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OREM — The Umpqua Community College shooting showed once again that the unthinkable can happen anywhere, and colleges and universities across the country put a great deal of effort into game-planning against the worst-case scenario.
At Utah Valley University in Orem, administrators conduct drills annually and have bolstered emergency notification systems and threat assessment efforts.
"I don't think anyone is immune," said Robin Ebmeyer, UVU director of emergency and risk management. "I still hope it never happens on my campus, but we live in a world where this happens and so you can't not prepare – you have to prepare for it."
Past drills at the school have involved various local police agencies and someone acting as a live shooter, armed with a real gun that shoots blanks.
"It's a simulated event, but it can feel very real," Ebmeyer said.
Ebmeyer said fast and effective communication has been a significant focus.
UVU has an overhead speaker system to blast out urgent instructions, and emergency email, text, social and voicemail notification systems.
"It happens so quickly, it's over so quickly – the faster we can get out information to people so they can decide what they need to do, the better," Ebmeyer said.
Ebmeyer said preventative steps are also key.
Workers monitor social channels, and instructors and counselors are trained to pass on concerns to a threat assessment team.
"[It's] to mitigate the ultimate violent act and to help that student through whatever is going on in their life," she said.
An emergency procedure advisory committee meets regularly to take a closer look at protocols.
Building captains are on standby for each building to communicate and manage during crises.
Students KSL spoke to Thursday agreed that preparation for a crisis is critical.
We can hope it doesn't happen here, but I think we should be ready for it in case it does.
–Clayton Wadsworth, UVU student
Clayton Wadsworth, a UVU student who happens to be from Roseburg, Ore., said he believed an active-shooter could turn up anywhere.
"These things happen almost monthly," Wadsworth said. "It's terrifying."
Wadsworth said he is always vigilant.
"We can hope it doesn't happen here, but I think we should be ready for it in case it does," he said.
Contributing: Mike Anderson
