Emergency Plans

Report an Emergency  

Use the following steps to report emergency situations, criminal activity or medical emergencies. 

On Campus  

The University of Alabama Police Department (UAPD) is an accredited law enforcement agency responsible for managing all campus emergencies. To report a crime or an emergency, call UAPD at 205-348-5454 or 911. UAPD will respond and request assistance from other agencies (fire, medical, etc.) as appropriate. For ALL campus emergencies, UAPD is the primary point of contact. 

Know Your Location  

To summon help, you must know your location. When on campus, familiarize yourself with the building names and locations that you frequent. Each building has an outside marker that contains the building name and street address. The UA Safety mobile app has a map that can show your exact location when GPS is enabled on your phone. For on-campus locations, this will include a building name and street address. Evacuation maps are normally posted inside buildings near the entry/exit locations, stairwells, and elevators. Typically, these maps also provide the building name and street address. 

Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures  

All fire alarm activations require mandatory evacuation, even fire drills. Both Riverside North and East Residential Hall have emergency exits located on the first floor. During an evacuation, all students will go to the parking lot and stay until UA ACTivate releases them to return to the building.

When fire alarms activate:

• Do not use elevators unless authorized to do so by emergency personnel. Exit through the closest exit.
• Move at least 75 feet away from the building and out of the way of first responders.
• Do not re-enter the building until you are told to do so by emergency personnel.
• Immediately notify police and emergency personnel if any participants are missing.

Severe Weather Safety and Shelter Locations  

In case of a tornado warning, participants should seek shelter. UA offers several shelters on campus. 

If a tornado warning is issued that includes the University campus, all on-campus activities must stop and participants should seek shelter immediately. 

For more information about on-campus shelter locations, see Emergency Management’s website or the UA Safety mobile app. 

The nearest storm shelter to the Riverside Residential Halls is in the Robert E. Witt Student Activity Center. If you need to take shelter in an oncampus shelter location:

• Remain calm.
• Seek shelter inside the closest sturdy building (preferably in a storm shelter if you can get there safely). DO NOT wait until you physically see a tornado or severe weather event to react. 
• Monitor events through the media or The University of Alabama’s website. For on-campus locations, once you are inside, go to the Best Available Refuge Area (BARA) posted on the Building Emergency Map and identified on the UA Safety mobile app.
• Do not use elevators
• Wait for further instructions from UA Alert, PA system or other emergency personnel.
• Do not leave until an “All Clear” is received.

Severe Weather Safety and Shelter Locations Shelter Locations 

If emergency conditions necessitate evacuating of the planned program location, participants will be moved to the following shelter location(s). 

Primary Shelter: North Campus Storm Shelter 

Alternate Shelter: John H England Jr. Hall Storm Shelter or nearest available shelter to your current location  

The North Campus Storm Shelter is located inside the Robert E. Witt Student Activity Center. Students housed in Riverside North Hall will exit the building, walk straight across Abercrombie Lane and access the Rec Center from the road. Students housed in Riverside East Hall will exit the building, turn left on Hackberry Lane, then turn left on Abercrombie Lane to access the Rec Center from the road. 

Sheltering in Place

If you are advised to shelter in place, you should remain inside. If you are outside and a situation arises that requires you to shelter in place, move into the closest building that protects you from danger, and follow all applicable directions issued by campus authorities.

General Contact Information

The following contact information may be used for general inquiries in non-emergency situations.

Emergency Contact Information

In the event of an emergency, the following individuals may be contacted for information. Please note that these contacts might not be the same as those used for general information.

If the designated emergency contacts cannot be reached, please contact UAPD for on-campus emergencies or local law enforcement for off-campus emergencies.

University Police
205-348-5454 or 911