The University of Memphis Office of Environmental Health and Safety is hosting a safety event Friday at 10:30 a.m. to inform students about campus safety in the Student Plaza.
The Safety Palooza is an outdoor event that will feature many different organizations from the University of Memphis along with other local vendors. There will be 30 different vendors on campus, including Tennessee Highway Patrol, representing a variety of safety organizations to educate people on ways to prevent certain incidents.
Safety specialist Jwyanca Chew collaborated with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety to ensure that this event would provide activities for people to enjoy while learning about being safe.
"The event is for everyone," Chew said. "The goal is to ensure that you guys know at least something about safety. Safety is really important in the workforce, and what you learn here might save your life one day."
Last year the event was held in the summer and brought in a crowd of 250 people. Chew said he is expecting a higher turnout for this year's event.
"We were on a shoestring budget last year, but now our budget is a bit more, and we're hosting this in the fall, so we expect it to be a bigger turn out than 2018," Chew said. "We made sure to include fun activities and hands outs just for showing up."
Occupational safety manager Ashley Koehler reached out to as many vendors as possible to make sure the Safety Palazzo is informative as it is fun.
"Friday is going to be a fair-like event focusing on safety aspects that pertain to the campus community including facility and staff," Koehler said. "We just want to encourage people to be as safe as possible. We're going to have a football toss, corn-hole, pizza and snow cones."
Koehler said UofM students and faculty members would engage with safety representatives on information about everyday living and will also have food and games to enjoy. Kohler said she encourages those to attend to experience a way of being safe as a student.
"Students should come because it is going to be fun," Kohler said. "It's a lot of free stuff, but first and foremost, safety affects everyone. We don't want anybody to get injured, whether it's here on campus, work or at your own house. Everybody should show up. It's going to be a fun time."
Freshman Shanteria Hampton said she would attend the event because it is important for her to understand safety.
"All students and staff should have some involvement with campus safety and just being safe in general. It's very important," Hampton said. "I mean we're in Memphis, seriously we're in Memphis. Campus safety isn't bad. I've had no problems, but there's always room for improvement. All students should come because anything can happen, but I pray to God, I mean I pray to God nothing happens. My friends will be going."
Freshman Adrienne Dyer was unaware of the event but is now planning to attend.
"I plan on going for a bit to see how it is," Dyer said. "Safety is most definitely important, especially in Memphis. I just hope the snow cones are good."
University of Memphis students and faculty listen to a lecture on CPR. This is part of a week long lecture series focused on safety.
