As a community that places a high value on the well-being of its members, Austin Community College (ACC) is setting the stage for what it hopes to be a safer season by rolling out Emergency Preparedness Week from June 10 through June 14, an upcoming initiative designed to elevate the readiness of students and staff for unexpected situations. With the innate unpredictability that often comes with emergency scenarios, the college is taking proactive measures to ensure that everyone on campus has the knowledge and tools they need to respond effectively.
Marking its commitment to safety, Emergency Preparedness Week occurs regularly during the third week of every semester. Running drills across campuses, testing alert systems, and disseminating vital information, the drills are scheduled to embed safety into the college’s culture, preparing its population for the worst while hoping for the best. "Emergency preparedness and safety is a top priority for the College. Every semester, the college works to help the community take charge of its own safety and security while on campus," Nicholas Caspers, ACC Emergency Management coordinator, emphasized in a statement obtained by the college’s newsroom. "Emergency Preparedness Week allows you to familiarize yourself with the information and resources available. This provides a way for the entire ACC community to get informed, know what to do during an emergency, learn how to participate, and make a plan, so you don’t have to think – you react."
The week will feature a series of drills aimed at ensuring everyone on campus knows how to act swiftly in the event of a crisis. Key preparations include familiarizing with emergency egress plans, which outline exit strategies and alternate routes. When it comes to evacuation, identifying rally points on campus is crucial, and these locations are detailed in maps available to the community.
Central to the week's activities, on June 12, ACC will put its Emergency Alert System to the test. Before the test, the college is advising everyone to make sure their emergency contact information is current. "Now is the time to make sure your emergency contact information is up to date," suggested a directive on the ACC Emergency Management’s webpage. To ensure messages are received, the test will deploy alerts through text, email, and campus-wide speaker systems. Moreover, a simulated message will be visible on the college's website, in its Emergency section, and on ACC's Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.
Students and staff are encouraged to prepare in advance by engaging in three critical steps. These include scrutinizing the ACC Emergency website for comprehensive emergency information, connecting with ACC on social media for real-time updates, and committing the Emergency Egress Plan to memory, with maps accessible across all campuses and classrooms highlighting escape routes and designated safety zones. For further details on how to navigate these critical situations, resources can be found at ACC's emergency response and procedures page.
