Dear campus colleagues,

To ensure the safety and security of the campus community, Rice Crisis Management (RCM) is preparing for a full-scale (full-scale refers to the involvement of a simulated emergency with responding field units) exercise scheduled for Friday, October 13.

Purpose of the Exercise:

This proactive event evaluates and enhances Rice's emergency response capabilities. Regular exercises like this increase the preparedness capabilities of the university to be prepared to react during an actual emergency.

What to Expect on October 13

• Restricted Access: Signage will be placed indicating restricted access to certain areas.
• Rice Alerts: Email and/or text alerts may be received with the subject header “EXERCISE*EXERCISE*EXERCISE*.” This denotes a simulated alert and is part of the exercise.
• Realistic Simulation: Community members near the incident exercise should not be alarmed to see actors involved in the exercise wearing medical makeup. This makeup is meant to enhance realism for the first responders.
• Involvement of Key Rice Departments: Rice Crisis Management (RCM) and the Crisis Management Team (CMT), the Crisis Management Advisory Committee (CMAC), Rice University Police Department (RUPD), Rice Emergency Medical Services (REMS), Office of Information Technology (OIT), the Counseling and Wellbeing offices will be deeply involved in the exercise.
• Collaboration with Houston Fire, Police and EMS vehicles: During the exercise, the city of Houston responders will join with Rice responders to manage a critical incident collaboratively. Expect to see many ambulances and fire trucks on campus that day.
• Campus Road Closures: Specific road closures will be in effect, particularly at and around campus entrance 8, which will be closed from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Traffic normally entering campus from University Blvd through entrance 8 will be diverted to entrance 9 to access the west parking lot areas.
• Parking Impact: There will be parking changes on the day of the exercise:
  • Entrance 8 will be offline, and community members are advised to use entrances 9, 17, or 18.
  • Athletics personnel should use entrance 7 to access Lot 6.
    • Baseball teams and affiliates must park in the main Lot 6 as the mini Lot 6 will be unavailable.

Role of the Campus Community:

Campus constituents are asked to mark the scheduled exercise date and make necessary parking arrangements if needed. This exercise may pose minor inconveniences for some community members, and Rice Crisis Management appreciates the understanding and cooperation of the community. The safety of the campus is a top priority, and exercises like these are essential in striving for excellence in emergency response.

A map of the areas impacted is included in this message, which illustrates the information laid out above. A downloadable version is also available online.

Specific questions or concerns about the exercise should be directed to the Rice Crisis Management Office at cmt@rice.edu.

The Rice Crisis Management Team