Safety

An active assailant is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined or populated area; in most cases, an active shooter will use firearm(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.

Guidance to faculty, staff and students

In general, how you respond to an active assailant will be dictated by the specific circumstances of the encounter, bearing in mind there could be more than one assailant involved in the same situation. Active assailant situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the assailant and mitigate harm to victims.  If you find yourself involved in an active assailant situation, try to remain calm and use these guidelines to help you plan a strategy for survival.  It is important for individuals to prepare both mentally and physically to deal with active assailant situations through training and education.

How to respond when an active assailant is in your vicinity:

Quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life. Remember that students and visitors are likely to follow the lead of faculty and staff during emergency situations

• Call 911
  • When calling 911, state that you are calling from Florida Gulf Coast University, the building name, room number and reason for the call.
  • If you are in an office, stay there and secure the door. If you are in a hallway, get into a room and secure the door.
  • If you are outside, look for buildings, brick walls, vehicles or solid structures that will provide protection from bullets

Evacuate

If there is an accessible escape path, attempt to evacuate the premises. Be sure to:

• Have an escape route and plan in mind, evacuate regardless whether others agree to follow or not
•  Leave your belongings behind
•  Follow the instructions of any police officers

Hide Out

If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide where the active assailant is less likely to find you.

 Your hiding place should:

• Be out of the active assailant’s view
• Provide protection if shots are fired in your direction (i.e., an office with a closed and locked door)

To prevent an active assailant from entering your hiding place:

• Lock the door
• Blockade the door with heavy furniture

If the active shooter is nearby:

• Lock the door
• Silence your cell phone
• Hide behind large items (furniture, cabinets, desks)
• Remain quiet

Take action against the active shooter

As a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active assailant by:

• Acting as aggressively as possible against him/her
• Throwing items and improvising weapons
• Yelling
• Committing to your actions

How to respond when law enforcement arrives

Law enforcement’s purpose is to stop the active the active assailant as soon as possible. Police officers responding to an active assailant are trained to proceed immediately to the area in which shots were last heard; their purpose is to stop the shooting as quickly as possible.

• The first responding officers will normally be in teams of four (4)
• They may be dressed in regular patrol uniforms, or they may be wearing external bulletproof vests, Kevlar helmets, and other tactical equipment.
• The officers may be armed with rifles, shotguns or handguns, and might be using pepper spray or tear gas to control the situation.  
• Remain calm and follow officer’s instructions
• Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets)
• Keep hands visible at all times
• Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as holding on to them for safety
• Exit in the direction the officers are entering the premises

The first officers to arrive will not stop to aid injured people; rescue teams composed of other officers and emergency medical personnel will follow the first officers into secured areas to treat and remove injured persons.

Keep in mind that even once you have escaped to a safer location, the entire area is still a crime scene; police will usually not let anyone leave until the situation is fully under control and all witnesses have been identified and questioned. Until you are released, remain at whatever assembly point authorities designate.

Active Shooter/Safety Downloads

Active Shooter Pocket Card
Active Shooter Pocket Card Spanish
Active Shooter How To Respond

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Emergency telephones are mounted on 9-foot steel columns and are designed to be wheelchair accessible. Each unit includes Braille instructions, a highly visible push button on an illuminated faceplate, and a blue strobe light for easy identification. When the push button is pressed, campus police are immediately notified, dispatchers can hear activity at the location, the caller’s exact location is identified, and the blue strobe light is activated.

Blue light emergency phones are located throughout parking areas, student housing, and academic core spaces. In an emergency, these phones provide a direct connection to an FGCU Police Department dispatcher for immediate assistance.

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• What to do if you are raped or sexually assaulted

  • Get medical attention immediately. The primary purpose of a medical examination following a rape is to check for injuries and the presence of sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy (as a result of the rape). The secondary purpose of an examination is to aid the police investigation and legal proceedings through the recovery of evidence.
  • Don’t bathe, douche or brush your teeth. Bathing or douching (brushing your teeth if oral sex is involved) is understandably the first thing you might what to do but don’t. You might literally be washing away valuable evidence. Wait until after the medical examination.
  • Save your clothing. It’s okay to change your clothes but save what you were wearing. Your clothing could also be valuable evidence. Place each item of clothing into separate paper bags if possible; if not, a single large bag will do.
  • Report the incident to the police. You can also report the incident to the Dean of Students in the Cohen Student Union.   It is up to you, but reporting a rape is not the same as prosecuting a rape. Rapists, even acquaintance rapists, are often repeat offenders. Law enforcement can only apprehend offenders when they know about the crime.
  • “If you are the victim of a sexual assault and decide not to notify law enforcement, it is still important that you seek medical attention and contact a victim support resource.” 

