Emergency Guide – Hammond
Purdue University Northwest has current emergency response procedures and communication plans in place. Should an emergency occur on or near the campus, the Campus Emergency Resource Team (CERT) is prepared to put emergency plans into action to protect the campus community. The PNW website and other media outlets will be used to keep you informed in the event of an emergency situation.
219-989-2222 – Emergency Number – From any on-campus telephone
24-Hour Police Department
For any campus emergency on the Hammond Campus:
- Report emergency immediately by dialing 219-989-2222 for Campus Police from any on-campus telephone.
- Cell phone users should dial 219-989-2222 for campus emergencies. We suggest you program this number in your cell phone. Report location, nature, and details of the emergency.
- Give your name and phone number.
- Be a good witness: Don’t place yourself in danger.
Emergency Phones
Emergency phones connected directly to the Campus Police are located in:
Download a copy of the Exterior Emergency Phone Locations (PDF).
The Campus Emergency “Blue Light Phones” are located near building entrances or parking lots as follows:
| Building | Location of Phone |
|---|---|
| Founders Plaza | West |
| Founders Plaza | Center Sidewalk |
| Founders Plaza | East |
| Gyte | North Entrance |
| Lawshe | South Parking Lot |
| Lawshe | West Sidewalk South of Lawshe Building |
| Lawshe | Crosswalk Between Lots Southeast of Lawshe |
| Fitness & Recreation Center | Sidewalk Southwest of Building |
| Police Station | Parking Lot Front of Police Station |
| Porter | Outside North Entrance |
| Schneider Avenue Building | Future Emergency Phone Location |
| Schneider Avenue Building Parking Lot | Future Emergency Phone Location |
| Student Union & Library | South Entrance |
| Parking Garage | All Levels |
| University Village (Housing) | West and East Parking Lots |
House phones are also located inside various buildings across the Purdue Northwest Hammond campus.
Fire Emergency Evacuations
Know the location of fire alarms, extinguishers and evacuations routes and exits in the area you work or live. Follow evacuation routes and exits on available route maps. If none are located in your immediate, evacuate to the closest exit in your building or floor.
- Activate Alarm. Upon discovering a fire, explosion or smoke in the building close the door to the room where the fire is located and immediately activate the fire alarm system.
- Call for Help. After sounding the alarm, call 911, if time permits. Identify yourself and the location of the fire (floor and room number is possible).
- Warn Others.
- Evacuate Immediately. Taking your belongings with you, follow the evacuation route for fire, posted by all elevators, stairways, in classrooms and labs. Do Not re-enter the building until instructed to do so.
- Do Not Use Elevators During a Fire Emergency.
- Advise firefighters on the scene if you suspect someone may be trapped.
Persons With Disabilities
Persons with disabilities should be assisted from the building by other persons in the immediate area. Disabled persons not receiving assistance are to report to the designated “Evacuation standby Area”. The transport areas are posted at the passenger elevators in each building. Police and Fire personnel will respond to these areas to assist in the building evacuation.
- Lawshe Hall: If you are on the second or third floor, go to the north stairway.
- Porter Hall: If you are on the second floor, go to the north stairway.
- Gyte : If you are on the first floor, exit through the south wheelchair ramp. If you are on the second floor, go to the northeast stairway. If you are on the ground floor, evacuate to the wheelchair ramp .
- Potter Building: If you are on the second or third floor, go to the southwest stairway.
- Anderson Building: If you are on the second or third floor, go to the northwest stairway.
- Student Union & Library: If you are on the second or third floor, go tothe northwest stairway.
- Powers Building: If you are on the second floor, go to the southeast stairway.
- CLO Building: If you are on the second or third floor, go to the southeast stairway.
- University Village: If you are on the second, third or fourth floor, go to the northeast or northwest stairway.
- Academic Learning Center: If you are on the second floor, go to the north stairway
Tornado Warning Procedure
A Tornado Warning means a funnel cloud has been observed in the vicinity and building occupants should seek shelter.
When a warning is received, an external and internal alert siren will be sounded. An alert will consist of a THREE-MINUTE WARNING on the external siren and activation of the internal Emergency Public Address System speakers. An announcement that there is a tornado warning for our area will be heard inside buildings.
When the tornado alarm is activated all classes and campus operations will cease immediately. Leave your office or classroom by the nearest exit and report to the designated assembly point in the basement or ground floor (if no basement) of your building.
Wherever you hear the outside tornado warning siren and internal announcement, remember to do the following:
- Know the locations of at least two (2) separate ways to the basement or ground floor (if no basement).
- Immediately upon hearing the audible signal of the tornado alarm, stop whatever you’re doing. Take your valuables (purse, wallet and vehicle keys) with you. You may not be allowed back into your work or classroom area, or you may be asked to evacuate the campus property.
- Close your door upon leaving but do not lock it.
