Emergency Preparedness
Emergency preparedness provides for preparatory, orderly and coordinated operations in the event of an emergency resulting from major natural or man-made disasters, an act of war or terrorism. All MU departments, organizations, groups, building managers/supervisors, principal investigators, building coordinators and other building occupants have a responsibility to work together to "Be Prepared" and build a safer MU. The key to Emergency preparedness is planning and development before the emergency event.
Each of us needs to become more familiar with several key points and resources available within Individual Work Areas, Buildings and Work Groups, and the MU Campus.
MU subscribes to a mass notification system to help expedite communications with the campus community in the event of an emergency. All MU employees should access the registration site to make sure that their contact information is up to date. (You will need your Pawprint and Pawprint password to access the site.) Students can access the registration site by logging onto myZou, going to "Self Service", then "Campus Personal Information" and then "Phone Numbers."
Individual Work Area
Become familiar with and post the Emergency Procedure Poster (PDF) that is available through EHS (573) 882-7018. If you are in a laboratory, shop, mechanical room or area containing hazardous chemical, radioactive, or biohazard materials - post a Hazard Communication Sign that identifies key work area contact personnel and hazards. This information helps emergency responders.
Identify critical equipment and operations that should not be left unattended within your work area. Assign primary and secondary on-site staff to shutdown critical equipment or operation prior to leaving in a building evacuation. Once per year, supervisors must review the work area evacuation plan and Building Specific Emergency Action Plan with all work area staff. Identification of evacuation alarm type, primary and secondary evacuation routes and assembly areas are key points to discuss. Foreign students may not be familiar with the 911 emergency number and other standard emergency procedures Americans take for granted. Review all emergency procedures with these individuals as soon as they start working with you. Make sure they understand what to do, who to call, and what to say in an emergency situation.
Emergency Information for Instructors to Present to Students
Instructors please share the following information with students at the beginning of each semester. It should only take 2-3 minutes to complete. This information will assist both instructors and students in the event an emergency occurs during a class.
Emergency Information For Students
Building Specific Emergency Action Plan
This information has been moved to Building Specific Emergency Action Plans
Use the BEST Approach to All Emergencies
BEST is an acronym used in a new all-hazards approach to addressing emergencies. It is complimentary to existing approaches such as those taught regarding active shooters. BEST stands for Barricade in place, Evacuate to safety, Shelter in place, and Think for yourself. The addition of Think is what makes BEST stand out, in that you make a personal decision for all emergencies, based on your current circumstances.
BEST substitutes Barricade in place for Secure in place that is used in other approaches. This helps avoid confusions between securing in place and sheltering in place. See the two-sided poster for detailed information on how to apply BEST
