POTSDAM -- As part of its continuous emergency planning efforts, SUNY Potsdam will hold a campuswide Shelter in Place Drill on Thursday, Sept. 20, beginning at 9:45 a.m., in an effort to familiarize the campus with steps to take in a crisis. This drill will last approximately 20 minutes.

SUNY Potsdam will send text messages and emails to signal the beginning and end of the drill, using its emergency alert system, Potsdam Rave Alert.

During the drill, professors will be encouraged to secure their classrooms and lead discussions on how their spaces could be secured in a crisis. People in open areas will also be asked to think about where the nearest secure locations might be, and what actions they would take in an emergency.

The campus will not be closed during this safety exercise, and signs will be posted notifying members of the public about the drill.

This semester, the Shelter in Place Drill will also incorporate a live crisis simulation scenario, allowing campus officials and community first responders to practice their response for a simulated bomb threat at Merritt Hall.

During the drill, officials will take steps to isolate this building and sweep it for explosives, just as officials would during a real-life situation. First responders and campus officials will provide instructions for people in the vicinity of Merritt Hall, and they may be asked to evacuate or stay clear of the area.

Shelter in Place directives are issued for different types of crises, including hazardous materials or chemical leaks, extreme weather events such as tornadoes, during fires and in response to bomb threats.