WesLive: Wesleyan's Community Blog

Wesleyan’s Campus Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT), made up of trained Wesleyan staff and faculty members, activated three times after Winter Storm Nemo. While Wesleyan’s grounds crew and grounds contractor Stonehedge worked to clear snow from the main campus pathways, sidewalks and parking areas, the C-CERT team worked to inspect and clear all emergency exits near academic and administrative buildings.

Roseann Sillasen, associate director/project manager in Physical Plant-Facilities, examined an entry/exit door at the Center for the Arts on Feb. 11. The team met at 6 a.m. to help prepare the campus for opening.

C-CERT member Jennifer Curran, associate director of student services and outreach for Graduate Liberal Studies, shoveled a path to the Center for Film Studies’ side doors and cleared the area around the doors so they could open. In the event of an emergency, building occupants may need to exit the building through the doors.

C-CERT members cleared two doorways at Malcolm X House. Pictured in the foreground are Krishna Winston, the Marcus L. Taft Professor of German Language and Literature, director of the Service Learning Center; and Peter Staye, director of utilities management.

C-CERT member Dan LaBonte, area coordinator for Residential Life, shoveled out heating vents at Park Washington Apartments.

C-CERT members also assisted Wesleyan staff and faculty on Feb. 13 by directing them to open parking spaces. With a parking ban in effect, employees were not allowed to park on city streets. Wesleyan’s Transportation Services offered shuttle rides for those parking away from campus. Pictured is Mario Velasquez, facilities manager at Physical Plant-Facilities, who manned Parking Lot E near Beckham Hall.

C-CERT member Debra Holman, facilities manager in Physical Plant-facilities, helped campus visitors find parking near the Office of Admission on Feb. 13.

C-CERT members Stacy Baldwin, construction project coordinator, and Simon Bostick, public safety officer, helped campus employees find parking near Lawn Avenue.

Parking Lot L, located near the Butterfield Residences on Lawn Avenue, was full by 10 a.m. C-CERT members Simon Bostick; Peter Staye, director of utilities management; and Doug Allen, chemistry facilities manager assistant, directed vehicles to alternative parking areas.

C-CERT members delivered shovels to students living in wood-frame and program housing.

C-CERT member Joyce Topshe, associate vice president for facilities, loaded her vehicle full of shovels and dispersed them on campus.

C-CERT member Sherri Condon, accounting specialist for auxiliary operations and campus services, speaks to fellow C-CERT members through a two-way radio transceiver from McConaughy parking lot, located at Long Lane Farm on Long Lane. The C-CERT team used the radios to communicate to each other and Transportation Services.

The Wesleyan C-CERT snowman kept C-CERT member Olivia Drake, Wesleyan Connection editor and campus photographer, company at the Smith Field parking lot. Transportation Services helped shuttle Wesleyan employees to campus.

C-CERT members met for briefings at Wesleyan’s Physical Plant before and after their shift. All C-CERT members are volunteers. For more information on C-CERT, contact Bill Nelligan at wnelligan @ wesleyan.edu. (Contributed photos)