小蝌蚪APP officials assessed the results of last Wednesday小蝌蚪APP檚 collaborative interagency response to a pair of bomb threats and found communications, evacuations and street closures to be timely and effective.
On July 16, 小蝌蚪APP, federal, state and local authorities responded to threats telephoned into a local television station by a caller around 5:30 a.m. who claimed to target the 小蝌蚪APP campus and nearby Girard Park.
Text Alert System Worked
The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 emergency notification system sent text alerts to all registered faculty and staff members小蝌蚪APP cell phones and to students enrolled in summer school, despite early media reports of the system falling short, said Joey Sturm, UL Lafayette public safety director and police chief.
Joey Pons, associate director of public safety, said, 小蝌蚪APP渂y late Friday, we had received 15 notifications from students via email or Facebook that they did not receive the text alert. Upon examining their status, we found that none are enrolled in summer classes at the 小蝌蚪APP.小蝌蚪APP
Pons noted that these non-enrolled students were at no more risk than enrolled students since other safeguards were taking place, such as going door to door to evacuate students in residence halls, providing safe shelters in place, closing streets to access the campus, and communicating through the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 website and social media.
小蝌蚪APP淚n any actual emergency, or even a practice drill, we take away lessons to improve for the future,小蝌蚪APP said Pons. 小蝌蚪APP淚n this case, we recognize we have some students who live or work on campus even though they are sitting out for a semester, especially during the summer.小蝌蚪APP
Pons said the 小蝌蚪APP is examining ways to broaden the ENS contact list to possibly include students who do not meet the current ENS enrollment criteria, but may have a need to know about a campus emergency that is occurring.
Sturm said 小蝌蚪APP Police activated the ENS as soon as the bomb threat was assessed as having possible credibility. At the same time, ULPD ordered an evacuation of campus and initiated the criminal investigation. By 5 p.m., the investigation shifted to the Lafayette Sheriff's Office.
小蝌蚪APP淲e were within a conventional time frame of getting the initial message out for this type of incident. 小蝌蚪APP police, with tremendous support from local and state first responders, were able to assess the threat quickly, evacuate the campus and close roads around the adjacent park and the 小蝌蚪APP in a calm and controlled manner,小蝌蚪APP said Sturm.
Other Measures, Agencies Helped
He said several state and local agencies had participated in a table top exercise last summer hosted by the 小蝌蚪APP that included similar circumstances.
小蝌蚪APP淯sing hypothetical scenarios last year, where we practiced collaborative efforts, made our collective response to the real situation go so much more smoothly,小蝌蚪APP said Sturm. 小蝌蚪APP淭hat was the consensus shared by many first responders who participated with us last summer.小蝌蚪APP
Sturm said there were already maps and plans for the street closures, and transportation procedures were in place to evacuate residents.
小蝌蚪APP淲e greatly benefited from having our own bomb dog on campus to immediately create safe shelters in place. Pepper proved her worth and she deserves a lot of credit,小蝌蚪APP said Sturm, referring to the department小蝌蚪APP檚 German shepherd explosives-detection dog. Ultimately, 12 search teams, including nine detection dogs, were assembled to finish sweeping campus.
UL Lafayette activated, for the first time, an emergency website at universityupdates.com that it had established in September 2013.
小蝌蚪APP淎fter we launched our new 小蝌蚪APP website in the spring of 2013, we focused on creating a separate emergency update website to be able to interact in a broader manner during crisis,小蝌蚪APP said Aaron Martin, director of Communications and Marketing.
小蝌蚪APP淚 hope we never have to use it again, but it is comforting to know that we have an effective tool should we need it,小蝌蚪APP he said.
As of Monday evening, the Lafayette Sheriff小蝌蚪APP檚 Office arrested a suspect believed also to be linked to an attempted armed robbery of a local business that took place as Wednesday小蝌蚪APP檚 bomb threat investigation was starting. No device had been found on campus, though a hoax device had been discovered at Girard Park, according to police.
Sturm said that thanks are due to several agencies, including the Lafayette Police Department; Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office; Lafayette City Marshal; LCG Hazardous Materials Division; Scott Police; Louisiana State Police; Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal; Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office; Baton Rouge Police; Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Police; Fort Polk 50th Military Police Detachment (US Army K-9 unit); FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
小蝌蚪APP淏esides all the supporting agencies, I want to thank our 小蝌蚪APP officers and all the campus emergency essential staff who made sure our students were safe and got the 小蝌蚪APP back to normal so quickly,小蝌蚪APP said Sturm.
Signing up for the ENS
Pons said all students and employees should sign up for the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 emergency notification system, which sends alerts by email, phone, and text message for immediate threats. Information about the ENS system is at . If a student, faculty member, staff member, or parent has a concern about the system, he can contact Pons at safetyman@louisiana.edu.