On June 6 from 2:30-4:30 p.m., UCR’s Campus Safety Alliance and ASUCR Internal Affairs Committee hosted a public campus safety forum. A presentation on campus and public safety tips was provided along with lunch and the option of free pepper spray or e-alarms after instructions on how to use the devices were provided.

At the beginning of the forum, members of the Campus Safety Alliance, Christian Martinez, Benjamin Ham and David Wong discussed elevator safety, lab safety and etiquette, campus crisis safety, how to use pepper spray and how to use an e-alarm.

The members of the Campus Safety Alliance first guided students who attended the event through a presentation on elevator safety. They reminded students that they should not use elevators during fires.

During the presentation on lab safety and etiquette, members of the Campus Safety Alliance explained how to respond in the case of a lab emergency. They stated that if glass is broken, students should not not attempt to pick it up with their hands. They also stated that if a chemical spilled directly onto skin, students should inform their professor and wash their skin thoroughly. In the case of a fire, students should stand clear of the area, alert the professor and should not attempt to put out the fire with water.

The members of the Campus Safety Alliance then explained how students should react in the event of a school shooting. They stated that during an active shooter threat, students should act out the acronym “RAIN” which stands for: respond, assess, isolate and notify. They emphasized that students should immediately respond to the threat and not freeze up. They should then assess the threat and identify the suspects physical characteristics, estimate how many people are wounded or unresponsive and assess possible escapes.

Students should then isolate themselves by escaping and avoiding danger. They should attempt to barricade themselves and lock all doors if possible. The last step that students should follow in an active shooter threat is to notify police by calling UCPD, 911 or emailing emergency@ucr.edu. Members of the Campus Safety Alliance then reminded students that they should always silence their phones in the case of an active shooter threat.

The Campus Safety Alliance then guided students through a presentation on how to use pepper spray in case they are ever in danger on campus. They presented a video in which Angelica Garcia, a newly elected CHASS senator, demonstrated how to properly and safely use pepper spray. They then showed a YouTube video to demonstrate how to properly use an eAlarm which is a compact alarm that emits an ambulance-level alarm if the pin is pulled. The alarm is intended to notify people in surrounding areas that someone is in danger.

After the presentations, members of the Campus Safety Alliance and the ASUCR Internal Affairs Committee distributed free eAlarms and pepper sprays to students who attended the event. Students were required to first sign a waiver before they were allowed to receive the pepper spray or eAlarm. Catered food was then distributed to students who attended the event.

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