Emergency Preparedness

Thomas Lawrence Mellichamp ’70, former director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, died Sept. 12.

A professor emeritus in the Biology Department, Mellichamp retired in 2014 after nearly four decades directing the development of the University’s Botanical Gardens. He completed a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University and went on to earn a doctorate in botany from the University of Michigan before returning to join the Charlotte faculty in 1976.

Thomas Lawrence Mellichamp ’70, former director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, died Sept. 12.

A professor emeritus in the Biology Department, Mellichamp retired in 2014 after nearly four decades directing the development of the University’s Botanical Gardens. He completed a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University and went on to earn a doctorate in botany from the University of Michigan before returning to join the Charlotte faculty in 1976.

UNC Charlotte’s top priority is the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff.

The Office of Emergency Management and the Police and Public Safety Department will conduct a full test of the NinerAlert system from approximately 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 27. All methods of alert notification will be used. This includes text messaging, email, Alertus technology (on-campus screen takeover), LiveSafe and social media. The test message will read: NinerAlert: This is a test of the UNC Charlotte Emergency Alert System. This is only a test.

UNC Charlotte, in partnership with the Charlotte Fire Department (CFD), will conduct a small-scale drill on Friday, Nov. 15, at North Deck. The drill will begin around 1 p.m. and will continue for approximately four hours.The drill will be an initial testing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) developed between the University and CFD on how to respond to on-campus fire emergencies. The drill will allow CFD to test important fire-suppression equipment and capabilities on campus to ensure they are in good working order.

The Office of Emergency Management, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Dean of Students Office are sponsoring new trainings to help faculty and staff learn how to proactively survive an intruder situation and to ease the transition for students on campus following the April 30 incident. 

Dedication, service and courage—these were the three words stressed by Ebony Rao of the Mecklenburg County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) regarding the UNC Charlotte’s Police and Public Safety Department, which received an award for its actions taken on April 30.

October is fire prevention month, and as it draws to a close, UNC Charlotte’s Environmental Health and Safety Department and the National Fire Protection Association offer a reminder that a fire emergency can happen anywhere, anytime.

Follow these three basic steps to reduce the risk of a fire emergency and learn to escape safely in the event of one:

UNC Charlotte will conduct a full-scale exercise of its family assistance center plan on Thursday, Oct. 25, and Friday, Oct. 26, at the Harris Alumni Center.

A family assistance center is a location where families can receive information and support services in the event of a severe emergency affecting members of the campus community.

During the exercise, emergency service vehicles from community agencies may be seen in the area.

For the fifth year, the University’s Environmental Health and Safety Office (EHS) is sponsoring a mass training of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Three training sessions will be held in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center on Thursday, Oct. 4.