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While we are concerned for your personal safety, and we provide information, facility enhancements, and staff to assist in providing a safe environment for our residents, the ultimate responsibility for your safety rests with you. Dangerous behavior or poor choices can place your personal safety at risk. To help protect yourself, please take advantage of the services and programs we offer. Some examples:
Residents should know the location of fire extinguishers in the building and should be familiar with how to use them.
Stop, don't run - Drop, get on the ground - Roll, on the ground to smother the flames
Evacuate the building immediately. Though a fire alarm may not be due to excessive smoke, or an actual fire, you should assume every alarm is a fire and respond accordingly. Failure to evacuate when a fire alarm sounds may result in disciplinary action, possible criminal prosecution and/or fines. When evacuating, take your PASScard, room key and identification and proceed to the nearest exit. Do not use an elevator. Respond to the evacuation area specified for your building. A staff member will notify residents when it is safe to return to the building. Do not reenter the building for any reason until the proper university official has declared it safe.
Theft, usually a crime of opportunity, is by far the most common crime in residence halls, and one that can be prevented. Thefts are most often committed by persons you or your roommates allow into your residence.
More important than any item of property is your personal safety. The chances of physical attack can be greatly reduced by taking simple precautions and by being alert when walking around the campus.
Things to do:
Do not:
Non-emergency repairs follow a different procedure. Normal maintenance issues occurring in the halls that do not pose immediate threats to students' health and safety should be submitted on a Service Request.
In the event that students should discover bodily fluids (blood, vomit, etc.) in a public area of the residence hall, they are asked to notify their Resident Assistant or the front desk.
Although it is not mandatory, students are also requested to make an effort to contact their Resident Assistant after appropriate medical attention has been sought, especially if the health and safety emergency occurred within the hall. Resident Assistants are responsible and conscientious employees of the Department of Residential Life and Housing, and awareness of the health and safety emergencies of their residents aids them in better performing their duties and preventing future accidents.
In the event of a power failure in the residence halls, each residence hall is equipped with an emergency power generator. When power fails, the generators start and begin supplying power within twenty or thirty seconds. The generators supply enough power to provide adequate light and emergency power for the building for several hours, but the amount of power available is less than the normal level. During this power reduction, avoid using elevators or unnecessary electrical equipment. All attempts will be made to inform affected residents as soon as possible. In the event of a power outage, please remember that candles are prohibited items in all university housing. Students are advised to keep a working flashlight with their personal belongings that they can locate and use in such an event.
The university never officially stops operating. Residence halls, food services, physical plant, and the police department operate year-round. However, there are times when, because of emergency situations such as inclement weather, classes may be canceled, and offices other than those providing essential services may be closed. In an effort to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff, emergency conditions will be monitored so that a decision to close can be made in a timely fashion. Even when the university is closed, the residence halls may remain open and operational.
A partial closing is closing a portion of the university before the end of a normal work day, for example due to limited power outage. Classes are not necessarily canceled and may be relocated. The decision to partially close is made by the president or by a police official. The special information number 784-4636 as well as deans' offices will be updated periodically to provide information regarding the status of partial closing.
A full closing occurs when classes are canceled, and university offices other than those providing essential services are closed. This situation would most likely occur due to severe weather conditions. The decision to close is made by the president in consultation with the vice presidents. A full closing is communicated by way of radio announcements and the special information number, 784-4636.
If you discover a water leak, gas leak, or other major utility failure, please notify a Resident Assistant in the area, or the area front desk. Please give as much information as possible about the location and nature of the emergency to help assure appropriate response.
The University of Nevada has procedures in place to deal with the potential of a bomb threat being received in the residence halls. These procedures attempt to balance the need to protect lives and property with the possibility of a hoax unnecessarily disturbing those who live and work on campus.
While it is an unfortunate fact that many governmental facilities may be at risk from groups or individuals, the vast majority of threats directed at buildings and facilities are unsubstantiated hoaxes. As in the case of false fire alarms, those individuals who disrupt normal activities or put the safety of students at risk with a bomb threat will be prosecuted if identified. Rewards - including monetary compensation - may be provided for those who come forward with information that leads to the identification of a suspect in a bomb threat.
In light of the experience with previous situations, Residence Life and Housing suggests that students should know their (or their parents') homeowners' insurance policies, and to what extent such policies would cover any damage in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Students who find the coverage lacking are advised to seek out additional coverage in the form of homeowners' insurance, or college student insurance.
Per the University Housing Contract: The University disclaims any responsibility for, and each resident hereby releases and holds the University harmless from, any liability arising from any loss or damage to any personal property (including without limitation money or valuables) located in any facility occupied by a resident. The University strongly encourages residents to obtain insurance coverage protecting the resident's personal property. IF A RESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE INSURANCE COVERAGE, THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY MUST BE BORNE ENTIRELY BY THE RESIDENT.
