Most community colleges have either developed or are in the process of developing safety plans. These plans are essential and need to be customized to meet the needs of the individual college. Building a comprehensive safety plan involves building relationships. All safety plans should include at a minimum: an assessment of current plans; identifying resources and collecting data/materials; coordinating with local law enforcement, emergency management, or fire personnel; developing a quick reference guide on how to react to various emergencies; and developing an operations plan. Each of these elements or steps is described in this article. Once an operational plan is in place, periodic reviews are essential to ensure the plan is applicable to the college and external environment.