Aug. 6 emergency response simulation to include CMPD, CFD

UNC Charlotte police, business continuity, communication, and facilities personnel will participate in a limited, emergency response simulation on campus Wednesday, Aug. 6. The activity is another example of the University working closely with local first responders to enhance campus safety and security.

The exercise will simulate a bomb threat during a football game at Jerry Richardson Stadium and will involve the Charlotte Fire Department and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department bomb squad, canine units and other officers. Local news media may be on hand to observe the event, which will occur from 9 a.m. to noon, although participants will begin staging north of the stadium as early as 8 a.m. The activity will be confined to the concourse areas of the stadium and will not affect the daily operations or parking of other University employees and students. No test ‘explosions’ or other loud noises will take place.

On Tuesday, Aug. 5, members of the business continuity team will place notices about the activity in several nearby buildings: PORTAL, Bioinformatics, Grigg, Duke Centennial, Kulwicki Motorsports Engineering Lab, EPIC and the Judy Rose Field House.

Also on Aug. 5, campus police will test the campus warning sirens, as part of the preparations for the simulation. The tests will include a red “alert” bar across the UNCC.edu home page. The sirens and PIER/Alertus will not be tested on Aug. 6 because organizers do not want to disrupt first day of summer school finals exams.

Members of the University’s public relations team also will be involved, primarily as facilitators of media coverage.

For more information about this emergency response simulation, contact Chris Gonyar, director of business continuity and emergency management planning, 704-687-7884.