Emergency procedures need to be communicated better to TAMUK students

The South Texan


   People in several states are still trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after tornadoes ravaged their homes, businesses and other property on Feb. 8.
   The deadliest set of tornadoes to hit the US in 23 years, managed to ravage five states and even destroyed parts of Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, where more than 20 students at the Southern Baptist school were trapped in the dormitories when the tornado hit. All of the students were recovered alive.
   This event should serve as a wake up call to universities across the nation.
   Spring is the time when natural disasters like tornados, severe thunderstorms and hurricanes are more common. And, it important that there be a well-defined plan at TAMUK to make sure students and faculty are safe in natural disasters.
   Students should be aware of what to do, where to go and how to act if a natural disaster were to occur here.
   TAMUK has many buildings that are older. This includes dormitories and buildings where students have class on a daily basis. If a tornado were to hit, some of these buildings could be leveled or severely damaged causing injuries or worse.
   And although it may not be possible to build brand new buildings and dorms, it is possible that the university could help students become more informed about what to do if they get caught in a disaster.
   Every building should have an emergency plan; students need to know the safest place in the building so that they know were to go and take shelter.
   The university should also hold training sessions so that students can learn to train themselves to act in a calmly in a situation that will most certainly be scary for them. This is something easily done in the dorms, where students must attend mandatory wing meetings two or three times per semester.
   This university does have a crisis management plan that students can read on the TAMUK website. Unfortunately it is 34 pages long not very student-friendly. There should be a student version of the plan that is easier to understand; it has to give students some basics like what to do, who to ask for help and where to go when a weather disaster or other crisis happens.
   These steps are simple but they might make a huge difference if something were to happen at TAMUK.
   And since there is no predicting when these disasters could happen, it is better safe than sorry. These measures could save lives and will certainly make all TAMUK students a little safer.