- Alert anyone in the immediate area who may not have heard the alarm.
- Check restrooms or nearby vacant rooms for students, staff and visitors.
- Move quickly and safely to the designated assembly area.
- Once in the shelter, report missing students and staff to police or CERT members.
- If a tornado hits the building take a position of greatest safety by crouching on your knees, head down with hands locked at back of head.
- Do not leave the designated shelter area. Campus Police will monitor information sources to determine when to issue the ALL CLEAR.
- As soon as the ALL CLEAR status is confirmed, an ALL CLEAR announcement will be made in each building. It is strongly recommended that everyone remain in designated shelter areas until Campus Police announce the ALL CLEAR.
Listed below are the building locations and assembly points:
Storm Safe Areas
- Anderson Building – main hallway first floor, A-148 and first floor restrooms
- CLO Building – center hallway on first floor, 132, 135, 137, 138, 139 and first floor restrooms
- Potter Building – main hallway on first floor, P-108, 112, 124 and first floor restrooms
- Powers Computer Ed Building – Powers 108, 120, 121 and first floor restrooms
- Gyte & Gyte Annex – ground floor hallways, near G-2, 5, 8, 16, 26, 35 or 71 and X-11, 25, 34, 53) and ground floor restrooms
- Porter Hall – East/West hallway first floor near 114 and 116 and first floor restrooms
- Student Faculty Library Center – Cafeteria dining room, Concourse near elevator, first floor restrooms and NW & SW stairwells up to first landing
- Lawshe Hall – Lecture Hall O-131, first floor restrooms
- Fitness & Recreation Center – center of Main hallways and restrooms
- Riley Counseling Center – Storage area and west wall of L-135 or PER building.
- Schneider Avenue Building – Ground floor, hallway between rooms 43-62, Stairwells S03, S01.
- The Hospital Tourism Management Building Center & Challenger Center – 121, 125, 126, 127, 132, 133, hallway outside of 93, room 96, hallway outside 96, room 102, hallway outside 102, and restrooms. HTM – kitchen area.
- University Services Building – S-21 & 25, locker rooms.
- Powerhouse – 115 and men’s first floor locker room
- University Village – ground floor rooms, hallways and public restrooms away from doors and windows. Stairwells.
- Calumet Hall – Ground floor interior hall, Stairwells.
- Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center – Restrooms 120, 122 and mechanical room 118.
- Indianapolis Boulevard Counseling Center – 1013, 1008, 1052, 1054 and stairwells.
- Roberts Design Center – Restrooms.
- NIL Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building – 1st floor restrooms. Stairwells.
Campus Police will monitor information sources to determine when to issue the ALL CLEAR. As soon as the ALL CLEAR status is confirmed, an ALL CLEAR announcement will be made in each building. It is strongly recommended that everyone remain in designated shelter areas until Campus Police announce the ALL CLEAR.
Weather Emergencies
Heavy Snowfall – Purdue University Northwest makes every attempt to remain open during the snowy winter months. However, it may be necessary to close the University due to severe weather conditions.
- Email – A school closing email will be sent to your PNW email address. Please be aware that in the event of a power outage, university computer servers will be inoperable.
- On the web – School closings will be posted directly on the PNW Home Page.
- Radio – The area radio stations listed below will be notified by 6 a.m. if the campus is to be closed that day. If you do not hear that PNW Hammond Campus is closed when the stations make their early morning announcements, you can assume that the campus will be open. The stations are asked to repeat the closing announcement during the day.
- Text– An emergency text will be sent out to all “Alert Me” subscribers.
Radio Station Information
Hammond radio station (WJOB-AM 1230),
Emergency Text Message System (Alert Me!) Available at PNW
PNW offers a voluntary emergency text message system to all students and university employees. A university-issued username is needed in order to subscribe. This service will be used exclusively for closing announcements and campus emergency alerts.
Text messaging adds another important layer to the university’s emergency notification processes. All members of the campus community who own text-enabled electronic devices are strongly encouraged to participate.
Person Trapped in Elevator
- An emergency telephone is located in the control panel of each elevator. If the elevator stops or the door won’t open, pick up the handset. The telephone is a direct line to Campus Police. You do not need to dial any number. You will be given instructions on what to do at the time.
- If the telephone does not work, push the emergency alarm located on the control panel. Do not attempt to leave the elevator via the emergency hatch.
- Campus Police and Physical Plant personnel are the only persons authorized to restart an elevator or remove persons from an elevator. If you have any questions regarding emergency procedures please call the Campus Police at 219-989-2222.
Additional Resources

The order to shelter in place is a precaution directive aimed to keep you safe while remaining indoors.

The purpose of a lockdown is to minimize accessibility to rooms/buildings on campus to reduce the risk of injury or danger to faculty, staff, students or visitors.

Community Emergency Response Teams
This trained pool of personnel helps the university respond to emergency events.

In the event of a personal injury or serious illness the following procedure is to be followed