University Times

Later this month passersby may wonder what the emergency is when local police officers, city fire officials, EMS responders and other safety and security personnel congregate at the William Pitt Union.

But the cause of the gathering won’t be an emergency, it will be to learn how to guard against one at Pitt’s first Health, Safety and Security Day, set for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 25.

The Staff Association Council (SAC) and the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) are co-sponsoring the informational forum on safety and security and tips on healthy living. The marketplace-style event will be held at the WPU Assembly Room and the Bigelow-side patio and lawn.

Pitt police officer Ronald Bennett will be the featured speaker at noon.

According to Bill Heller, chair of SAC’s safety and security committee, this is the first year that SAC has teamed with EH&S to co-sponsor a safety and security day.

“These issues are very important to our campus, and we plan to continue this event on an annual basis,” Heller said. “In a marketplace set-up, people can move around and ask questions of experts. We want people to be as informed as possible.”

For example, there will be an automatic external defibrillator demonstration and visitors will be able to sign-up for AED/CPR/first aid classes sponsored by SAC, Heller said.

EH&S has presented a Fire Safety Day annually for several years, said director Jay Frerotte. “By combining the traditional Fire Safety Day activities, which has had participation from hundreds of students, staff and faculty for the past 15 years, with the first annual Health, Safety and Security Day, we hope to provide valuable health- and safety-related information to even more members of the Pitt community.”

EH&S will stage safety activities on the lawn of the William Pitt Union, Frerotte added. “Those activities include hands-on fire extinguisher education, and information for students, faculty and staff regarding emergency egress, building evacuation and fire safety.”

EH&S also will provide information related to emergency preparedness, ergonomics, laboratory safety, hazardous materials and waste, and Pitt’s new emergency notification system, he added.

Other organizations that will be represented at the health, safety and security expo include:

• Oakland Business Improvement District;

• Salvation Army;

• State Farm Insurance (offering safe driving tips);

• University wellness program;

• Simplex-Grinnell (demonstrating fire extinguisher maintenance and fire protection system testing).

For more information, contact the SAC office at 4-4236.

—Peter Hart