Campus Safety

Safety and Security

UMMC’s goal is to maintain safe working conditions for all employees to prevent accidents and to foster health. Employees are asked to cooperate by observing reasonable and normal safety precautions in their work and to adhere to safety regulations pertaining to their specific job.

Police and Public Safety Department

UMMC’s Police and Public Safety Department (UMMC PD) uses advanced equipment and techniques for crime prevention and to carry out a number of programs and services to promote campus safety and security. State law grants UMMC PD the power to enforce the general criminal laws of the state and traffic regulations on campus. Officers are certified in compliance with state law to assist them in providing effective campus safety. The department works in conjunction with local law enforcement authorities to ensure information exchange and to assist in large or complex cases. All reports of criminal activity will be handled and investigated in an appropriate and professional manner. Campus Police is located in the Alumni House on the first and second floor.

Campus Police provides 24-hour assistance to students, employees and the public. An escort service is available at night and on weekends after regular transportation hours. To request an escort please call 601-984-1360.

Employees should report suspicious activities to UMMC Police at 601-815-7777 or 911 from a campus phone. If you see something, say something.

In the event you are faced with an Active Attacker situation, Run, Hide, Fight are the actions you should take to protect yourself. Run – know your surroundings and immediately escape the area; Hide – if you cannot escape, find an area you can secure and remain quiet; Fight – as a last resort and if you are in imminent danger, fight the assailant using any items you can improvise to protect yourself.

UMMC PD may ask to check a package, purse or briefcase of an employee arriving or leaving UMMC. Employees must comply with an officer’s request to check a package, purse or briefcase.

Weapons Policy

The possession of pistols, firearms, or other weapons in any form by any person other than duly authorized law enforcement officials, institutional security officials, and other authorized persons as defined by section 45-6-3 of the Mississippi Code of 1972 is prohibited on campus and at institutional off-campus events. The term “other authorized persons” includes those individuals authorized by applicable law and by the institutional executive officer or his/her designee. “Other authorized persons” also includes those individuals who have in their possession a valid, unexpired state enhanced concealed carry firearms permit or the equivalent permit issued by a state with a reciprocity agreement with Mississippi. Even so, those individuals possessing such permits are not permitted to possess firearms in any non-public institutional locations. Students and employees are not authorized to possess firearms on institutional property or at institutional off-campus events regardless of possession of firearms permits. Possession of firearms is prohibited in locations where same is prohibited by applicable federal law, regardless as to whether those locations are designated as public or non-public.

For more information, please view the full Weapons Policy.

Emergency Operations Plan

The Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) uses an all-hazards approach to take responsible steps for providing a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all members of the campus community. The purpose of this plan is to improve the capability of UMMC during emergencies and to guide the incident management efforts from detection, mitigation, planning and preparation through response and recovery. All campus employees will receive instructions from their department or division heads during a disaster as to their roles and responsibilities. For more information, please call the Mississippi Center for Emergency Services at 601-815-2665.

UMMC is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year and provides essential health care services to the Jackson metropolitan area, the State of Mississippi, and the Southeastern Region of the United States. Our citizens and communities depend upon us to be there in times of need.

During an emergency, all employees play important roles in providing and/or supporting patient care. Because some members of our work force may be personally affected by the emergency and unable to report to work, UMMC may need to draw staffing support from all areas of the institution to meet and sustain patient care operations and the support/infrastructure services our care givers depend on.

In the event of an emergency, it is imperative that all employees, regardless of position/role, make every reasonable attempt to be at their assigned jobs in order to help ensure our ability to sustain operations in support of patient care. If an employee cannot be at their designated job, it is the employee's responsibility to notify their immediate supervisor (or his/her designee) in a timely manner so that appropriate coverage arrangements can be made. Employees who are unable to report to work for the entire day will be required to take personal leave for said period. Departments and units may put additional procedural guidelines in place so long as they are not in conflict with institutional policy and procedure. It is the responsibility of the department/unit chairs to communicate these additional policies to their employees and the responsibility of employees to be knowledgeable of any additional guidelines that may be applicable.

Only the vice chancellor for health affairs, or his/her designee, has the authority to cancel or modify scheduled hours of operation or classes in the event of a natural disaster or catastrophic event. All pay practices will be governed by applicable law/regulations in effect at the time of the natural disaster or catastrophic event

Environmental Health and Safety

The Department of Environmental Health and Safety has outlined safety and fire prevention regulations in the Environmental Health and Safety Handbook. All personnel are urged to familiarize themselves with and adhere to these regulations and procedures, especially the sections related to severe weather and active shooter incidents.

Back Safety Training

A back safety training program has been established to improve on-the-job wellness and prevent future injuries. This training is mandatory for employees who fit into certain high-risk categories. These categories include, but are not limited to, those employees who have reported multiple back injuries; employees who are currently on leave as a result of a back injury; and employees who reported a back injury in the prior year. Departments that have a history of a higher incidence of back injuries will be included. Employees who fall into these categories will be contacted by Student and Employee Health to schedule the required training. Employees receive instruction on proper body mechanics and lifting techniques. A physical therapist will be on hand to provide counseling and answer questions.

Holiday Decorations

The Fire Safety Specialist is responsible for ensuring the fire and electrical safety of holiday decorations and displays in accordance with federal, state, and local fire regulations.

No LIVE Christmas trees, tree branches, pine cones, mistletoe, or other natural foliage is allowed to be used for decoration at UMMC.
Electrical lighting strings or other similar devices are prohibited from use in all University Hospitals.
All holiday decorations must be fire/flame-retardant. All Christmas trees used, regardless of size, are to be Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-listed and labeled as flame-retardant.
Do not place decorations on light fixtures, electrical equipment, electrical outlets, circuit breaker panels, etc.
Do not place decorations or other objects so that they obstruct any exit corridor, doorway, or stairway.
Do not place decorations or other objects so that they obstruct access or visibility to exits, exit signs, fire alarm pull stations, alarm panels, fire extinguisher cabinets, sprinkler heads, etc.
No fire doors or smoke doors can be decorated. Wrapping papers or combustible items cannot be used to decorate any door.
Candles and other flame producing devices are strictly prohibited as decorative elements at any UMMC location.
Do not attach any item to a sprinkler head.
Decorations in classrooms, laboratories, offices, etc., should be of such type that can be affixed to bulletin boards, glass windows, interior doors, etc.
We cannot permit flammable paper products such as streamers, mobiles, etc., to be hung from the ceiling.
Decorations affixed to a window, interior door, etc., should be done so that no permanent marking of the surface will occur. It is the responsibility of departmental managers and safety officers to assure compliance within their respective departments. If you have any questions, please call the UMMC fire safety specialist at 601-815-9554.