Prepping for a safe commencement

Yale Commencement is an exciting time for graduates and a time of partnership and extensive preparation for the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Most of the planning happens several months before the event as the OEM team coordinates with other Yale departments and the City of New Haven.

Working closely with the Office of the Secretary, who manages the event, the OEM partners with the Yale and New Haven police departments, Yale Security, and Yale Health, among many others.

Every year an emergency triage tent is set up on Old Campus near the main stage. The tent is akin to a field hospital with medical and fire personnel on-site. Event attendees may come in for treatment of minor scrapes, heat-related issues, or need to be triaged for other medical issues. Most of the time, it is minor, and they can rejoin the celebration, but if not, an American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance nearby can whisk them to a local hospital.

A primary focus of OEM’s planning is safety for all, including having a plan in the case of a major disaster. “Our ultimate goal is to keep everyone safe in an emergency like a thunderstorm, gas leak, or other. We want to make sure we have a plan in place, including the resources to respond to a larger scale emergency or disaster effectively,” said George Hines, Director of Emergency Management, Office of Public Safety.

What does this plan look like? It is a 36-page document that outlines all the moving parts of Commencement weekend, day-by-day, including where medical and other emergency resources are located and what to do should something occur. “The plan outlines our available assets and resources and how we will communicate and respond in the case of a disaster. It takes a while to put together, and many details are not finalized until a few days before the weekend,” said Jennifer Nolan-Pinto, Associate Director of Emergency Management, Office of Public Safety.

The OEM team consists of four staff members who work with about 70 volunteers. “You don’t do something this large without the support of good people at the helm, great support from campus leaders, the local community, and of course, our volunteers. There is a lot of work behind the scenes, with many partners,” said George Hines.