Be aware: On-campus emergency exercise happening April 1, 2016

On Friday, April 1, from about 8 a.m. to noon, UAA will practice its emergency response capabilities in a full-scale exercise on West Campus. This practice scenario will simulate a terrorist attack in Beatrice McDonald Hall (BMH). The attack is not real, but the response is designed to be as realistic as possible. The purpose of this exercise is to practice and evaluate UAA's procedures and its response to crisis situations on campus. UAA is taking part in Alaska Shield 2016, a statewide preparedness exercise done in collaboration with Alaska's Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. Several organizations across Alaska will be practicing their emergency response plans on April 1 (yes, we recognize this is April Fool's Day).

UAA's full-scale emergency exercise will involve uniformed responders from the University Police Department, Anchorage Fire Department, Anchorage Police Department, FBI, Homeland Security and Red Cross, among others. You may see law enforcement, news media and emergency vehicles on campus as part of this exercise. Most of the UAA exercise will take place in BMH, but other spaces on West Campus, including Rasmuson Hall and the Cuddy Quad, may be impacted by the activity.

As part of the exercise, UAA will issue a test message through its emergency alert system, which will include email, text, phone and other communication vehicles. The messages will clearly indicate this is just an exercise.

Please be aware this activity will take place on West Campus on Friday, April 1, from 8 a.m. to noon. On East Campus, the Alaska Airlines Center's auxiliary gym will be used as an alternative care system exercise location for the Department of Health and Human Services, so emergency vehicles may be coming and going from that location as well.

For additional information about this exercise, please contact UAA Emergency Manager Ron Swartz at (907) 786-1149 or rcswartz@uaa.alaska.edu.

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