Saint Louis University is “taking [emergency preparedness]” to the next level, according to Director of University Communications Clayton Berry.

Back in 2006, before the tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois, a handful of SLU employees had a part-time commitment to ensuring campus safety and emergency preparedness. But it became apparent that this part-time commitment was insufficient for such an important issue.

Fast forward to today. Organizations and students around SLU are working on improving campus safety every day and hoping that many others will jump on the bandwagon. Indeed, SLU’s approach to emergency preparedness is becoming more visible on campus.

Sam Simon, SLU’s director of emergency preparedness, exemplifies SLU’s increased emphasis on safety response.

Formerly the director of public safety for the city of St. Louis, Simon brings to SLU an experienced voice for emergency preparedness.

“It’s a day-in-day-out commitment. It can’t be a side job for someone because nature of crises transcends,” Simon said.

When Simon entered the scene, an initial and crucial task was to consolidate and organize SLU’s emergency preparedness plan. This required collaboration from several organizations around campus, from Information Technology Services to the Department of Public Safety.

“This wasn’t a revelation-it was taking the next step,” Simon said, echoing the sentiment of Berry.

In the event of an emergency, SLU’s website will display a safety alert warning on the top of the homepage. The University of San Francisco has agreed to offer its website as a backup to the SLU website in the event of a technological issue. Additionally, parents of students will be contacted via phone and text messages will be sent to students.

The next step is a goal, which, according to Simon, would solidify SLU’s emergency preparedness plan as one of international quality. Simon hopes to achieve accreditation with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

To achieve this accreditation, the emergency preparedness team must be anticipatory in nature. Emergency preparedness begins with reducing the potential for emergencies in the first place. This necessitates consideration of a wide range of potential issues, including terrorism, campus shootings, bio-hazards, disease outbreaks and even natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornados. It is, as Zinn calls it, an “all-hazards approach.”

On the surface, SLU’s urban surroundings might appear to increase the campus’ vulnerability. But, to Simon, this is not the case.

“Some people see that as an issue-I see it as an opportunity. We could have a whole lot of police and a whole lot of fireman real quick,” Simon said.

The city of St. Louis features the largest police force in the state of Missouri. Furthermore, the reaction time of the police and fire departments, when summoned to SLU’s campus, has been exceptional, according to Simon.

Even so, Simon is quick to stress the importance for all students to be cognizant of their role in creating a safe environment. He said that any activity that promotes community building in turn promotes emergency preparedness.

Another example of the renewed emphasis on emergency preparedness can be seen in the work of sophomore Mark Zinn.

The self-proclaimed possessor of a “safety gene,” Zinn is bringing a program new to SLU: the Campus Emergency Response Team.

Developed by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985, the CERT program is an informational course that trains its students in a variety of skills. These include disaster first aid, search and rescue, building searches, fire suppression, disaster psychology and incident command structure.

These are skills that, to Zinn, every citizen should be familiar with. “I think it should be a staple on every college campus,” Zinn said.

At SLU, CERT will be taught by various professionals in the field of disaster preparedness, including American Red Cross officials, teachers specializing in disaster psychology and members of the St. Louis Fire Department.

Zinn’s hope is that around 30 people, faculty and students, graduate next semester from the CERT program.

“If enough faculty, staff and students are trained in this, then it is a benefit to the community as a whole,” Zinn said.

“They can inform their friends and co-workers in turn. It keeps on building.”

An updated, online emergency preparedness plan is anticipated to be available online at some point during the next semester. While this is a step forward, it does not mean that emergency preparedness is a done deal. According to Simon, preparedness can present a new challenge every day.

“I want to hear the feedback and criticisms. If you believe in it, then it will have effectiveness,” Simon said. “Preparedness at the University level starts with you. Most importantly, look out for each other.”