Evacuation plan sign

FACULTY & STAFF: EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS STARTS WITH YOU

FACULTY/STAFF

University preparedness starts with our faculty and staff. Our students, parents and community partners already depend on you. Therefore, it is important to be prepared for an emergency, as these members of our community will look to you for action and guidance if one arises. The UConn Office of Emergency Management has developed tools and references to help guide you through emergency and response planning and actions.

First, we recommend that you read and frequently reference the Emergency Hazard Guide. The Emergency Hazard Guide outlines various emergency situations that UConn community members might face and the actions to take. This guide is not a comprehensive list of potential emergencies, but does cover UConn specific hazards. In an emergency, it’s an excellent reference tool and reviewing it frequently will help you feel prepared. Always follow any instructions you receive through the UConnALERT system. Please ensure that you are registered for UConnALERT as soon as possible. UConnALERT is the primary system for notifying faculty, staff and students of an emergency situation on our campuses.

After you read through our Emergency Hazard Guide, start planning! Discuss what you and your family will do if you are on campus during an emergency. Think about how you will contact one another to provide status updates. You should also start planning with your coworkers. Exchange contact information and determine how you will communicate with one another during an emergency event.

Some questions to start the discussion:

  • Who will secure the door(s) if needed?
  • What rooms can we use to shelter-in-place?
  • Where are the emergency exits and fire pull stations located?
  • If you have to evacuate, where is your office’s assembly point? Develop a plan to account for everyone in your unit once evacuated.
  • Do you share emergency information with your new employees?

Please visit our Make a Plan page to learn more about planning.

MAKE A KIT

Once you have read the Hazard Guide and have started planning ahead for emergency situations, OEM recommends making an emergency supply kit. Keep one at home and one in your office. If you don’t know where to start, check out our “Make a Kit” guide.

Make A Kit

STAY INFORMED

Check out our Training Schedule for an up-to-date list of training opportunities for emergency preparedness, prevention, and mitigation. We regularly update our OEM Newsfeed with emergency preparedness activity across our campuses, state, and nation. If you’re looking for training materials, check out our “Seconds for Safety” posters and resources.

MORE RECOMMENDED PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS FOR FACULTY/STAFF

  • How will you handle an unwanted guest in your office? OEM recommends that you develop a code word for this situation. Ensure that your entire unit/department knows what it means and how they should respond.
  • Know the location of the AED’s in your building and get trained on how to properly use them. Also consider becoming CPR certified.
  • Many hazardous materials are used in the daily operations of the University. Therefore, it is important that we mitigate our risks. Avoid working with hazardous materials alone. Keep an active inventory of your hazardous materials. Ensure that all laboratory signs and emergency contacts are up to date.
  • If you have special needs, plan ahead of time. Talk with your supervisor about different options.
  • Take ICS 100 and 700. These are an essential part of the Incident Command System and National Incident Management System, which the University officially adopted. You can take them online at FEMA's Emergency Management Institute. Visit our Training Page for more information.

KNOW THESE TERMS

UCONNREADY

You may have already noticed it around campus, but have you wondered, “What is UConnREADY?” UConnREADY is a university-wide University Safety and preparedness campaign developed by the UConn Office of Emergency Management. The purpose of the campaign is to “create a community proud to be safe.” The campaign uses social media and online platforms, outreach events and UConnREADY gear to connect with our Husky community, improve preparedness, and educate about available resources. UConnREADY is UConn’s tool to brand and market safety. We are all part of the Husky community and have a shared responsibility to be ready for disaster. We encourage you to be part of the campaign and get UConnREADY!

For more resources, check out these additional emergency preparedness resource.