Safety campaign clarifies procedures, introduces new resources

SFU Safety and Risk Services (SRS) is rolling out an emergency protocol campaign on Wednesday, Jan. 23 after a number of SFU community members requested greater clarity around SFU’s emergency procedures. 

The request came after the university experienced two safety incidents in recent months.

“The new emergency protocol campaign will create clarity, emphasize simplified procedures, and streamline access to campus safety resources,” says Chief Safety Office Mark Lalonde. “It focuses on what to do in a campus emergency and specifies who to call to report an incident.”

What to do in an emergency?

The most important step in reporting an emergency, regardless of the campus, is to call 911.

Community members can call from any phone, but are encouraged to use the campus phones located in every classroom so that Campus Security will also be automatically notified of the call location.

As a new service feature, LaLonde notes that SRS has consolidated the Campus Security emergency and non-emergency phone lines, ensuring that campus security phone numbers are now the same on all campuses. Emergency Line: 778-782-4500 (urgent security and first aid), and the Non-Emergency Line: 778-782-7991 (for security and Safe Walk).

Campus Security will continue to be available 24/7 across all campuses to provide emergency support, first aid response, and to help guide emergency responders (fire, ambulance, police) quickly to the correct campus location. Campus Security will also continue to provide non-emergency assistance, including Safe Walk escorts, at any time.

Enhanced Safety Resources

This week the campaign will begin to roll out a number of new and revised resources. These include updated emergency posters in all classrooms, new emergency-contact key tags and safety information postcards (which will be sent to all staff, faculty and student teachers), as well as updated decals for campus phones, a classroom safety script, a new www.sfu.ca/emergency page, and more.

A targeted student distribution has also been rolled out through the Orientation and Week of Welcome events, and to all student residents. Any community member who does not receive a postcard and key tag in the mail can pick these up from SRS offices in Discovery 1.

In addition to these safety resources, as of Jan. 1 SRS has contracted a new security vendor to double the university’s dispatch security staff and introduce new technology and workplace processes to enhance customer service, safety and security.

“Working with key stakeholders, we have made significant efforts over the past few months to simplify and enhance university safety services,” says LaLonde. “Safety is a shared responsibility so by educating and supporting the personal preparedness of our community members we aspire to build a stronger safety culture at SFU.”

For more information and resources visit: www.sfu.ca/emergency