As the nation prepares to mark the fourth anniversary of the
Sept. 11 terrorism attacks, UGA’s Office of Security Preparedness
is hosting a month of activities aimed at better preparing faculty,
staff and students to respond to disasters.
“As much as we’d like to think someone will be available to help
during emergencies, the reality is that there are not enough law enforcement
or health-care personnel to respond during large-scale man-made or natural disasters,” says
Opal Haley, security preparedness director at UGA. “And we also need to
be better informed about handling smaller emergencies such as fires that crop
up at home or at work.”
UGA’s participation in Security Preparedness Month is being held in conjunction
with the U.S. Office of Homeland Security’s own observance. That program
began last year to increase public awareness about the importance of individuals
preparing for emergencies.
“UGA administrators established this office in 2002 to serve as the focal
point for safety and security information on campus,” Haley says. “One
of our goals for taking part in the Safety Preparedness Month is to make our
employees and students aware of the resources for planning and handling emergencies
available at UGA, in Athens-Clarke County and in the state of Georgia.”
UGA will officially launch its observance Sept. 7 with the opening of a month-long
lecture series. Among the topics to be discussed by various experts are identity
theft, agrosecurity of food supplies, suicide terrorists, weapons of mass destruction
and the historic use of diseases as weapons.
The security preparedness office also will host an emergency preparedness showcase
on Sept. 22 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the plaza of the Tate Student Center. The
location, according to Haley, will provide an opportunity to involve students.
During the showcase exhibit, emergency vehicles will be on display. And representatives
from local, state and national agencies, as well as the university, will be on
hand to answer questions. Volunteers will be sought from the audience for demonstrations,
and prizes will be given away.
One goal of the showcase and the lecture series is to stimulate discussion about
topics that have negative connotations attached to them, according to Haley.
“As a rule, people are unduly apprehensive when it comes to talking about
issues such as AIDS, harassment or disasters,” she says. “But knowledge
saves lives, and the more you know the better off you’ll be when these
situations arise.”
Agencies participating in the showcase include the Athens-Clarke County fire
and police departments, the Community Emergency Response Team, the American Red
Cross, UGA’s police department, environmental safety division, information
security office and the Georgia Division of Public Health.
Competing
in a Global Economy
The University of Georgia is at the forefront of the globalization
movement in higher education with a wealth of opportunities for
international experiences. Our students are flocking to study-abroad
programs, thriving on the challenges inherent in confronting a
new cultural environment. More and more, students on campus are
also making choices that reflect an understanding of the importance
of global awareness—from living in a residence hall-based
language community to starting a radio program in another language
to minoring in a foreign language. These experiences, whether at
home or abroad, influence how our students perceive the world and
their place in it. We’re producing graduates prepared to
be world citizens—well informed, culturally sensitive and
technologically sophisticated. They’re ready to take on the
challenges of our global society, and they’ll be equally
at home whether in the Peach State or the Republic of Georgia. |
UGA’s
participation in Security Preparedness Month is being held in conjunction
with the U.S. Office of Homeland Security’s own observance.
