contents
    Summer 2002,
vol. 44, No. 1/2

 
<
  
________________

The Campus Emergency Response Team
  Campus Emergency Response Team    
  -     Begun as a proposal to train a number of University faculty and staff members to respond quickly to emergencies on campus, the Emergency Response Team (ERT) is now ready for action.
      First established in the summer of 2000, the ERT is composed of twenty people, including two women, from different AUB hospital and campus departments, and is headed by President John Waterbury and Vice President of Administration George Tomey. The Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management (EHSRM) department supervises the team and works closely with the AUB Protection Office as well as the Physical Plant. The ERT report to the Director of EHSRM, Azmi Imad.
      Because of traffic, outside emergency response teams can take up to fifteen minutes or more to reach AUB, thus increasing any damage. The AUB ERT, however, will respond within minutes. Once outside help arrives, the ERT may work with them, increasing efficiency.
      ERT members, who must live less than fifteen minutes from campus, have had and continue to have physical as well as educational training for various emergencies. The Lebanese Red Cross has provided CPR and first aid training, while instructions on how to deal with hazardous materials and fire have been supplied by Mr. Imad and other professional members of the team.
      ERT can now provide first and basic response to fires, releases of hazardous and toxic materials, and apply fundamental rescue services. In fact, they have already dealt with a variety of emergencies such as fires, chemical spills, gas releases, 		and two incidents of envelopes containing white powder, which were feared to be anthrax letters, but turned out to be a hoax.
     The team's current equipment consists of a new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), an air compressor to fill the SCBA tanks, protective clothing and gear, and supplies to detect, measure, contain and collect releases and spills. Each member of the team signed a statement avowing they were willing to be a part of and work in the ERT, with the understanding that they would deal with dangerous situations. As compensation, team members receive around $200 each month per person.
      Early this year, President Waterbury, who is the Commander in Chief of ERT, made a speech thanking the team members and Vice President Tomey for working so hard to make the ERT a reality. He then gave each member a badge, including himself and VP Tomey, indicating that they are "a member of an elite group committed to serve and save lives and property."
      Members are: Azmi Imad, Raja Abdallah, Nazeer Marouch, Alec Derkaloustian, Nameer Kanaan, Anis Abdallah, Mike Rebeiz, Khaled Zouhairy, Nadine Mahboub, Said Najjar, Walid Wardeh, Khaled Hallak, Ibrahim Jamal, Marwan Kurban, Ghada Hamati, Walid Wehbeh, Ali Ali Ahmad, Elias Arnaout, Wissam Merhi, and Yousef Ahmad. They can be reached by calling the Protection Office at ext. 2400 for general emergencies 24 hours a day, for fire emergencies at ext. 5555, and during working hours at ext. 2360.

  - These pages are subjected to AUB's General disclaimer and copyrights
- The AUB Bulletin is the official news publication of the American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
- It is published monthly by the Office of Information and Public Relations, Diana Sabbagh Building, Room 111. Tel.: 01-353228, Fax: 01-363234 or AUB extension: 2670/1, e-mail: ifkhoury@aub.edu.lb or information@aub.edu.lb
- Responsible Editor, Dirctor of Information and Public Relations: Ibrahim Khoury - Deputy Editor and Layout Designer: Henry Matthews - Advisor Nabeel G. Ashkar - Associate Editor: Elain Larwood
- Web Design: iMAD Zeineddine — e-mail: imadsz@hotmail.com