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  3. Residence Hall Safety-IL

Residence Hall Safety-IL

Your safety is our priority.

We consider our residence hall safe, as we have very few reported incidents of crime in our residence halls. We still encourage you to take some basic safety precautions to protect yourself, your fellow students, friends, and property. Questions about residence hall regulations should be directed to Residence Life.

  • Lock your door when you're not in your room even if you're only a few doors down. 
  • Be suspicious of unknown persons loitering around the residence hall.
  • Never prop or leave exterior doors to residence halls propped open.
  • Keep a record of all your valuables.
  • Call University Safety & Security to answer any questions you may have regarding safety.
  • Do not allow unescorted strangers into or to remain in the building. 
  • Call University Safety & Security immediately if subjects are unresponsive to your request for them to leave.
  • Know the Fire Safety Procedure and Tornado Sheltering Procedure. Scroll to the Fire Safety and Tornado Sheltering Procedures to review this important information.

University Safety & Security are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week:

  • University Safety & Security can be contacted at 630-515-7111 or 630-971-6081
  • Emergencies from on-campus phones, call x7111

Fire Safety and Tornado Sheltering Procedures for Residence Halls

The following is the Fire Safety Plan for Residence Halls:

  1. Stay Calm.
  2. Locate nearest fire alarm pull station and activate.
  3. Warn other residents by knocking and shouting on your way to the nearest exit.
  4. Before opening your door, feel it with the back of your hand.  If it is hot, do the following (if it is not hot go to step 5):
    • Open the windows.
    • Seal cracks around the door with towels, clothing, sheets, blankets, or similar items to keep the smoke out of the room.
    • If you are trapped, hang a sheet, jacket, or shirt or other object out the window that will attract attention. Shout for help. Contact Security by phone ext. 7111 and make them aware that you are unable to get out of your room and make sure you state what room you are in. Security will inform the Fire Department that you are trapped.  Stay calm. The Fire Department will reach you from the hallway or window.
  5. If you are able to leave the room, do so immediately and:
    • Close the door behind you and do not lock it. By closing the door this will retard the spread of smoke and lessen damage.
    • Do not return for personal belongings.
    • Proceed immediately to the nearest exit. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATOR. The elevator will be locked out in an alarm situation.
    • If smoke, heat or fire blocks your exit, go to an alternate exit.
    • If all exits from a floor are blocked, go back to your room and follow the procedures described above in #4
  6. If smoke is present, keep low to the floor.  Take short breaths to avoid inhaling any more smoke than necessary.
  7. After exiting the building, report to the assigned areas:
    • Redwood residents will meet in the Redwood parking lot.
    • Apartment 3 residents will meet in the parking lot east of the building.
    • Apartment 4 and 5 residents will meet near the dumpster along the fenced area.
    • Apartments 6, 7, and 8 will meet in the parking lot across from building 7 and 8. 
  8. A fire marshal will be assigned to each floor of each building.
  9. After leaving the building, stand clear.  Do not re-enter the building for any reason until the Fire Department has declared it safe to do so.

The Midwestern University Safety Team has prepared a list of locations to seek shelter in the event a tornado warning is issued for our area.  The Village of Downers Grove will sound the warning siren. The emergency notification system will announce the warning in all buildings. 

Please see below the buildings and locations to seek shelter.

  • Haspel/Hambrick - Lower Level Interior Hallway
  • Science Hall – Lower Level away from windows center core of building
  • The Commons – Recreation Area Lower Level
  • Alumni Hall  – Lower Levels East and West Side Lobbies by Skills Lab
  • Centennial Hall  – South hallway Lower Level
  • Redwood – Lower Level
  • Littlejohn Hall
    • Lecture Halls – Front Stage Area
    • Library – Lower Level Restrooms, Copy Room Area
  • Administration – Restroom
  • Fitness Center – Locker rooms
  • Apartments - Lower Level under the stairs
  • Multi-specialty Clinic - Lower level away from windows, center core of building

Sheltering Tips:

  1. Use common sense. Be aware of your surroundings. When weather conditions start to develop, listen to a television, radio, or weather radio for information.
  2. Stay away from windows, display cases, door side lights and doors that swing.
  3. Avoid locations where roofs are likely to be blown off.
  4. Avoid corridors with direct exits that may become wind tunnels.
  5. Avoid portions of the building with load bearing walls. If these types of walls collapse, the roof will cave in with them.
  6. Avoid spaces opposite doorways or openings into rooms that have windows or exterior walls.
  7. Avoid interior locations with skylights or ceiling openings.
  8. Avoid spaces within the falling radius of higher building objects such as chimneys, etc.

Protection Checklist

Inside – Best Areas:

  • basements
  • small interior rooms with no windows
  • locker rooms or bathrooms
  • hallways away from doors and windows and not open to direction of the tornado
  • rooms constructed of reinforced concrete, brick with no windows and a heavy concrete
  • floor or roof system overhead
  • any protected area away from doors or windows

Inside – Worst Areas:

  • gymnasiums and auditoriums
  • hallways exposed to direction of tornado
  • rooms with large windows and doors
  • rooms near chimneys or other large obstructions

Outside – Best Areas:

  • ditch, gully, culvert or low spot in the ground

Outside – Worst Areas:

  • in or under a vehicle
  • mobile homes or trailers
  • trees or groves of trees