National Preparedness Month

Georgetown is proud to be a member of FEMA’s National Preparedness Month effort.

As part of Georgetown’s committment to individual and community preparedness, new “Emergency Response Guidelines” pocket guides are now available. To request a copy, click here.

Georgetown University hosted the second annual Hoya Fall Picnic on September 22nd, 2012 in Healy Circle. Representatives from city agencies, as well as local responders were present and burgers were provided by the Georgetown University Grilling Society.  The event was coordinated by representatives from the Offices of Student Affairs, Residence Life, Off-Campus Student Life, Department of Public Safety, Communications, Emergency Management & Operational Continuity, and Human Resources.

More information on the Hoya Fall Picnic can be found at offcampus.georgetown.edu.

In addition, as part of Georgetown’s commitment to support individual and community preparedness, the National Preparedness Month Committee sends messages throughout the month of September that offer information on the emergency response procedures at Georgetown University and offer tips on ways to ensure your own personal preparedness. Weekly emails are posted here as they are delivered.

Week #1

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community,

Welcome to National Preparedness Month!  As part of Georgetown University’s dedication to the safety and preparedness of all members of our community, we are again participating in the annual “National Preparedness Month” campaign throughout the month of September. The National Preparedness Month campaign is a nationwide coalition sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that encourages Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, businesses, and communities.

Over the course of this month, there will be a number of events held across campus that will highlight the importance of individual and community preparedness. Events include safety-related information at the Welcome Week Community Resource Expo on September 5th, Building and Floor Marshal Appreciation Day on September 20th, and the Hoya Fall Picnic for all members of the university community, their families, and our neighbors, on September 22nd. Please save these dates and plan to attend!

As part of Georgetown’s commitment to support individual and community preparedness, we will send messages throughout the month of September offering information on the emergency response procedures at Georgetown University and tips on ways to ensure your own personal preparedness.

For more information on upcoming National Preparedness Month events, please visit our website.

Best wishes for a safe and successful semester,

The National Preparedness Month Committee

Week #2

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:

This month, Georgetown University is participating in the “National Preparedness Month” campaign, a nationwide coalition that encourages Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, schools, businesses, and communities. This second message is part of Georgetown’s commitment to support individual and community preparedness. We will continue to send out messages throughout the month of September that offer information on the emergency response procedures at Georgetown University and offer tips on ways to ensure your own personal preparedness.

This week’s message surrounds the topic of building evacuation and shelter-in-place procedures. We have created a website with specific instructions on evacuation and shelter-in-place procedures for all members of the Georgetown University community. We encourage you to become familiar with the procedures in these emergency guides by visiting http://safety.georgetown.edu/121105.html.

In addition, the Building and Floor Marshal program is always in need of volunteers to serve as Marshals. Building and Floor Marshals serve as a resource to provide safety and security information to fellow faculty, staff, and students, especially during emergency situations. The Marshals are responsible for making sure that emergency procedure information is posted in their buildings and that occupants of the building are familiar with these procedures. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information on becoming a Marshal, please email BFMarshals@georgetown.edu.

Finally, we urge you to take this opportunity to enroll in HOYAlert if you have not already done so, and to update your primary location if you have previously registered. This will allow you to receive alerts specific to your building, a new feature of the HOYAlert system not available in previous academic years. To register or update your information, click here: http://limited.georgetown.edu/access/.

For more information on upcoming National Preparedness Month events, please visit our website at http://safety.georgetown.edu/CommunityAwareness/NPM2012/.

With best wishes for a safe and successful semester,

The National Preparedness Month Committee

Week #3

Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:

As a celebration of a successful National Preparedness Month at Georgetown University, campus offices have organized the Hoya Fall Picnic, which will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2012 on Healy Lawn from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We invite all members of the Georgetown University community (and their families!) to join our friends and neighbors for food, fun, and education together as one Georgetown community. Representatives from GERMS, the Department of Public Safety, DC Fire & EMS, DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, and other response agencies will be at the picnic with safety and preparedness information. The picnic will also feature grilling by the Georgetown University Grilling Society, lawn games, a capella singing, raffles, and giveaways. To learn more please visit http://offcampus.georgetown.edu/239541.html

As the month of September draws to a close, it is important to remember that being prepared is a year-round task. As students, faculty, and staff, we all have varying needs and considerations for preparedness. As such, the Department of Emergency Management & Operational Continuity has created a new “Emergency Response Guidelines” pocket guide that is available free of charge to all members of the university community. To request a copy, please visit http://safety.georgetown.edu/231745.html#ERG_Request_Form.

In addition, we encourage you to become part of the Building & Floor Marshal program and a member of the Community Emergency Response Team. Trainings will be offered throughout the coming months, so sign up today! For more information on these programs, visit http://safety.georgetown.edu/TrainingPrograms/.

Finally, we urge you to take this opportunity to enroll in HOYAlert if you have not already done so, and to update your primary location if you have previously registered. This will allow you to receive alerts specific to your building, a new feature of the HOYAlert system. To register or update your information, visit MyAccess (students) or Access+ (faculty/staff).

With best wishes,

The National Preparedness Month Committee