The core enemy of situational awareness is complacency. Each one of us develops instinctual situational awareness. Over time, we get complacent in our comfort zones or stop listening to our senses. We disconnect from paying attention. We let our guards down.

I am not asking you to be in constant hyper-alert mode. An endless hyper-alert mode is draining and dangerous to our health. Understanding your unique relationship and response to your environment is vital to situational awareness. Exercising your situational awareness is good for all.  If each of us takes a moment to check our surroundings and report any unusual behaviors or situations, our community is better off for it.

As a reminder, an individual should not make you uncomfortable. The behavior makes you uncomfortable. Their actions, or in some cases inactions, which seem odd or out of place are what you will report. Frequently individuals make comments after an incident occurred stating that they felt like something was not right. However, they failed to notify an authority because they did not listen to their personal alarm. Next time a situation seems odd, remove the individual. Observe the actions or inactions of the person. You know your environment; trust your senses, and report the behavior that does not fit the situation.

Remember that situational awareness must be practiced because it quickly erodes into complacency. Practice situational awareness by thinking of activities that reduce your complacency and increase your ability to be present.

Do you have a suggested topic for the Campus Safety Corner? Email your suggestion, with “Campus Safety Corner” in the subject line, to pulse@uchc.edu.

The new phrase in our vocabulary as we reconnect with family and friends in an attempt to reset our routines is “this is new normal.” For many people, the mere thought of this as a new normal is upsetting. If you are one of those individuals, give yourself permission to be dismayed. We have experienced a global pandemic. However, remember that there is an amazing resilience within each one of us.

• Resilience is a key element to our survival. Resilience is about growing and even thriving in adversity. The key is to develop opportunities to feed your resilience through mindfulness, relationships, and goals. Each of those points has the potential to improve your resilience. For instance, one of the most important aspects of resilience is mindfulness. Feed the positive and disregard the negative. Develop a system of checks and balances of your daily thoughts. Learn to foster and trust healthy thoughts.
• Relationships are essential to resilience. At this stage, you can have a gathering with appropriate social distancing or have a Zoom party. Nurture your support system and respect your journey as well as the journey of those around you.
• Lastly, establish goals and outline objectives that will help you positively focus your energy. Develop a positive, clear path for yourself.

These three simple measures will ensure that regardless of the type of life-changing situation you face, you will always emerge stronger. 

Now’s a good time to reflect on why it’s important to park in our assigned areas when on campus for work or academic purposes, and to also be attentive of the winter storm parking bans.

Patient Parking

Several parking areas on campus are reserved for patients and visitors. Providing them with safe and convenient access to these parking areas and the surrounding buildings is an integral part of their experience on our campus. These areas include:

• Emergency Department and GI Procedure Center – surface parking and the rooftop of Garage 2.
• University Tower and Main Building – surface parking lots M1, M2 and H1.
• Garage 1 – convenient sections of levels 1, 2 and 3 and the valet staging area. These areas are marked by white signs with green lettering.
• Garage 3 – all spaces on levels 3 and 4 and the valet staging area unless signed otherwise.

For your reference: 

• Patient Parking Map
• Information About Accessible Parking

Winter Storm Parking Bans

During winter storms and parking bans our Facilities Grounds personnel are out in force, supplemented by contracted snow removal crews, to mitigate the weather impacts on the roads, parking areas and sidewalks. The best way we can help is to be attentive to the UConn alerts and follow the snow ban instructions so the crews can keep our campus as safe and accessible as possible for the entire UConn Health community. Although staff and students who have arrived on campus prior to the start time of the bans are not required to move their vehicle, it is appreciated when you are able to if your work or academic responsibilities allow you the time to safely move your vehicle into one of the garages. Parking in the covered sections of the garages during the bans may seem inconvenient at times, so it can help if we try to remember that the primary reason for the bans is to keep our campus as safe and as accessible as possible. 

—UConn Deputy Police Chief Maggie Silver and Parking, Transportation and Event Services Director Allan Peterson

Active threat incidents are often unpredictable and evolve quickly. In the midst of the chaos, anyone can play an integral role in mitigating the impacts of an active threat incident. The Division of Public Safety aims to enhance preparedness through a “whole community” approach by providing resources.

If there is an active threat in your vicinity, you should do the following:

Run

• Have an escape route and plan in mind.
• Leave your belongings behind.
• Keep your hands visible.
• Get as far away from the threat as you can.
• If you can’t run, hide.

Hide

• Hide in an area out of the suspect’s view. (Preferably behind large objects)
• Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors.
• Ensure the lights are off.
• Silence your cellphone or other electronic devices and remain quiet.
• If you can, have options for moving or escaping.
• As a last resort, if you can’t run or hide, be ready to fight.

Fight

• As a last resort and only when your life is in danger.
• Attempt to incapacitate the active threat.
• Act with physical aggression and throw items at the suspect. When it is safe to do so, call 911 and give the location, number and physical description of the suspect(s), and the number of potential victims if possible.

We offer free training programs on active threat, de-escalation, workplace safety, and workplace violence: recognition and prevention. These courses can be requested via https://publicsafety.uconn.edu/police/education-and-programs/public-education/.

—UConn Deputy Police Chief Maggie Silver