This year’s Health Benefits Fair will include efforts to get UALR students, faculty, and staff better prepared for emergency situations.

The Benefits Fair is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, in Ledbetter Hall A, B, and C in the Donaghey Student Center. It will include exhibit tables with information on how to prepare for possible disasters.

September is National Preparedness Month and the campus has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Pledge to Prepare” campaign, a nationwide effort to encourage individuals, families, businesses, and communities to work together and take action to prepare for emergencies.

According to FEMA, surveys show 60 percent of respondents say preparation for national or man-made disasters is very important to them, but only 17 percent of Americans claim to be very prepared for an emergency situation.

UALR began stepping up preparedness this summer on several fronts, including fire training for residence hall advisers, mandatory safety meetings in residence halls, a “See Something, Say Something” awareness promotion, and participating in University District neighborhood association meetings. The campus has also hosted several American Red Cross Blood Drives. The next is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 28.

Upcoming Pledge to Prepare events include campus participation in the National Night Out from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, and campus flu vaccinations will be given during the first week of October.

Other UALR Pledge to Prepare systems in place year-round include:

• Emergency Alert System: In case of a weather or campus emergency, telephones in student rooms will receive an alert with instructions. All residents need to make sure the voicemail is activated on their phone in their room. Also, students may receive emergency alert telephone or text messages by registering up to six phone numbers.
• Housing Guide: The housing guide is available to all residents and interested persons online. It includes important phone numbers and information about tornado safety, fire alarms, fire equipment, fire safety, evacuation plans, and more.
• Emergency Management Plan: The Department of Public Safety has prepared a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan that includes information about potential emergencies, including a bomb threat, civil protest, earthquake, explosion, fire, flood, hazardous materials, infrastructure failure, pandemic, snow or ice storm, tornado, or a violent incident.  The plan also includes information about the Emergency Operations Center, Emergency Response Team and the Threat Assessment Team.