Ballantine safety members ready at a moment’s notice

It’s not exactly Clark Kent becoming Superman in a phone booth, but donning the green vest in a time of emergency is not a responsibility Lisa McCune takes lightly.

On the surface, McCune is the coordinator for the Center for Language Technology and Instructional Enrichment at IU, but she is also a member of the Ballantine Hall Safety Committee.

Beneath her desk lies not only paperwork, folders and pens but also a radio, bull horn an impromptu uniform to be used at a moment’s notice.

“There’s such a volume of people going through the building,” McCune said. “Things happen all the time.”

The safety committee is a 30-member, all-volunteer team that responds to emergencies such as fire alarms, tornado watches and medical crises.

It was started in 2003 as a reaction to 9/11 and what followed.

“There was a lot of interest in organizing safety groups to respond to emergencies during that time,” said Kathryn Propst, vice president of information technology and member of the safety committee.

During and alert last month, the team was called into action when smoke and an odor were discovered on the ninth floor of Ballantine, McCune said.

“It was a real threat,” she said. “It was not a drill.”

McCune said the building was evacuated, and the threat was taken care of relatively quickly.

“They are basically our first line of defense during an emergency, because they are the ones that can assist,” said Ken Long from the Office of Risk Management. “They know the intricacies of the building, and they know the response plan.”

The Ballantine team is large enough to have members on nearly every floor of the building who are trained in medical services and who are familiar with the building’s emergency action plan.

“In a situation where there is a need for someone to take control, we are the ones who step up,” Propst said. “We are the ones whose offices are housed in Ballantine, so we are the ones who are here most often. It makes sense for us to do it.”

The safety committee is largely responsible for evacuating the building during an alarm or a drill.

“It’s always an issue because you don’t want to interrupt classes, but you need to be safe,” Propst said.

During the Oct. 28 alarm, McCune and other team members found themselves having to shout “This is not a drill!” to get peoples’ attention.

“Sometimes we get resistance from the faculty not wanting to evacuate,” Propst said. “It’s really hard for us because we’re all volunteers. They act like they have ESP and they know the alarm is not real.”

The safety committee also deals with individual injuries or medical situations, such as faintings or seizures.

“We’ve worked with them over the years so they are aware that we’re here, and they know to look for the green vests,” Propst said.

Other buildings on campus have emergency action plans and teams similar to the one in Ballantine, though Ballantine’s is the largest and most recognized, Propst said.

Though all of the safety committee members have other University positions, many are passionate about the team and the service it fills.

“I do it because I saw a real need when people do get sick, hurt or are in danger,” McCune said. “I’m a mom. I have three kids. It just seems like you should know what to do.”