California university runs emergency drill | 01.29.2007 | 06:37:25 | Views: 5409 | ID: January 29 '07: Working with school administrators, faculty, students, the local police departments, campus law enforcement and emergency response experts, Humboldt State University ran a mock disaster scenario to test the community's and school's disaster preparedness, the Times Standard reported. The day-long exercise was overseen by former FEMA Director James Lee Witt's disaster preparedness organization. According to the Times Standard, "University Police Chief Tom Dewey ... announced that 'the big one' had struck campus and there was no sense in restoring classes. ... University President Rollin Richmond said he would direct concerned parents to the CSU (California State University) Chancellor's office for information, since the phone and Internet lines at HSU would be reliable. Richmond said he'd signed a declaration of emergency." The event's organizers said some of the challenges that arose were how to deliver food across campus; how to handle rioting students; responding to a collapsed building; and how to coordinate the local police, Coast Guard, and university officials. "As well as the HSU Campus Emergency Response Team, outside agencies involved in the drill included the Eureka and Arcata police and fire departments, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Coast Guard. Local ham radio operators were also on hand," the Times Standard reported.
Copyright ©2007 TheBreakingNews.com. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction in part or full without prior written permission.
|