Higher Education Opportunity Act
Annual Fire Safety Report
The UTPA’s Department of Environmental Health and Safety (DEHS) is charged with oversight of the Fire Safety Program which ensures compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) mandates and Best Management Practices associated with fire and facilities safety in an institutional environment. All faculty, staff and students are required to comply with these specific mandates. In accordance with the HEOA, UTPA publishes an Annual Fire Safety Report which outlines key information relating to the fire safety related systems associated with UTPA campus housing. Included in the report isa description of the fire safety system for each on-campus student housing facility, the number of fire drills held the previous calendar year, UTPA’s policies or rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking, and open flames, procedures for student housing evacuation, policies for fire safety education and training programs, reporting mechanisms in the event of a fire, and plans for future improvements in fire safety. Also, included in this report are Fire Safety Statistics which outline the number of fires and the cause of each fire, the number of injuries or deaths, and the value of any property damage. In addition to the Annual Fire Safety Report, a Fire Log is maintained by the DEHS which lists any fires that occurred in an on campus housing facility. For each fire, information regarding the location of the fire, the nature of the fire, the date the fire occurred, and the time of day the fire occurred is included.
The following report discloses all information required by HEOA as it relates to the University of Texas - Pan American for FY 2010 (09/01/2009 - 8/31/2010).
Annual Fire Safety Report
A hard copy of the Annual Fire Safety Report and the Fire Log is available by visiting the DEHS offices, located at Lamar Bldg. 1.202, 1201 West University Dr., Edinburg, Texas, or it can be requested by contacting the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at (956) 381-3690.
Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures
The University of Texas Police Department, in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, is charged with the Emergency Response Program on the UTPA campus. The programs primary goal is to ensure that in the event of an emergency , the UTPA responds in a manner that protects the lives and health of the UTPA community and any visitors, protects university facilities , property and equipment, and provides for the restoration of university facilities , functions and services. It’s vital that all faculty, staff and students be familiar with emergency procedures associated with a manmade or natural disaster that may occur on campus. In accordance with the HEOA, the UTPA has developed a policy statement which outlines Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures utilized to immediately notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation. The procedures include a list of organizations responsible for carrying out the emergency process, a description of the process the institution will use to determine the extent of the emergency, who to notify, the content of the notification, and the mechanisms used to initiate the notification system. In addition, procedures are also included for disseminating the emergency information to the larger community.
UTPA Emergency Notification Policy
A hard copy of the Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures is available by visiting the DEHS offices, located at Lamar Bldg. 1.202, 1201 West University Dr., Edinburg, Texas, or it can be requested by contacting the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at (956) 381-3690.
UTPA Emergency Notification Policy