September Is National Campus Safety Awareness Month

3 Simple Steps to Increase Your Level of Personal Preparedness

Soon, the arrival of thousands of students at the UNT campus will signal the start of the 2009 fall semester as well as mark the beginning of National Campus Safety Awareness Month.  Spanning the month of September, this congressionally-sponsored awareness campaign provides an excellent opportunity to promote simple actions students, parents, faculty, and staff can take as individuals to be better prepared. 

Emergencies, such as severe weather and building fires, are hazards faced by all communities, and while emergency management personnel at UNT work year round to increase the capacity of the university to respond to emergencies, preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. Remember: we all have a role to play.  With that in mind, there are three steps you should take to ready yourself and your family for an emergency: prepare an emergency supply kit, make a plan, and be informed.

Prepare an Emergency Supply Kit

The first step you should take to prepare for an emergency situation is to prepare an emergency supply kit.  Following a major disaster that affects an entire region, government services that we all rely on, like police and fire, can be delayed and citizens may be on their own until help can arrive.  The items contained in an emergency kit will help an individual or family survive until help can arrive.  When gathering materials for a kit, consider the following items:

• One gallon of water per person per day
• Supply of non-perishable food (including a can-opener if necessary)
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Moist towelettes
• Change of clothes
• Important documents

You can customize your kit by including any items you think are important.  However, remember to think first about the basic necessities of life: fresh water, food, clean air, and warmth.

Make a Plan

The high-stress environment that exists during and immediately following an emergency can make it difficult for people to make sound decisions and to coordinate the activities of their family.  Because of this, experts advise families and individuals to make a plan ahead of time, spending time thinking and talking about what they will do during an emergency.  Decide where you will go if you are forced to evacuate abruptly.  Families should agree on a common meeting place if they become separated during an emergency.  Gather the phone numbers of out-of-town contacts you may need to communicate with following an emergency. 

Be Informed

The final step in preparing yourself and your family for emergencies is to be informed of the hazards you face and learn what you can do to mitigate their effects.  As long time residents of North Texas are well aware, a variety of severe weather hazards periodically threaten the area, including wind, hail, lightning, flooding, and tornados. 

To warn citizens of approaching severe weather and other emergencies, the City of Denton has positioned sixteen (16) warning sirens around the city, including three (3) on the UNT campus.  The City also employs an emergency telephone notification system called Code Red.  During an emergency or when severe weather is imminent, Code Red provides important information via a telephone call to citizens who have registered for the service.  You can sign up for this free service at Denton's emergency management webpage.  UNT utilizes a similar service called Eagle Alert to send emergency information to students, faculty, and staff.  All registered students are automatically signed up for this service, but you must ensure that the phone numbers entered into the University’s database are up to date.  You can do this by visiting my.unt.edu and clicking on "Update Eagle Alert".

Missy Bueltel, Emergency Services Specialist at the Denton Branch of the American Red Cross – Dallas Chapter, advises students to heed the guidance of emergency management officials and take personal preparedness seriously.  “Preparedness means assuming responsibility for yourself, bringing that extra bottle of water with you when you go out for the day, taking the time to build an emergency supply kit, and going out of your way to give your parents contact information for a friend or two at school,” says Bueltel.  During the month of September, organizations like the American Red Cross will be sponsoring and participating in events, spreading the message of the personal preparedness.  The Denton Branch of the American Red Cross will have a booth set up during UNT Family Weekend, which runs from September 25-27. 

Emergencies can range from small accidents to major disasters and usually occur without warning.  UNT emergency management staff coordinate with partner agencies and prepare plans to respond to these dangerous situations.  But you can do your part to help ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones by following 3 simple steps: prepare an emergency supply kit, make a plan, and be informed.  For more information on what you can do to be better prepared, please visit www.ready.gov or www.knowhat2do.com.

Posted on Aug 25, 2009 - 09:27 AM - status: open

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