In July, fifteen faculty and staff at the George D. Aiken Forestry Sciences Laboratory on Spear Street spent a day sharpening their skills in laboratory safety, building evacuation, and hands-on use of fire extinguishers. Experts from the University of Vermont Department of Risk Management and Safety led the training sessions. This event is the first in a series coordinated by UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. 

“The safety training and other initiatives will ensure that the School and its buildings comply with University policy and help to keep our students, faculty, and staff safe,” said Sarah O’Sullivan, Assistant to the Associate Dean in the School and appointed by Dean Nancy Mathews to lead the Rubenstein School safety effort. 

Said Ralph Tursini, facilities manager at the Aiken Lab, “We have an unusually wide range of groups doing experimental wet lab, field, and office work in this facility. Having the training at our own work place with colleagues is an effective way to work together on the common focus of safety.” 

In August, faculty, staff, and students at the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory on the Lake Champlain waterfront also attended a lab safety session. The Lab will complete the building evacuation and fire extinguisher training later in the fall. Next up is training of faculty and staff at the George D. Aiken Center, the main campus home to the Rubenstein School. 

"The School prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students, staff and faculty, both in the field and in our buildings," said Dean Nancy Mathews. "Advanced preparation is at the core of reacting swiftly and appropriately if and when an emergency occurs." 

O’Sullivan and four other members of the adhoc Rubenstein School safety committee will develop an emergency preparedness plan for the School. 

“The plan will encompass all safety measures from lab safety to emergency situations that could include anything from fire, active shooters, or ice storms, as well as all communications with School community members traveling out of state or abroad in the event of an emergency,” said O’Sullivan, who worked in compliance for eleven years with Merrill Lynch and two years in the UVM Risk Management and Safety Department. “We are collaborating with our campus partners in Police Services, Environmental Safety, and Emergency Communications to help us develop this plan.” 

O’Sullivan will also improve the School’s system of emergency contact and communication with its community members. She has been updating emergency evacuation maps that will be prominently displayed on each of the buildings’ floors to show locations of exits, pull-stations, fire extinguishers, and AED devices. 

“I’m thrilled to take on the job of safety coordinator,” said O’Sullivan. “Contributing to the safety of our people is of utmost importance.”