The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is having campus-wide fire drills this week. The drills are part of an effort to increase awareness of emergency exits in campus buildings.

Kim Axtman of the Department of Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management says that students and faculty both need to be prepared in the event of an emergency.

“It’s always good to be ready,” she said.

The drills will be staggered throughout the week to make things go as smoothly as possible.

Weather permitting, campus buildings will be done Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will be reserved for UWM buildings located off campus, such as the Helene Zelazo Center and the UWM Alumni House.

UWM has been making strides in the last year to make emergency and fire exits more well-known among students and faculty. Axtman specifically mentioned buildings like Lapham Hall the Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Building as being confusing for some in regards to emergency exits locations. Some stairwells on campus don’t go directly to an exit or the basement.

Axtman hopes that the campus-wide fire drills help make UWM a safer and more aware campus.

“With a campus like this, it’s important for people to know how to stay safe in case of an emergency.”

The Kunkle Children’s Center and Sandburg Residence Hall currently run regularly scheduled fire drills, but this is the first time that fire drills have been coordinated throughout the entire campus.

For more information, visit the UWM Department of University Safety & Assurances.

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