With the passage of concealed carry and constitutional carry laws in Idaho, fears of an active-shooter situation have increased among members of the University of Idaho community, said Matt Dorschel, executive director of Public Safety and Security.
Dorschel reminded Faculty Senate about the variety of safety and emergency-response training programs offered to faculty and staff by Environmental Health and Safety. Programs include first aid and CPR training, fire safety, laboratory safety and industrial hygiene, but most are only required for certain employees or certain situations.
“Compared to our peer institutions, we’re a very safe institution,” Dorschel said.
But Dorschel said it is important for university faculty and staff to be prepared in case of an emergency.
Faculty Senate Vice Chair Patrick Hrdlicka said he was certain there was at least one training he should have taken, but he didn’t know it existed at the time.
“The goal for coming here is to make people aware,” Dorschel said. “I expect most know about the requirements by this point.”
Dorschel said department heads should check to make sure their employees have received any required or recommended trainings and contact Environmental Health and Safety to arrange trainings.
Faculty Senate Chair Liz Brandt said she thinks many faculty and staff are not as informed about the programs as they could be and it is important that more information reaches employees.
“We have low-level, ongoing bias incidents that make people fear they are at risk,” Brandt said. “Although we are really safe in general, there are some groups on campus who don’t feel that way.”
She said the university should do what it can to make everyone feel safe on campus. She said it is easy for the university’s atmosphere and low record for violent incidents to make people feel safe.
“You get lazy when you think everything’s safe,” Brandt said. “But it can really help to be ready.”
Nishant Mohan can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NishantRMohan