line at 585-INFO (4636).
Suspicious Person
- Do not physically confront the person(s).
- Do not let anyone into a locked building/office.
- If the individual is inside, do not block the person's access to an exit.
- In an emergency, call 911. Provide as much information as possible about the person and their direction of travel.
- Advise Safety and Security at 585-1103 or by dialling "88" from a campus telephone.
Campus Closure
If a weather-related event or emergency situation disrupts campus operations, we will notify you as soon as possible.
- An Acadia ALERT notification will be send to all students, staff, and faculty.
- An email notification will be sent through the "Urgent All Acadia" email address.
- Voicemail messages will be sent to on-campus residence and office telephones.
- The Emergency Information Line, 902-585-INFO (4636) will be updated.
- The acadiau.ca homepage will be updated with notifications.
- Residence Life staff will communicate directly with students living on campus.
- Radio stations like Magic 94.9, AVR 97.7, K-Rock 89.3, and CBC 106.5 will mention closures.
Active Shooter
An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearm(s) and there is no apparent pattern or method to how they choose their victims.
Active shooter situations evolve quickly and there is no way to anticipate their course. Typically, the immediate deployment of police is needed to stop the shooting and mitigate harm.
Active shooter situations can be over within 10 to 15 minutes. For this reason, it is important that you are prepared to take the actions necessary to protect yourself.
Warning:
This is a disturbing subject. It might be wise to watch it with others and discuss it afterwards. If the video is extremely upsetting to you, consider consulting with the Counselling Centre at 902-585-1246 or counselling@acadiau.ca.
Get Out – Hide – Fight
Experts recommend three essential courses of action to help you avoid harm in an active shooter situation. These methods are demonstrated in the video Shooter on Campus: Know You Can Survive.
Get out
Getting out is by far the best option if you believe you can escape safely. This is why it is a good idea to make mental notes of means of escape wherever you may be on campus. If you hear something that could be gunshots, don’t wait: get out.
Hide
Hide if you don’t know exactly where the shooting is happening or it’s too late to escape safely. Get behind a lockable door if you can. Barricade the door. Improvise with any object you can to prevent someone from entering.
Once you are hidden, silence your phone, turn off the lights and stay quiet. If your spot is secure, be prepared to remain there until the police come to you with the all clear.
Fight
Fighting is your absolute last resort. You would only confront an active shooter if you somehow became trapped in a space with no escape. Active shooters typically don’t respond to reason so you must assume they intend to harm you. Find an object you can use to strike the shooter with; trip them with a chair; be as aggressive as you can; do anything you can to stop them.
You will need to decide if you can do this. Remember, it is your decision.
You Can Prepare Yourself
You can make a difference simply by imagining various scenarios playing out in the places you take classes, study or work. Where are the exits? Do the doors lock? What would make a good barricade? What would make a good weapon? Ask yourself “What if…?” This kind of thinking is helpful in preparing for all kinds of emergency, wherever you may go.
About the Police
You might be surprised by the actions of the police in an active shooter situation. First, they may not have time to help you when they first arrive as their top priority will be to find and stop the shooter. Second, the police might not know exactly what the shooter looks like so they have to consider you a possible threat. For that reason, if you encounter police, don’t run toward them. Remain calm. Keep your hands visible. Follow instructions.
Identifying a Person at Risk:
There is no way to accurately predict who is on the way to becoming an active shooter, but there are behaviours that can indicate someone is in trouble. Be aware of the signs.
Behavioural changes: angry outbursts, agitation, poor hygiene, visible weight change, intimidation and bullying, altercations with others, intoxication or substance abuse, uttering hostile or offensive remarks, strange or disturbing behaviour
Performance: repeated absences, missed deadlines, significant drop in performance, inappropriate or incoherent writing, frequently interrupting, disruptive behaviour
Social/Emotional: significant problems interacting with others, isolated or withdrawn, extreme or prolonged sadness, emotional outbursts, devoid of any emotions, erratic mood swings, excessive fatigue
Reporting a Concern
If someone is committing violence, or about to commit violence, at the university, call 911.
If you are worried about something you observe, contact Safety and Security at 902-585-1103.
If you have a worried feeling about someone but aren't sure what to do, contact the Counselling Centre. They can answer questions and guide you.
Questions and Answers
There are three reasons for bringing this information to you:
College and university emergency planners believe this material could save a life, whether on a campus or anywhere else people may travel.
Emergency planners are frequently asked for this information and we are responding to that request. People with this information often report that it brings a sense of empowerment and peace of mind.
Finally, the information can be generalized. You can employ the thought process to prepare for any kind of emergency. This information encourages you to ask that powerful “What if” question.
Active shooter events happen very fast. They evolve quickly and are typically over in a matter of minutes. The police will come, but you need to think about those few minutes before they arrive, and you should have an idea of what to do when they do arrive.
Keep in mind this is the last resort. Active shooters almost always continue until something happens to stop them. If you are trapped with nowhere to go, it might be your only choice. Nobody can force you to take this step, but you should at least be aware it is an option. What you do in such a situation is your own decision.
No, it’s not practical to have a detailed plan for every situation. But you can take a moment in various locations to ask, “What if?” It will prompt you to make a mental note of exits and possible hiding places. That small amount of forethought could make the critical difference in how you react in a real emergency.
It is impossible to predict how anyone will react in such an extreme event. Any one of us is capable of becoming a leader with the presence of mind to remember what to do and to take action. It might be an instructor, a member of administration, a member of support staff or a student.
With this education, we are all equally prepared to make informed decisions for ourselves.
The sound of gunfire can vary a lot. Sometimes it can sound like a firecracker. Sometimes it’s more like a pop or a loud bang. Gunshots sound different inside and outside. It probably won’t sound like you expect it to sound. The sound of gunfire on your campus, however, will be out of the ordinary. Listen and look for other clues and if there’s any doubt in your mind, treat the situation as though it is gunfire.
You are not expected to be a hero. You must do what is right for you. If you are confident you can help others without putting yourself in unnecessary danger, you may choose to do so.
No, the principles are the same wherever you are.
It is okay to be upset. It can be helpful to talk to someone about your response. Most people find it helpful to talk with friends or colleagues. If the subject matter is especially distressing to you, however, there are resources available:
If you are an Acadia University student, you can contact the Counselling Centre located at Room 417 on the lower level of the Old SUB Complex. Call 902-585-1246 or learn more here.
If you are a member of Acadia University staff or faculty, you can contact the university's EFAP provider, Lifeworks, available 24 hours.
You also have the option of the anonymous, 24-hour support available through the Nova Scotia Health Authority. Find information here about the mental health services available or if in crisis call directly: 1-888-429-8167