Emergency procedures

Department of National Defence (DND) public service employees and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are to refer to the already established local base/wing/unit emergency procedures.

Normally if you witness or experience violence at work you should:

• Remove yourself from the situation if you can.
• Inform your Chain of Command (CoC)/manager or seek assistance from a co-worker immediately.
• If your CoC/manager is the perpetrator, notify another manager or member of the CoC in the line of authority.
• If your physical security or well-being is threatened, call 911 or, if possible, press your panic button.
• If you are on a base, wing, or in a National Defence building, call the military police.
• If you feel distressed, consult the list of support services in the section below once it is safe to do so.

If you are dealing with a violent person:

• Stay calm.
• Try to calm the other person or diffuse the situation.
• Avoid saying or doing anything that could aggravate the situation.
• Avoid eye contact or sudden movements that can be perceived as threatening.
• Respect the person's personal space. Continue the conversation with the person only if the person calms down.
• Tell the person that you understand the reason for their anger.
• If the behaviour persists, end the conversation.
• Politely notify the person that you will leave the work area or ask them to do so, and end the conversation.
• Notify your CoC/manager or seek assistance from a co-worker immediately (use the panic button if necessary).
• If the person refuses to leave the premises and the situation escalates, call 911 and contact the military police.
• If you feel distressed, consult the list of support services once it is safe to do so.