UConn Creates On-Campus Emergency Contact Database

This article was originally published on the UConn Today Web site on March 21, 2012.

By: Michael Kirk

has developed an interactive database of building emergency contact information for use by faculty and staff and will launch the new website on March 22. The Building & Emergency Contact List is a web-page application that provides a mechanism for UConn and its employees to store, manage, and access emergency contact information for specific buildings on the Storrs and regional campuses, and at the Law School.

“Building and emergency contacts serve a vital role in communicating important information about activities and events that could adversely affect a building’s occupants,” said Teresa Dominguez, manager of occupational health and safety at UConn. “This new site will replace the current manually intensive and time-consuming method of entering, updating, and disseminating the information to the University community.”

Building and emergency contacts are the official contacts for each department within a building, and interact with Facilities Operations, Police, Fire, Environmental Health and Safety, Locksmith Services, Academic Renovations, Information Technology Services, Architectural, Engineering & Building Services, and others acting as “project managers.”

Each department in a building will have a primary and at least one secondary contact designated by a dean, director, or department head.

Employees can access the site at http://beclist.uconn.edu using their NET ID.

The new building and emergency contact application will improve communications during emergencies and regarding planned construction and maintenance in many ways, including:

• Provides a “public” view that allows anyone with a UConn NetID to see who the building and emergency contacts are for their department in each UConn building, along with some general contact information;
• Gives designated staff in each department the ability to update the building and emergency contact information in real time;
• Provides automated annual reminders to unit heads and their administrative staff to review and update the building and emergency contact information on record;
• Delivers automated messages via email to building and emergency contacts, notifying them that they have been assigned the role of building and emergency contact for their department and informing them of their roles and responsibilities.

Building & Emergency Contacts are notified of:

• Emergency events affecting all or part of the building and its occupants;
• Planned events that will disrupt essential building services;
• Construction/servicing activities or events that could impact occupant health and safety;
• Planned building projects and pre-construction meetings.

Upon launching the program, an automated message will be delivered via email to deans and directors with more detailed information. Building and emergency contacts will also receive automatic emails notifying them that they have been assigned the role of building and emergency contact for their department and informing them of their roles and responsibilities.