Q: |
What do you do as a building marshal? |
A: |
A building marshal’s primary task
is to clear or help evacuate a building when there is an alarm.
Each building has several building marshals who are assigned
different floors, wings or departments. They sweep through
their areas, make sure that everyone is out, as well as try
to answer questions asked by people being vacated from the
building.
We also direct those evacuated to the location where they
are supposed to wait until the all-clear sound. |
Q: |
What type of training and equipment do
you have? |
A:
|
Equipment is simple and basic: an orange
vest, a pair of protective gloves and a flashlight. Lead building
marshals have two-way radios in order to stay in contact with
campus police. |
A: |
Generally, once or twice a semester
there is training offered on various equipment usage, such
as extinguishers and evacuation chairs, and on other safety
measures, including triage, first aid and CPR. [Such courses
are offered regularly by Environmental Health and Instructional
Safety and are open to all members of the campus community.]
There’s lots of important information
regarding general safety, courses and preparation for an emergency
on two campus websites: http://ehs.fullerton.edu and http://www.fullerton.edu/
emergencypreparedness.
Then there are regular building marshal meetings
where we get together and discuss issues – like what
to do when people refuse to leave a building. We also discuss
when a drill is scheduled and how to assist persons with disabilities.
We take every semester drill very seriously
and meet afterwards to discuss what went right and what went
wrong. Our aim is to make improvements so that things run
smoother for the next drill or if a real emergency occurs.
Colleen Wilkins, health and safety officer,
and Quentin Frazier, emergency preparedness coordinator, have
worked very hard to upgrade the position and responsibilities
of the building marshals, and to get more equipment for us.
In addition to our drills, there have been
exercises held by the city, county and other agencies on campus
and these have been educational for all of us. Should there
ever be a disaster, we will be working closely with several
public agencies to help not only campus and community members
at the university but those who may come to campus for shelter
and assistance. |
Q: |
Why did you decide to become a building
marshal? |
A: |
I signed up when they needed someone for
McCarthy Hall, and no one was volunteering. It fit in well
with my position as department safety coordinator, and because
I think it’s important that we have people in these
positions so that we, as a campus, are prepared for emergency
situations.
It’s everyone’s job to lend a hand in being safe
and helping out in an emergency, literally. |