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Safety on campus: Get to know the UFS Emergency Protocol guide

19 February 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo SUPPLIED

The University of the Free State (UFS) recognises the importance of equipping its students and staff with the necessary support to handle a spectrum of emergencies in today's rapidly changing world. The comprehensive UFS Emergency Protocol guide offers valuable insights, from general information to specific rules, for use during crises and when crimes occur.

The guide ensures that individuals are informed about emergency contacts, communicable diseases, and safety measures on and off campus. The protocol creates a framework for how to respond during times of crisis and includes guidelines for navigating robberies, shootouts, attacks, protests, cyber threats, evacuations, and other emergencies.

Users will find various contact numbers for divisions to contact within UFS Protection Services depending on the nature of your emergency.

Prioritising your safety

Jacobus Van Jaarsveld, Deputy Director at Protection Services, emphasised the university's commitment to the well-being of its community. "Your safety and security are important to us, and we are working hard to create a safe work and study environment with your assistance – as safety starts with you," he said. To achieve this, the UFS has compiled tips and resources within the guide to minimise risk across its three campuses.

Van Jaarsveld said fostering awareness of emergency protocols is crucial, as it helps UFS community members make informed decisions, utilise resources effectively, and it helps prevent fatalities and injuries. The guide contributes to enhancing the overall preparedness of both staff and students for potential emergencies. Equipped with the ability to make informed choices, individuals can significantly accelerate the recovery process after an emergency.

“The main reason for creating awareness of any crisis or emergency is to do as much as possible to keep staff and students safe in case of a disaster,” added Thato Block, Deputy Director at UFS Facilities Planning. “The confusion during an emergency or a crisis can make a bad situation worse and put lives at risk. If a crisis or emergency is mismanaged or neglected, it can lead to a disaster.”

Remain calm

The UFS Emergency Protocol underscores a primary guideline in the face of any crisis: remaining calm. Individuals facing an emergency are advised to keep breathing deeply, evaluate the situation, and discern potential threats. The protocol encourages prompt calls to designated emergency numbers, raising alarms if necessary, and attentive listening to instructions from crisis managers and relevant authorities. Ultimately, adhering to safety protocols by moving to secure locations ensures a comprehensive and effective response to emergencies.

Emergency contact list

Bloemfontein Campus Protection Services 24/7 Duty Room: +27 51 401 2911 or +27 51 401 2634
South Campus Protection Services 24/7 Duty Room: +27 51 505 1217
Qwaqwa Campus Protection Services 24/7 Duty Room: +27 58 718 5460 or +27 51 718 5175

Download the Emergency Protocol:

Click here to read more on the following:

Three important rules during any crisis
Four important rules during any crime
Emergency contact list
Other communicable diseases
Medical emergency
Mental health emergency
On-campus safety
Off-campus safety
Assault in areas besides your home
Gender-based violence and sexual assault
Situational awareness: personal safety
Safety when travelling
Kidnapping and human trafficking
Robbery, shootout, or attack
Protests and labour unrest
Safety in the workplace
Evacuation
Fire
Flooding
Infestation
Water cuts
Hazardous material and lab safety
Hostage situation
Bomb threat
Explosion
Road traffic accident
Earthquake or structural collapse
Cyber safety
Alternative contact numbers for Protection Services

In addition, QR codes linked to the booklet will be installed by the University Estates inside buildings and residences across all three campuses.

WATCH: Safety first: UFS Emergency Protocol

Student and staff safety are highlighted in this video related to security matters at the University of the Free State. The university is dedicated to creating a safe environment for all.

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News Archive

UFS academics present papers at major conference

2009-07-23

Pictured from the left are: Prof Neethling, Prof Edna van Harte (Dean of the Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University), Dr Thomas Mandrup (from the Royal Danish Defence College and co-organiser of the conference), and Prof Heidi Hudson.
Photo: Supplied

Prof Theo Neethling from the Department of Political Science was recently invited to address a conference on the theoretical basis for states’ use of military instruments of force and scholarly progress in the understanding of armed conflict in Africa held at Stellenbosch University (SU) on 11 and 12 June 2009. This conference, themed Strategic Theory and Contemporary Africa Conflicts, was presented by the Faculty of Military Science of SU in collaboration with the Faculty of Military and Strategic Studies of the Royal Danish Defence College in Copenhagen. The conference was premised on the point that the way in which states choose to become involved in, orchestrate or oppose armed conflicts in terms of peace intervention action, normally originates from theoretical thinking well-grounded in a national strategy. This was the first conference in South Africa that focused on the nature of such a national strategy, but also on how the incidence of recent armed conflicts in Africa could be explained in terms of this theoretical thinking. In view of this Prof Neethling’s paper was titled, “UN peacekeeping operations in Africa: Reflections on developments, trends and the way forward”. His paper focused on recent and current UN peacekeeping operations with special reference to multinational challenges in the African context.

Prof. Heidi Hudson from the Centre for African Studies also attended the conference in Stellenbosch on Strategic Theory and Contemporary Africa Conflicts. In addition she was invited to present a paper at the Peacekeeping Africa 2009 conference held on 24 and 25 June 2009 at Gallagher Estate, Midrand. The event brings together individuals who are experts in defence, peacekeeping, policing, foreign service and other government bodies to share knowledge and to discuss the latest developments. This year’s conference was attended by more than 100 experts from all over Africa, with strong representation from the UN and the International Red Cross. Prof. Hudson’s paper was entitled “Peacebuilding through a gender lens”. Her presentation examined lessons learnt with regard to implementation of a gender perspective in Côte d’Ivoire and Rwanda. These case studies point towards an empirical link between women’s inclusion in peace processes and the quality of peace finally achieved. Prof. Hudson warned that inattention to the differential needs of both women and men during conflict and in the post-conflict reconstruction phase may perpetuate the violence discourses which sustained the conflict in the first place.

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