Keeping CCSU Community Safe – Basic Training for Faculty and Staff is a program offered at various times throughout the school year to prepare those inside and outside of the classroom for potentially dangerous situations and how to handle them.

The program has run for two semesters and is in collaboration with the Central Police Department, Environmental Health and Safety, Fire Lieutenant Terry Ferrarotti and faculty senate of Student Affairs.

“This training is in response to a [Student Government Association] rep who had come to one of the committees that I sit on [faculty senate of student affairs], and this person felt that some professors were not prepared. This student witnessed a classmate have a seizure during class [and] the professor did not know how to respond, and not everyone does,” Cassandra York, professor of physical education and human performance, said.

“That student’s concerns were valid. We, as professors, should be doing regular training to make sure we know how to handle certain situations, because there are many of them,” York continued.

The program sessions are offered in one hour increments and go over various situations, such as what to do if there is a fire, what to do until first responders arrive in cases involving seizures, allergic reactions, significant bleeding and other harmful possibilities.

The Central Police Department provides a video made by the FBI called “Run, Hide, Fight,” which demonstrates what to do when there is an active shooter situation and how to respond. The police then go over the role they have when an active shooter is present and also emphasized the importance of having the Safe App on your phone, which can track your location.

“When faced with an active shooter, immediately we experience a fight-or-flight response.  Many of us have had active shooter training and hopefully, will remember those trainings if ever in that situation,” psychology professor Carolyn Fallahi stated.

Elementary school children in our state practice what to do in the event of an active shooter. By being prepared, hopefully, that will save lives. It is unfortunate in this day and age that we need to prepare for such situations. In my opinion, it is better to be prepared,” Fallahi continued.

Keeping CCSU Community Safe is not mandatory, however, that is York’s goal for the future. As there are many steps in the process, such as voting and approval of various levels, it is easier to highly encourage the program for faculty and staff to attend.

Information regarding the training is sent out regularly through the faculty senate and President Dr. Zulma Toro endorses the program in order for faculty to receive certificates after training.

“160 people came to the program the very first semester and that was when nobody really knew about it. There are 440 full- time faculty and 551 part-time and it is mostly full- time that has come but we are going to continue to grow. Central is really trying to make sure that students feel safe. I myself care,” York said.

“Knowing at the beginning of each semester that faculty had this type of training on classroom safety, I would feel safer and have more trust in them if it ever came to an emergency situation,” Alana Beckert, senior criminology major, added.

For more information visit www.ccsu.edu/safetytraining or contact Cassandra York or Karen Misbach.