When the University receives a report of a potential emergency or dangerous situation occurring on or threatening University Property, appropriate University officials, including UAPD or other responsible departments, will evaluate the circumstances to determine whether the situation is confirmed and warrants an Emergency Notification. Confirmation means that an authorized institution official (or officials) has verified that a significant emergency or dangerous situation exists. This evaluation will be based on the following considerations:

• Whether there is an immediate or ongoing threat to the Campus Community;
• Whether a serious danger to members of the Campus Community is occurring or just occurred;
• Whether timely and useful information can be provided to enhance safety;
• Whether issuing an Emergency Notification could compromise safety, rescue, or law enforcement efforts; and
• Any unique factors specific to the situation.   

The following types of emergencies on or near campus are examples of situations that will usually be appropriate for an Emergency Notification:

• In-progress serious or violent crime;
• Active shooter on campus;
• Hostage/barricade situation;
• Riot/civil unrest;
• Suspicious package with evidence of an explosive or harmful device;
• Fire/explosion, with serious impact to life/safety;
• Homicide or suspicious death;
• Significant damage to a structure;
• Biological threat;
• Significant flooding or extraordinary weather;
• Gas leak;
• Hazardous material spill (e.g., chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear);
• Illness outbreak; or
• Other events presenting an Immediate Threat to health or safety. 

If the emergency or dangerous situation is confirmed, the University will issue an Emergency Notification to the appropriate segment of the Campus Community without delay, unless issuing the notification would compromise efforts to assist victims, contain the emergency, respond to the incident, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.

The University sends Emergency Notifications regarding Tucson (Main Campus) to all ENS users. In addition to campus-wide notifications, Emergency Notifications may be targeted to the following specific community segments when the threat is localized:

• Greater Phoenix
• Sierra Vista

A member of UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User will determine whether the nature and scope of the threat warrant an Emergency Notification to the entire Campus Community or whether a targeted message to a specific segment of the community is sufficient to provide adequate warning. This determination will be based on the location of the Immediate Threat and/or the college, department, or unit that is directly impacted. When determining whether to notify the entire Campus Community or a segment, UAPD will use communication methods reasonably likely to reach individuals in the affected area.

Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the emergency, a member of the UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User will determine the appropriate Emergency Notification content, generate the message, and send it using the University’s ENS. 

The content of an emergency text message must be short, concise, and understandable. If necessary, multiple notifications may be sent to explain the situation. 

An Emergency Notification will include information that enables members of the Campus Community to take action to protect themselves. The following information will be included in an Emergency Notification, if available:

• Type and brief description of emergency;
• Location, including a map link;
• Action to take (e.g., stay away from a dangerous area, stay sheltered in place, follow evacuation plan); and
• Suspect description if a crime has been committed.

Examples of initial Emergency Notification messages:

• Active Shooter: Police responding to active shooter at 1303 E University Blvd [Google pin link] Run, hide, fight.
• Gas Leak: Police responding to gas leak at Park Ave and Lowell St [Google pin link] Shelter in place.
• Robbery in Progress: Police responding to robbery at 822 E 5th St [Google pin link] Avoid the area.

Follow-up notifications will be used to provide updates and additional instructions. 

Once UAPD Command Staff determines that the emergency has been resolved and it is safe for the Campus Community to resume normal activities, a “Closing Message” will be sent. When possible, the message will include a brief explanation (e.g. the suspect is leaving the area or being taken into custody) to clarify why it is safe to resume routine activity. 

The closing message may include the following: “Closing message. Individuals impacted by this incident can find resources at https://arizona.edu/incident“ 

An Authorized User at the Greater Phoenix and Sierra Vista campuses may, in consultation with UAPD, determine the appropriate Emergency Notification content, generate the message, and send targeted Emergency Notifications to their campus communities using the ENS or alternate communication methods such as email, listserv, phone calls, or text messages. These messages are not sent through the ENS unless coordinated directly with UAPD Dispatch or Command Staff.

When sending Emergency Notifications to a college, department, or unit, in consultation with UAPD, college, department, or unit leadership will use notification language provided by UAPD. 

The University contracts with a third-party vendor to operate its ENS. Emergency Notifications are sent by email, text message, classroom and campus message boards, the Campus Incidents webpage, and a mobile app. 

A member of UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User initiates the ENS by logging in to the ENS with a secure login and password. Once logged in, the Authorized User enters the notification content, recipient group, and delivery methods, and then sends the Emergency Notification. 

In addition, the University notifies the greater community of emergencies through the following means:

• Emergency Notifications are automatically posted for 72 hours on the publicly available Campus Incidents webpage.
• UAPD is in communication with local law enforcement.
• UAPD and University Communications notify media outlets as necessary. 

• Authorized Users will send Emergency Notifications to Campus Community members at Clery Separate Campuses through other means when necessary, including regular, non-ENS email, phone calls, and text messages.
• In consultation with UAPD, college, department, or unit leadership may send Emergency Notifications to members of their college, department, or unit when necessary using regular, non-ENS email, phone calls, and text messages.
• In the event of a technical failure of the ENS, UAPD Command Staff or UAPD Dispatch may request an Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) emergency alert notification by contacting the Pima County Office of Emergency Management on-call representative. When utilizing IPAWS, Campus Community members will receive a notification as members of the general public within the identified recipient geographical area. This system cannot be utilized for general alerts and is only authorized for imminent threat alerts, which include natural or human-made disasters, extreme weather, active attacker, and other in-progress threats or emergencies.

The ENS will be tested annually in conjunction with the Clery-required emergency response test. The University will document each test of the emergency response and evacuation procedures, including the date, time, description of the exercise, and whether the test was announced or unannounced, in accordance with Clery Act requirements.