To strengthen the preparedness and emergency response capabilities of the university community, the Industrial University of Santander (UIS) conducted an earthquake evacuation drill at the Central Library on its Main Campus.
Students and staff took part in the exercise, evaluating evacuation routes, assembly points, and emergency response procedures. The activity is part of the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program, led by the Directorate of Human Talent Management through its Occupational Health and Safety Subprocess.
A total of 34 Central Library team members participated in the drill, including emergency response team members and facilitators. Their primary responsibilities were to expedite the evacuation of students from all four floors of the building and respond to a simulated emergency caused by an accident.
National Emergency Response Drill
The drill was conducted in accordance with the recommendations of Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), the guidelines issued by the Ministries of Education and Labor, and the provisions established in the UIS Emergency Plan.
Sonia Cristina Gamboa Sarmiento, Director of the UIS Central Library, explained why the library decided to participate in the national drill and shared the results of the exercise.
“We decided to join the national drill at the Library because it is one of the locations that accommodates the largest number of people on the Main Campus. We wanted to test response times and assigned roles. The exercise went very well, and the drill was completed in a total of 20 minutes, representing a significant improvement.”
In this way, the drill helps identify opportunities to improve established procedures while strengthening a culture of prevention and preparedness within the university community to better address potential emergencies and risk situations.
