Hoos Ready, an emergency preparedness awareness organization originally created as a contracted independent organization late last fall, recently acquired “special status,” after its membership surpassed 1,700.
“The official message of Hoos Ready is take a stand, start the trend and always be prepared for any situation,” Hoos Ready President Colin Hood said. “We constantly remind people about the importance of emergency preparedness. We’re a really unique organization on Grounds, and it’s nice to see us grow.”
Hoos Ready works closely with the University’s Office of Emergency Preparedness to promote its message. According to Marjorie Sidebottom, director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Hoos Ready chief faculty advisor, Hoos Ready became a “special status organization” at the start of this academic year, after the group was approved by the Office of the Dean of Students. Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Lampkin was unavailable to comment as of press time.
Hood said one of the differences between a CIO-status organization and a special status organization is that the latter is contracted by the University and receives its funding from the University, rather than through the Student Council allocations process. Other special status organizations include the Honor Committee, the University Judiciary Committee and Student Council.
“Being a special status organization does help them in that they have a budget that is approved,” Sidebottom said. “As a special status organization, they agree to perform specific delegated functions that are consistent with University policy. Hoos Ready will equip their members with valuable information and resources on emergency safety.”
Student Council President Matt Schrimper said Hoos Ready’s new status will benefit the organization greatly in serving the University community, endowing the group with more funding for important emergency preparedness initiatives.
“Being a special status organization will give them more resources through the University and help themselves to ally themselves with the University administration as they work to ensure safety here at the University,” Schrimper said. “I think Hoos Ready fulfills a great role here at the University and is a fantastic example of how we empower students and student groups to address these issues.”
Hoos Ready studies numerous potential emergency situations, Hood said, including tornado safety, fire emergency preparation, flood safety and toxic material release, he noted.
According to Hood, the group works in a number of ways to provide the University community with emergency preparedness information, distributing materials on a regular basis.
Among various avenues, Hoos Ready educates the University community through emergency tips of the month, Hood said, and on the eleventh of each month, Hoos Ready sends an emergency preparedness tip via e-mail to all of its members. Hood also noted that the organization’s members are not the only people who receive this monthly tip; Hoos Ready also promotes the tip through flyers and chalking on grounds.
Hoos Ready also distributes items such as T-shirts, color-changing cups and membership cards that have important phone numbers, such as SafeRide, and other emergency preparedness information printed on them.
“One of our goals is to provide productive incentives through our promotional items,” Hood said, “Every time someone sees one of the T-shirts, the cups, it reminds them of the Hoos Ready message.”
According to Hood, one of the defining attributes of Hoos Ready is not only its mission to promote emergency preparedness but to also promote this message through the involvement of all members of the University community, including graduate students, faculty and staff.
“Everyone is included because they’re a member of our community, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to be prepared,” Hood said. “And when you’re prepared you can benefit others in an emergency.”
As the newest special status organization on Grounds, Hoos Ready is currently opening its committee applications process, according to Hood, which will allow students, faculty and staff to serve as equal members on Hoos Ready committees. The four committees, according to Hood, are appropriations, publicity, programs and membership.
As Hoos Ready continues to expand, Sidebottom is confident in the organization’s ability to make a difference.
“I think that this group will really have an opportunity to leave a great legacy across Grounds,” Sidebottom said.
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