The Office of Emergency Preparedness released an online training module last week that all University employees are expected to complete, in response to an executive order from Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.
In Executive Order 44, Kaine decreed that all agencies of the commonwealth place a greater emphasis on emergency preparedness.
"I hereby direct all executive branch agencies, including institutions of higher education, to include emergency preparedness planning, training and promotion as a core component of their mission," the order states.
Marge Sidebottom, director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, said the new module was created in response to Kaine's order.
"What we did was create something that we believed would speak to the requirement of a Terrorism Awareness Course, as well as emergency preparedness," Sidebottom said. "We wanted to make sure the module expressed the fact that emergency preparedness is everyone's responsibility."
Sidebottom said the training program should ensure that all employees will be prepared to handle emergency situations, from weather-related disasters to hazardous materials. She also noted that it will ensure that employees are safe both on Grounds and in their own homes.
"This is a beginning," she said. "People need to be aware of what they can do to keep their environment safe."
Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operating officer, similarly noted the importance of the training module to University employees.
"The module ensures employees have a general understanding of the importance of emergency preparedness in all that we do," Sandridge said. "Without a general understanding of ways to be prepared for the unexpected, our employees will be at a disadvantage."
The training is not expected to take more than 20 to 30 minutes and includes links to printable resources, Sidebottom said. University employees are expected to complete the training by Dec. 1.
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