IEMA Announces Augustana College Attains ‘Ready to Respond Campus' Designation

SPRINGFIELD – Augustana College in Rock Island today was recognized by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) for achieving the Ready to Respond Campus designation after completing the program’s rigorous campus safety criteria.

Augustana College was one of nine campuses in Illinois that participated in a 2013 pilot of the Ready to Respond Campus program. The IEMA initiative is aimed at enhancing campus safety through a comprehensive, community-based preparedness and response effort, including public safety, campus administration, faculty and students.

The voluntary program is now open to all institutions of higher education in Illinois.

“The Ready to Respond Campus logo tells students, parents and others that safety is a top priority on this campus,” said IEMA Director James K. Joseph. “It’s not easy to satisfy the program’s many criteria. I applaud Augustana College officials for tackling this challenge and, as a result, becoming only the fourth campus in Illinois to achieve this enhanced level of campus safety.”

Joseph presented the college with a plaque bearing the Ready to Respond Campus logo. The college can use the logo on official correspondence, websites, brochures and other media. The designation is valid for three years, at which time Augustana College officials can submit updated documentation in order to renew its status.

"Augustana has been steadfast in its desire to be as well prepared as possible for an emergency situation,” said Dr. Evelyn Campbell, vice president and dean of student life at Augustana. “We are grateful for the support of so many outside of Augustana, including the guidance we have received from IEMA and the support of first responders throughout the Quad Cities, who have helped us prepare our campus community for any potential emergency.” 
           
To achieve Ready to Respond Campus status, a college or university must meet criteria that address hazard identification, risk assessment and/or consequence analysis, operational planning, incident management, training and exercise. In addition, the campus must develop and maintain a violence prevention plan and implement a campus outreach and education campaign.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Richland Community College and Parkland College also have received the Ready to Respond Campus designation. Joseph said several other campuses currently are working toward the designation.

The Ready to Respond Campus program is the latest component of Illinois’ Ready to Respond effort. Additional information about the IEMA Ready to Respond program is available at www.Ready.Illinois.gov.