2
Tuesday, May], 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
After Va. Tech, 'U' keeps to disaster plans
By ARIKIA MILLIKAN
Daily News Editor
Last fall, the University mobi-
lized its staff to prepare for a mas-
sacre.s
Researchers anticipated a situa-
tion where an influenza pandemic
could wipe out up to 40 percent of
the University's population. Uni-
versity staff members all over cam-
pus developed emergency plans to
face the danger the bird flu virus
could pose.
The virus never came, but in
light of the recent shootings at
Virginia Tech, University spokes-
people said the planning was not
vain.
"Many of our emergency
response procedures have been
reviewed and fine-tuned because
of the possibility of a flu pandem-
ic," said Linda Green, a direc-
tor in the Division of Student
Affairs.
Communications procedures
outlined in emergency plans
designed in response to the
threat of pandemic flu would be
relevant in a crisis like the one at
Virginia Tech, said Diane Brown,
a University facilities and opera-
tions spokeswoman.
Some of these procedures
include broadcasting direc-
tions and information through
TV, radio and loudspeakers atop
police cars, as well as alerting
students and staff through e-
mails.
Brown said it is necessary to
have several modes of alerting
students, because one method
might not be enough. An alert
e-mail from the University takes
five to seven hours to reach every-
one in the system, she said.
To aid the speed of informa-
tion, the University is encourag-
ing students to register for the
CodeRED telephone alert system
- a free service available through
the city of Ann Arbor that can
notify 60,000 people of an emer-
gency within an hour.
But for emergency plans to
effectively protect and inform the
University community, students
must do their part and pay atten-
tion to the systems already in
place, Brown said.
Students often ignore warning
systems like e-mail alerts and fire
alarms, and fail to update their
contact information, Green said.
She said the University is work-
ing with the Michigan Student
Assembly to establish an emergen-
cy education program this fall to
"aggressively push this informa-
tion in a way that (students) will
pay attention to it."
While there are no immediate
plans to invest in new emergency
response mechanisms.or increase
the Department of Public Safety's
staff as a response to Virginia
Tech, Brown said that DPS is tak-
ing another look at emergency
plans already in place.
Brown said campus police offi-
cers undergo special training to
See PLANS, Page 8
iThte fichiga n Dailj
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1327
www.michigandaily.com
IMRAN SYED DAVID GOH
Editor inChief Business Manager
734-6473336 734-764-0558
syedicmihigacdacilycom ghc ccS higacdcil~cc,
CONTACT INFORMATION
Newsroom offie-hours:
Sun-Thurs. 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.
734245<9
NewsTips news@michigandaily.com
Corrtorreons corrections@michigandaily.com
letterstothetEditor tothedaily@michigandaily.com
PhotographyDepartment photo@nichc ndaiycom
Arts Section
Editorial Page
SportsSection
Display Sales
Classified Sales
Online Sales
Finance
opnionecchicccndcily,cm
spcrts@ dicchia,dci u.com
734-764-5585gdccycc,
EDITORIAL STAFF
Jessica Vosgerchian M
ASSOCIATE EDITORS:Emiy A
Gary Graca
gracaeamichigndai com
Dan Feldman Ma
fetdmara ~nmichiga ndaity.coma
ASSOCI ATE EDY[TOR: Chris M-
Elie Zwiebel
zie~bel,imtichigandi~aily Corn
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Anna Ash
Shay Spaniola Ma
sp anrtiao (tm ich iga a i ily. coma
Lisa Gentile Ma
gentile ichigandaiy.com
Jessica Boullion Mar
hoof Iionxmarichiga rxaily.rum
BUSINESS STAFF
Tiffany tin Display Sales Manager
Benjamin Schrotenboer Display specia
Projec ts Manager
DavidGoh OnlineSales Manager
Robert Abb Layout/Production Manager
The Michigan Daily (SSN 0745-967) is published
Monday through Friday during the falI and winter
terms by students at the University of Michigan.
One copy is avalable free of charge to albreaders.
Additional copies maybe picked up at the Daily's
office for $2. Sulscricion, for fail ter, starting
4
nd The Associated