Throughout Winter 2021, AACUSS will host several sessions for members on a wide-range of topics. This session is presented by Bruce Belbin, Director, Student Residences, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

What is your institutional emergency plan like? Think you are ready? Happy with your arrangements? Are your assumptions and predictions…realistic? Will everything be “just fine”?

On January 17th 2020, an epic journey and experience began in St. Johns, NL, as the “Snowstorm of the Century” arrived and hammered the region for 36 hours. In the aftermath 90+ cm of snow had fallen, whipped up by 120 KM winds. The eastern part of Newfoundland ground to a halt and endured 7 days of a State of Emergency (SOE) imposed by the city.

Join Memorial University as they regale you with the true story of the MUN experience during that harrowing week, and how the best laid plans must always be adjusted. We will engage you in a conversation of what it was really like on the ground, how we responded officially, how we acted unofficially and how lessons were learned, experiences were shared, and legends were created. We will run through the best practices of emergency planning and management, share with you some alternative strategies, and let you in on a secret on how not to do certain things.