Where to go for help

Victim Support Resources (On & Off Campus):

On Campus

Victim Advocate - Available to assist students who have experienced a crime, including sexual misconduct, dating violence, stalking, or other forms of victimization. The Victim Advocate provides confidential support, explains reporting options (including criminal and university reporting), assists with safety planning, and may coordinate with University officials to address academic, housing, or personal safety concerns. The Victim Advocate can also connect students with internal campus services and external community resources. For more information, contact Aisha Lewis, Victim Advocate, at 239-745-4344 or alewis@fgcu.edu

Student Health Services (SHS) - Student Health Services does not conduct forensic sexual assault examinations. However, SHS provides medical care, including testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), emergency contraception (Plan B), and follow-up medical support. SHS staff can also provide referrals to appropriate campus and community resources. Student Health Services is adjacent to Parking Garage 2, behind the Arts Complex and can be reached at (239) 590-7966.

Should you want a forensic sexual assault exam completed, contact the ACT Shelter 239-939-3112, all services are free.

Student Health Information

Counseling and Psychological Services Office (CAPS) - Provides free confidential personal, emotional, and behavioral support services to all students dealing with trauma or victimization. CAPS can be reached at 239-745-3277, 24 hours a day.

CAPS Information

Student Care Services - Is available to students who have been a victim of a crime. The Student Care Services Case Manager can provide student victims with assisting in navigating campus and local processes. Email: care@fgcu.edu 

Student Care Services Information

Do you know someone in crisis, or in need of assistance navigating campus services?
Submit a Care or Concern form: Concern Form

Student Conduct and Dean of Students - The Dean of Students can provide an overview of the student conduct process if the accused is a student at FGCU.  You are encouraged to report so that we can look into the incident and do what we can to ensure this does not happen again to anyone else. The Dean will also provide information and resources available to assist you.  The dean's office isin the Cohen Student Union, room 288 and can be contacted at 239-590-7900.

Student Conduct Information

File a Student Code of Conduct complaint:  File Report

Director of Equity, Ethics, Complaince and Title IX Coordinator - Precious Gunter, 239-745-4366, pgunter@fgcu.edu

Title IX Information

Contact the Title IX Coordinator if you:

1. Wish to understand your options if you think you may have encountered sex discrimination or sexual misconduct;
2. Learn of a situation that you feel may warrant a University investigation;
3. Need help on how to handle a situation by which you are indirectly affected;
4. Seek guidance on possible informal remedies or administrative measures to de-escalate or alleviate a difficult situation;
5. Have questions about FGCU’s policies and procedures.

File a Title IX complaint: File Report

Off Campus

Abuse Counseling and Treatment (ACT) - (Lee County) A hotline counselor can speak to you about options, assist you in making a safety plan, identify resources and assist you in making an appointment for counseling. Services are free. 24-hour hotline is 239-939-3112 (may be accessed while on or off campus).

Project Help (Collier County) - The Hotline offers immediate crisis intervention, information, and referral services. 24hr hotline 239-262-7227 (hotline may be accessed while on or off campus)

C.A.R.E (Center for Abuse & Rape Emergencies) - (Charlotte County) - The Hotline offers immediate crisis intervention, information, and referral services. 24hr hotline 941-637-0404.

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The Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Act

In accordance to state statutes, registered sexual predators and sexual offenders must register with the Department of Law Enforcement. Convicted sex offenders from out of state must register in Florida with 48 hours of establishing residence.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has created a web tool for interested parties to search their database. This database may be used to find sex offenders and predators by name, address, city, county, or zip code. 
The main site is located at http://web2.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/home.jsf, or you can call 1-888-357-7332, by email sexpred@fdle.state.fl.us, or by university specific search: https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/universitySearch.jsf 

As part of the Jacob Wetterling Act, the Police and Safety Department at Florida Gulf Coast University will make notifications to the community of anyone who is enrolled or employed at the university.

Below are the current registered offenders that are students or employees at FGCU:

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Outdoor Siren:

As part of the FGCU Alert System, the university maintains an outdoor warning siren located within the main academic core. The siren is designed to be heard outdoors only and is not intended for indoor notification. While primarily serving the academic core, it may also be audible in areas such as North Lake Village and South Village.

In the event of an emergency that poses a threat to individuals outdoors, the university may activate the siren. The alert tones are loud and distinctive to ensure they can be clearly heard by those outside within the coverage area.

Regardless of the reason for activation, individuals who hear the siren should seek shelter in the nearest building and obtain additional information through other FGCU Alert System which includes text messages, email notifications, Axis TV, the FGCU homepage, and the Eagle Alert system.

Examples of situations that may result in siren activation include:

Weather Emergencies

• Tornado warnings

Other Emergencies

• Dangerous situations

• Hazardous conditions

Administrative

• System testing (preceded by text and email notification)

Not all FGCU Alerts will require siren activation. The siren is used when the recommended protective action is for community members to seek immediate shelter.

During law enforcement incidents, including responses to active threats, activation of the siren or other FGCU Alert System components will be determined by the University Police Department based on the nature of the incident and public safety needs.

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