Preparing for an emergency

In an emergency, your best resources are the people around you and your awareness of your surroundings. Help often comes first from those nearby — your neighbours, colleagues, friends, and family — before emergency services arrive. Just as vital is knowing your environment. When you’re familiar with the spaces you frequent, you can quickly identify safe areas and make better decisions. The best preparation for an emergency is to build strong connections with your colleagues and take time to get to know the spaces you visit.

• Take a few minutes to review established emergency procedures
• Take a first aid and/or fire prevention course
• Take the Emergencies at Concordia training on Moodle.
• Become a CERT volunteer
• Ensure your emergency contact information is up to date either on your Student Center or your HR profile.
• Ensure you have supplies to be self sufficient for 72 hours
• Ensure your first aid kit is fully stocked
• Download the Rave Guardian application for mobile devices on Google Play or the App Store. Make sure you were able to access the Concordia Branded Guardian. 
• Download the Alertus+ laptop application
  
• Follow the Office of Emergency Management on social media (Facebook / Twitter)
• Watch the Emergencies at Concordia videos:
  • Campus Safety: Be Informed video 
  • Campus Safety: Get Connected video
  • Fire Alarm video
  • Shelter in place video
  • Fire Drill Training video (EN/FR)
• If going out of province for Concordia purposes, register to the Concordia travel registry in My CU Account. 

• Update your HR profile information in the UNITY portal (To be contacted in an emergency)
• Include the Emergency Management Insert in your syllabus.
  
• Invite a member of the Emergency Management team to give a quick overview to your class (5-10 minutes)
• Play the Emergencies at Concordia videos to inform students.
  • Campus Safety: Be Informed video 
  • Campus Safety: Get Connected video
  • Fire Alarm video
  • Shelter in place video

• Update your HR profile information in the UNITY portal (To be contacted in an emergency)
• Familiarize yourself with your Department's Emergency Preparedness Plan (DEPP)
• Invite a member of the Emergency Management team to give a presentation to your department (Approx. 1 hour)

Department Emergency Preparedness Plan

All university units must have a Department Emergency Preparedness Plan (DEPP). A DEPP outlines your department's response to emergencies and ensures that operations are well coordinated with university response. If you’re unsure who holds your department’s plan or need help updating it, email emergency.management@concordia.ca. 

For information related to damages caused after an incident contact risk@concordia.ca

As the semester comes to an end and many of us are prepare to spend some quality time with friends and family, Concordia’s Emergency Management Team would like to offer some safety tips before leaving your office for the holidays.

1. Make sure all exterior windows are closed.
2. Unplug your space heaters and extension cords.
3. Shut off the lights if you are the last to leaving your office.
4. Bring any valuable personal items home for the holidays.
5. Keep any items off the floor to avoid damage in case of water leaks.
6. For those that will be at Concordia and working alone or in isolation during the holidays, subscribe online to Checkmate to receive safety checks by text message or phone call.

• Student Emergency Resources Guide
• Quick Guide to Emergency Procedures
• Emergencies at Concordia - What you Need to Know video
• Classroom Evacuation Signage
• Checklist - What to do when all eyes are on you 
• Learn more on what to do from the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada