What:              Emergency Lockdown Drills

Where:            Fennell, Brantford (Elgin) and STARRT campuses

When:             Week of March 5 – March 9, 2012

Mohawk College is committed to making our campuses safe for students, staff and visitors. As part of this commitment, the college will be holding a series of Emergency Lockdown Drills at the Fennell, Brantford and STARRT campuses between Monday, March 5, and Friday, March 9, 2012.

The Emergency Lockdown Drills are needed to test the college’s revised emergency response plan and lockdown procedures, particularly at the Fennell Campus where recent renovations have significantly changed the interior layout of the campus buildings.  The drills will help identify areas where plan and procedures can be approved.

During the drills, please follow the actions listed on both the Quick Reference Cardhttp://www.mohawkcollege.ca/Assets/Security+and+Parking/Emergency+Evacuation+Procedures.pdf. This information is also available in the college’s Emergency Lockdown Procedure:http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/Assets/Policies/ERP809.pdf.

It is a good idea to download and carry the Quick Reference Card with you so you are prepared for the drill.  Additional copies of the card will be made available at the Library and Student Services locations at each campus.

The following is a description of how the drills will be carried out at each campus: 

• For each campus the drills will take place on a different date throughout the week.


• The exact dates will not be announced ahead of time. This is being done to make the drill as authentic as possible and improve the quality of data collected by the observers.


• There will be a 5-minute warning that is broadcast on the campus PA system prior to the start of the drill to avoid causing alarm. This message will be repeated several times.


• The warning will be followed by a recorded message indicating that an emergency lockdown is in place and that is only a drill.


• Upon hearing the announcement students and staff are asked to follow the procedures listed on the Quick Reference Card.


• Once the drill is complete, the “All Clear” will be given over the campus PA system, and you may return to your normal activities.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. The college realizes that drills of this nature can be an unwanted distraction, but they are needed to maintain the highest level of safety and security for our students, staff and visitors.

If you are a student or staff member at Mohawk’s IAHS Campus at McMaster or the Mohawk Laurier (Odeon) Campus in Brantford, please note that the emergency response procedures may be different at these locations. Please refer to the links below for more information:

McMaster University: http://security.mcmaster.ca/campus_emergencies.html

Wilfrid Laurier University: http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=1150&p=13253

The announcement was made at Sheridan’s Hazel McCallion Campus in Mississauga, which is home to Sheridan’s business programs and also the site for the first co-located program –the two-year Insurance Diploma offered by Mohawk.

“The partnership we’re developing between our two colleges is good news for students and their families,” said Mohawk President Rob MacIsaac. “Our partnership is a clear example of how differentiation can work within the Ontario college system. By concentrating in our areas of academic strength, we can offer students a wider selection of high quality, industry-connected programs closer to home.”

The agreement recognizes the complementary approaches and programming at both institutions, as well as the relative strengths of each.  Mohawk is notable for its exceptional health and technology programming, and is also Ontario’s largest trainer of skilled trades and apprentices.   It also has an outstanding Insurance program that consistently earns high marks from employers and graduates.

Sheridan is known as a world-class provider of programs for the digital and creative economies, and is rapidly increasing its high calibre degree programs to meet the need for undergraduate, career-focused degrees.

“This is truly an historic agreement in both its scope and long-term implications for the residents of Peel, Halton and Hamilton,” said Sheridan President, Jeff Zabudsky.  “It will expand the postsecondary options currently available to students in these regions, while also helping to ensure that a full suite of diploma, certificate and degree programs will continue to be accessible as Sheridan moves towards its vision of becoming an undergraduate teaching university.”

The collaboration will begin with Mohawk’s Insurance diploma program.  Starting in September 2012, Sheridan students can enroll in the Mohawk program at Sheridan’s Hazel McCallion Campus – a great benefit to Mississauga residents who wish to pursue this credential closer to home.  The program prepares students to become experts in all aspects of the insurance industry, and empowers them to complete The Chartered Insurance Professional Credits on an accelerated basis. The program will continue to be offered at Mohawk's Fennell Campus as well.

This will be the first of what is to be expected to be many co-located programs at both colleges.