Simulated Campus Emergency Exercise Conducted At University Of North Florida

GlobalOptions Group Inc. a provider of domestic and international risk management services, recently announced that James Lee Witt Associates (JLWA), its Crisis Management and Preparedness Services Division joined key personnel from The Management Experts LLC, JB Coxwell Disaster Services and i.d.e.a.s.-Orlando in conducting a “Secure Scholar” functional exercise on the campus of the University of North Florida (UNF) in Jacksonville, Fla. in late March.

The “Secure Scholar” functional exercise was built on a unique scenario circumstances first presented in a preliminary workshop and tabletop exercise forum on March 13. The story designed by i.d.e.a.s.-Orlando involved a simulated response to an active shooter on the university campus.

More than 30 individuals from five Florida statewide, municipal and county agencies participated in “Secure Scholar” which was carried out as if an active shooter was evident on the campus. The exercise effort represented one of a series of recommendations for enhanced emergency preparedness activities on Florida college campus offered by the Gubernatorial Task Force on Campus Security which was convened by Florida’s Governor Charles Crist.

“The exercise platform provided us with a unique opportunity to exercise the Crisis Management Team’s response in a controlled environment,” said Jeff Durfee, director of information technology security of UNF and a member of the UNF’s Crisis Management Team. “Without the creativity of the exercise planning team, we could not have simulated the real world stress and crisis decision making adequately.”

In order to achieve realism in this simulated response, this unique scenario and multi-media presentation unfolded through the lens of a student web cam and other video media elements. This creative approach was critical to the exercise focus on the university’s Crisis Management Team’s (CMT) coordinated response. The distinctive story video approach provided stark realism to other simulated events and was instrumental to meeting the exercise objectives.

“Participants noted the value of the series of emergency planning and training sessions they conducted in advance of the exercise,” said R. Chip Patterson, director of disaster services for JB Coxwell Disaster Services and UNF-CMT exercise director. “The success of the exercise is primarily because the level of commitment and engagement of the UNF leadership and community response in exercise play.”

Lessons learned and best practices will be captured for future university planning, training and exercise efforts with the following five objectives to be ascertained: evaluate the functional exercise; Emergency Operations Center Management, On Scene Incident Management, Emergency Public Information and Warning, Citizen Evacuation and Shelter In Place and Public Safety and Security Response.

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report: 2025 Video Surveillance Market Set to Grow After Small Decline in 2024

    Novaira Insights has unveiled its latest report, “World Market for Video Surveillance Hardware and Software – 2025 Edition.” The research indicates that the global market for video surveillance hardware and software experienced a slight decline of 0.3% in 2024. This performance fell short of previous forecasts, primarily due to a significant decrease of 7.8% in the Chinese market. Conversely, the rest of the world saw a growth of 4.9%. The global market for video surveillance equipment was estimated to be worth $25.0 billion in 2024. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.