From the Desk of the Chancellor - July 12, 2011

Dear colleagues,

On Tuesday, Aug.9, UM-Dearborn will participate in an emergency preparedness exercise, conducted jointly with the city of Dearborn and Oakwood Hospital.  A major portion of the exercise will take place on our campus.  While event details are being finalized, the exercise will be of a violent nature.

The exercise will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at approximately 3 p.m. and will be conducted primarily on the north end of campus.  The library and science building may also be included in the exercise.  A portion of Lot C will be used to stage emergency vehicles and other equipment needed for the exercise.  Campus volunteers have been secured to serve as victims during the exercise, which will take place regardless of weather conditions.

We anticipate minimal campus disruption.

The exercise is being conducted to practice the emergency preparedness of the three organizations.  Specific to UM-Dearborn, the areas of Emergency Operations Center implementation, communications and cross-jurisdiction command operations will be tested and evaluated.  The purpose of this type of exercise is to provide faculty and staff members responsible for emergency preparedness and campus safety during an emergency, an opportunity to practice established written procedures.  The exercise will also provide valuable knowledge to refine and enhance emergency planning.

UM-Dearborn established an All Hazards Committee in 2008 which is responsible for establishing policies and procedures to keep the campus community safe in the event of an emergency, informed during a crisis and operational immediately following an incident.  The Committee meets monthly to evaluate policies and procedures related to medical, weather, hazardous materials and violent situations that could happen on any campus at any time.

The All Hazards Committee began planning the August 9 exercise many months ago.  The Committee is co-led by Ray Metz, chief of staff, and Jeff Evans, vice chancellor, Business Affairs, and is comprised of the following faculty and staff members:

·      Don Bord, chair, Natural Science Department

·      Kris Day, director, Student Activities

·      Laura Drabczyk, director, Environmental Health & Safety and Emergency Management

·      Rick Gordon, chief of police

·      Ken Kettenbeil, executive director, Marketing & Communications

·      Violetta Ogilvy, chief information officer

Additional information about the exercise will be shared with faculty, staff and students as it becomes available. The outcomes of the exercise will also be shared at its conclusion.

Please contact Laura Drabczyk, at [email protected] or 313-593-4914 in the event you have concerns regarding campus operations, research obligations or other commitments on campus on Aug. 9 that may be impacted by the exercise.

Thank you for your cooperation during this important exercise.

Sincerely,

Daniel Little

From the Desk of the Chancellor is a regular column by Daniel Little, chancellor of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He serves as professor of philosophy at UM-Dearborn and as faculty associate at the Institute for Social Research and the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan.