Campus Safety will have information tables at both campuses on May 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
May 5-11 is Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada, a time to take meaningful action to be better prepared to protect ourselves, our families and our communities during emergencies. It’s also the perfect time to think about our own emergency preparedness here at Niagara College.
“Emergency preparedness is everyone’s responsibility and there are simple steps that NC students, staff and faculty can take to better protect themselves and their families,” said Katie McQuestion, Campus Safety and Emergency Management coordinator. “Everyone should know the risks, make a plan, and get an emergency kit.”
McQuestion dispels the myths about what it takes to be prepared for an emergency. “People tend to think it’s a huge undertaking, like building a bunker or stockpiling food, but it’s really about thinking ahead about where you will go if you can’t go home, how you will get in touch with loved ones, and collecting important information like copies of identification and insurance documents.”
For Niagara College students, McQuestion encourages them to think about communication; the ways in which they will contact their families in the event of an emergency, especially if those family members are out of town. “While phone lines may be down during an emergency event, options like text messages and the Facebook “mark safe” feature are important communication tools.”
May 5-11 is Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada. Emergencies can happen anytime. Are you ready? Stay connected – download the NC Mobile Safety App, and subscribe to NC Alerts via myNC for up-to-the-minute information at the college. #EPweek pic.twitter.com/QCIvghWzf0
— Niagara College (@niagaracollege) May 6, 2019
An important communication tool for students is NC Mobile Safety App, available for free download on iOS and Android devices. The app has a personal safety toolbox including a flashlight and loud alarm, campus maps, on-campus support resources, and more. You can even send your location and a photo to Campus Security with the click of a button.
Campus Safety will have information tables at both campuses on May 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Region emergency management team will be joining them at the Welland Campus. Emergency kits will be on display and brochures about campus safety programs, including Work Alone and Campus Watch will be available, as well as general information about emergency preparedness.
Public Safety Canada in collaboration with the provinces and territories manages Canada’s Alert Ready system which delivers critical and potentially life-saving alerts to Canadians through television, radio and LTE-connected and compatible wireless devices. The Alert Ready System is tied to the GPS in cell phones – alerts will only be received to compatible phones within the geographical area that the alert has been issued for. Alerts can be broadcast by authorized government agencies only for anything from weather-related emergencies, wildfires and air quality, to terrorism, amber alerts and civil emergencies.
For NC-related emergency alerts, students can subscribe to receive NC-specific emergency texts by subscribing to NC Alerts via myNC.
Emergency Preparedness Week takes place each year in May and is coordinated by the Government of Canada. Their website offers resources on how you can get prepared: www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-en.aspx
