A Guide to Safety Protocols at Illinois Central College

Stephanie McClaskey 

March 28, 2023

Tornado season is upon us, and Illinois Central College (ICC) is preparing students, staff and faculty on proper procedures during an emergency. Last Thursday, ICC performed a tornado drill on the East Peoria campus. At 10:05 a.m. alarms rang through the halls, and a voice recording came over the intercom urging students and staff to take shelter. 

As students exited their classrooms and made their way to the lower-level hallways, professors gave instructions and ensured safe execution of the drill. Additionally, the voice recording also provided instructions on how to seek safety. This message is for students or staff members who may not currently be in a classroom. Students appeared to be calm and well-informed on proper procedures during the drill. 

 “There were people in the hallway kind of guiding me and telling me what to do, so I didn’t feel lost or anything,” said student Sabrina Ruelas.

Additionally, campus housing has its own automated alarm and intercom system that is provided in each of the living quarters. In a recent interview, the Illinois Central College Police Department (ICCPD) explained that the doors closest to campus housing are unlocked in the event of a tornado at any hour of the day to provide shelter to campus residents. Campus housing, where basements are not provided, has a specialized recording that instructs them to take cover in the main campus building. 

While Illinois is located within tornado alley, this is not the only situation that calls for having safety protocols in place. In addition to periodic tornado drills, ICC also holds fire drills. Its most recent fire drill was held on the ICC North Campus. The goals are to have people exit the building as quickly and safely as possible. Then they are expected to put as much distance between themselves and the building as possible and not block access for emergency responders.

“The biggest thing [on the East Peoria Campus] is to not gather in the courtyard. When you get out, keep going past that and out towards the parking lots,” said Chief Erika Schwiderski.

Another major emergency protocol that is in place is in the event of an active shooter on campus. There have been 130 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2023 alone, and At least 30 of those shootings took place on school grounds. The most recent college campus shooting took place on February 13, 2023, at Michigan State University, which left four dead and five injured. In the event of an attack at ICC, a specialized alarm would sound off and notifications would be sent via MyAlerts, ICC’s online notification system, warning students and staff that there’s an immediate threat, as long as it is safe to do so. If it is unsafe to utilize the intercom system on campus ICCPD would rely solely on MyAlerts.

While there are many slogans that try to summarize the proper response to an active shooter, ICC utilizes the phrase, “Run, hide, fight”. Safety officials first recommend trying to run away and leave the premises. The second option is to hide. Find a place that puts as much space between you and the assailant as possible. Silence your phone and text campus police on the Rave Guardian app to give them real-time updates of your location and the events unfolding. As a last resort, safety officials say you should fight. Remember, there is power in numbers. Band together with other students and staff to defend yourself, if necessary. Action and timing are essential in times of immediate danger. 

“You have to think about what you are going to be willing to do in that situation. You have to be ready to act immediately because the faster somebody can act the more chance everybody has,” Chief Schwiderski stated.

In addition to understanding proper procedures for emergencies on campus, other keys to survival are being mentally prepared and having a personal plan in place. Knowing your personal limit and to what lengths you are willing to go in this situation is vital. ICCPD encourages students, staff and faculty to download the Rave Guardian app if they have not already done so. The app is the quickest way to give and receive notifications for safety situations on campus. The app is available on the Google Play store and Apple App store. Always report suspicious behavior to ICCPD immediately. Campus police are available 24/7, and they suggest that there’s no such thing as too small of an incident when it comes to reporting.