February 16, 2023
EOC planning 'active threat exercise' for campus in April
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) takes a leadership role in ensuring that the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus remains a safe place to live, learn and work by preparing for and responding to emergencies. The Emergency Operations Center is comprised of members from the Department of Public Safety, faculty, University Housing, Student Health Services, University Communications and Marketing, and other key departments across campus. The EOC meets on a regular basis to assess the current environment, anticipate issues that affect public safety, plan and implement safety measures, and keep the campus community informed on how to stay safe.
Each year, the EOC conducts exercises with a simulated scenario to assess how several campus departments work together to respond to emergencies and to analyze strengths and assess areas for improvement. The exercises help the campus be better prepared in the event of an actual emergency.
Last fall, the EOC began planning for an exercise this spring designed to engage the campus in becoming better prepared. Safety preparedness is an essential part of the school emergency plan so that students and staff can act to maximize safety in the event of a school emergency.
In many cases, active threats on campus can be unpredictable in nature and can evolve quickly, and recent national tragedies remind everyone that the risk is real. Safety planning will include a continuum of activities for students and staff and combine learning and practice drills. All active threat safety preparedness exercises will be designed to minimize the potential for causing or creating a traumatic experience for students and staff who are participating in the safety exercises.
Planning for the April exercise is underway. There will be additional details forthcoming on the date, time, the nature of the exercise and how the different groups on campus will be involved. Meanwhile refer to emergency.siu.edu to learn more and ensure you are signed up for alerts.