College life moves fast, but when the unexpected happens, seconds matter. USC’s Safety and Preparedness Fair showed students how to slow down and stay safe.
Students, staff and faculty gathered for the event on Monday at Hahn Plaza, where they could purchase emergency kits and supplies from SOS Survival Products, pick up information on disaster readiness and participate in hands-on fire extinguisher use training.
The event was a collaboration across several safety partners, including USC Environmental Health & Safety, the Department of Public Safety, and Fire Safety and Emergency Planning.
Freshman Remy Javidzad said the event made a difference in how he feels on campus.
“It was a great event and it made everyone feel…more secure in knowing what is going on and how we are being protected as students,” Javidzad said. “It makes my parents feel more comfortable with the school as well, and it helps to know that I can go to class and be safe.”
Adrian Peña, a USC Public Safety official, said that simple habits add up. He pointed to basics that are easy to forget during a busy day, such as stopping at stop signs when using scooters or bikes, avoiding distractions and reviewing classroom emergency procedures.
“Student life is very fast-paced, and it’s easy to forget those things,” Peña said.
At the USC Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) booth, staff members Andrea Sanchez and Lily Gomez-Fuentes focused on injury prevention in labs and classrooms. The office supports the campus through research lab compliance with state, federal and USC policies, they said.
Sanchez said students and lab staff all share responsibility, and most of the incidents EH&S follows are preventable with basic personal protective equipment and appropriate attire.
“A lot of students forget to wear their safety glasses and lab coats,” Sanchez said. “It’s one of the incidents that we have to follow up, and it’s very preventable.”
For some students, the fair opened doors for involvement. Max Davis, a freshman studying biological sciences, said he came across the event while walking by.
“I thought it was good. Very informative. I found [the information] I was looking for on the fire squad,” he said, adding that he learned more about environmental safety and prevention and found a way to connect with a campus group he was interested in.
Gomez-Fuentes said the campus community should report hazards immediately, whether it’s a dark walkway, a broken surface that could cause a fall or any unsafe-looking lab equipment. She encouraged students and employees to use EH&S reporting forms so concerns can be addressed quickly.
“Everyone plays an important role in safety,” Gomez-Fuentes said.
The Health Sciences Campus event is scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pappas Quad.