Drill tests emergency response

The University held hostages in Davis Library Wednesday.

The situation was simulated — part of a larger effort to help increase security on campus. But the drill presented an opportunity for students, faculty and officials to learn how to respond to a potential campus crisis.

Approximately 170 people — including administrators, observers and simulated perpetrators, hostages and victims — were involved in the drill.

“(Emergency medical personnel and firefighters) will all be responding just as they would in a real-life situation,” said campus police chief Jeff McCracken, director of UNC’s Department of Public Safety, in an interview Monday.

McCracken said the drill is a response to recommendations by task forces assembled by the N.C. Attorney General’s office and the UNC-system president’s office after the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.

UNC

McCracken said the University allocates $50,000 annually for emergency exercises.

Before the Virginia Tech incident, DPS conducted emergency exercises, although not according to a regular schedule.

Now, McCracken said DPS plans to perform one full-scale exercise, which would include emergency responders, and one theoretical exercise each year.

He said Wednesday’s drill was the most extensive response test to date.

McCracken said Davis Library was chosen as the location of the drill as part of an effort to vary the simulated scenario and campus location used in each emergency exercise. The last drill was held at UNC’s Outdoor Education Center.

DPS hired EnviroSafe, a Burlington-based organization that specializes in crisis management, to assist in designing and administering the drill. The company will also create an after-action report to document the information gained from the drill, McCracken said.

Derrick Duggins, the executive director of corporate operations at EnviroSafe, said the company also provides services to government agencies and hospitals.

He said EnviroSafe prides itself on customizing its services for each client.

“Everything is built from scratch and is developed specific to the client’s needs,” Duggins said.

Jo Saberniak, a senior dramatic art and astrophysics major, said he thinks the drill is beneficial.

“Any form of practice round is going to be helpful in knowing how to handle a real situation,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.