Emergency Service workers share experiences with students.
The Institute of Emergency Services and Homeland Security turned up the heat this past week to raise aware- ness on emergency prepared- ness and disaster response.
Last week was Emergency Service Week with each day featuring different presentations from law enforcement, fire and rescue service mem- bers and emergency manage- ment personnel.
Emergency Service Week was held to build anticipation and excitement for a two-day emergency preparedness and disaster response conference, which took place April 5-6 in the Sorensen Center.
This is the first time that the Institute of Emergency Services and Homeland Security have held such an event on campus before.
“Our primary audience was our students,” said Dr.Fisher, organizer of the event and faculty member in the emergency services bachelors program. “If we were to do it for the Orem-Provo communities the approach may be completely different.”
The conference featured keynote speakers who offered a well-rounded variety of knowledge with emergency preparedness and disaster relief. From former FBI members to psychologists, policemen and firefight- ers, the conference was well equipped with those ready to share their stories with attendees.
Students specifically from the criminal justice program and the Institute of the Emergency Services and Homeland Security were invited to attend the conference to hone their expertise. These departments on campus are bursting at the seams with students. Fisher mentioned that the emergency services program alone has over 1600 students.
Fisher mentioned that they are further developing their program as well, and are currently designing a course on community-family preparedness.
“The most important thing is to realize that there is a possibility [of a disaster] and to be prepared,” Fisher said.
He recommended that all students should have 72-hour kits.
“A lot of people go through the exercise of this but over several months, it’s spread all over the house,” Fisher said.
Some of the major concerns of disasters in Utah are earthquakes, floods, landslides and heavy snowfall.
“We may be overdue for an earthquake,” Fisher said.
