Emergency Notification and Response Procedures Tested

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

In order to maintain an effective emergency operations plan, the University of Illinois at Chicago recently completed a test including two components: an emergency response drill and exercise. The test was designed to challenge our emergency response procedures and how we would notify you of an active threat to our university community.

On Wednesday, Dec. 19, the university initiated an unannounced test of our UIC ALERT emergency mass notification system. The UIC ALERT system sent an email to the official UIC email addresses of all active students, faculty and staff. Those who have elected to register a mobile phone number received a text message during this drill.

Delivering timely, consistent and accurate information is critical should conditions develop on or near the university that pose a threat of imminent danger. UIC ALERT messages were also posted to Twitter, Facebook, www.uic.edu, www.emergency.uic.edu, and on UIC department websites through our UIC ALERT Emergency Web Alert System. The application controls a system which uses multiple communications methods to alert the university community to critical life-safety situations, to advise self-protection from imminent threats, and to inform the community of other conditions regarding the operation of the campus.

You are strongly encouraged to sign up for UIC ALERT by visiting www.emergency.uic.edu. Annual re-enrollment is not required, and up to three numbers can be added to receive notifications.

For the second part of the test, university and emergency management personnel gathered for a modified functional exercise on Wednesday, Dec. 19, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Student Residence Hall, UIC Police Station, and Physical Plant Building. This unannounced exercise identified common strengths and areas for improvement when responding to an active threat incident that threatened the safety and security of our university community.

The exercise was conducted in a realistic, real-time environment to facilitate response and short-term recovery activities documented in the UIC Emergency Operations Plan, and to drive decisions on long-term prevention and mitigations efforts or risk based preparedness measures directed at an active threat situation.

The Office of Preparedness and Response highly encourages you to continue fostering a culture of preparedness and becoming more involved in preparing you and your communities. For more information on how to improve your personal readiness for active threat/shooter or violent/threatening situations, please visit www.ready.uic.edu.

Sincerely,

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

David Ibrahim
Assistant Vice Chancellor
Office of Preparedness and Response

For more information, please contact:
David Ibrahim
ready@uic.edu