Emergency Closing Information
DPU Alert
DePaul’s direct emergency notification system is called DPU Alert. You are required to enter or confirm a phone number and e-mail address at which DePaul can reach you in an emergency. To share this information, visit the Demographic Portfolio tab under Campus Connection and click on DPU Alert. The phone number can be a cell or land line. A text SMS message option is available if you subscribe to that service with your cell provider. DePaul will send DPU Alerts only in major, life-threatening emergencies and will follow all appropriate privacy procedures in maintaining this information in our system.
Building Evacuations
If an emergency occurs and we must evacuate a building or campus, Public Safety officers will begin a floor-by-floor evacuation of each affected building from the top down. Students, faculty, staff and visitors will be instructed to leave the building quickly. Every second counts in an emergency. The university requests your full cooperation when you hear an alarm or are instructed by a Public Safety officer to evacuate, even if it appears to be a false alarm. You will be allowed back in the building as soon as the all clear is given. Public Safety is available to answer any questions that may arise by calling 312/362-8400 at the Loop or 773/325-7777 at Lincoln Park. Following these procedures will ensure everyone’s safety in an emergency.
Fire Alarms Matter
When a fire alarm sounds, every DePaul employee, student and visitor must promptly and safely evacuate the building. Alarms matter because lives could be at stake. Public Safety recommends these key points to remember:
Know at least two stairwell exit routes from your floor
Do not hesitate to evacuate, even if you are in the middle of an exam
Do not take time to bring personal items, just leave
Use stairwells that are free of smoke
Do not use elevators
Never open a door if it feels hot to the touch
Do not prop open stairwell doors; it could spread the fire
Inform staff on the first floor if someone needs assistance
Stay clear of the building's entrance
Select a place to meet outside the building and report there immediately
Conduct a headcount and inform authorities if someone is missing
Return to the building only after fire officials give the all-clear
People with disabilities may need extra assistance. Anyone with a disability, even a temporary one, is encouraged to complete a form for voluntary identification of a disability and required assistance. Forms are available from the Office of Students with Disabilities at 773/325-7290. Students with disabilities in need of special help in an emergency should inform their professors, who will be responsible for ensuring that they are assisted to a rescue location.
All DePaul buildings must be evacuated fully when an alarm sounds. You can view emergency plans on the Public Safety and Risk Management Web sites.
Web Site Information
DePaul’s home page should be your primary source of information during a weather-related closing or an emergency. DePaul rarely closes, so you should assume the university is open unless you see a notice on the home page. If classes will be cancelled, an alert will be posted in the middle of the site to the left of the DePaul News box. Similar details may be made available in news releases posted on DePaul’s online Newsroom.
In the event of a major emergency that disrupts the university’s operations, DePaul’s home page will be replaced with an emergency information Web site. Basic information will be posted early in the emergency and updated throughout the situation as additional details become available.
Media Announcements
Local TV news and radio stations are another source of information about class cancellations, campus closings and emergency information. DePaul will report major class cancellations or campus closures to the Emergency Closing Center, a communal source of information used by CBS-TV (Channel 2), NBC-TV (Channel 5), ABC-TV (Channel 7), WGN-TV (Channel 9), WFLD-TV (Fox Channel 32), WGN radio (720 AM) and WBBM radio (780 AM). These stations have pledged to report closing information on their newscasts and Web sites. Listen closely when closing lists are read to learn which of our campuses may be affected. Class cancellations or campus closures affecting a small number of students will not trigger media announcements. Affected students, faculty and staff will be notified via e-mail or phone call. Although one campus may be closed, others may be open.
In addition, the Emergency Closing Center has established a public Web site where you can enter the name of your campus and check its status. If you see “No Report,” that means DePaul has not reported a closing, and we are open for business as usual. Each of DePaul’s campuses is listed separately. This site also offers you the opportunity to receive an automatic e-mail when the status of your campus has changed. Simply enter your e-mail address under the e-mail notification tab on the site, and you will receive an e-mail if DePaul reports that your campus has closed.
E-mail and Telephone Notifications
In the event of a large-scale class cancellation, a university-wide e-mail will be issued and a voice mail message posted on the university’s general announcement line at 312/362-6226 or main telephone number at 312/362-8000. Please refrain from calling the operator unless you cannot access information posted on DePaul’s home page or announcement telephone lines. Isolated class cancellations will be handled more personally with e-mails and phone calls directly to those affected and may not result in messages on these announcement lines.
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