His shaken colleague calls 822-4567 -- the UBC hazardous materials emergency response number.
"There's been an explosion involving hazardous materials in the Wesbrook building," she says, "and someone's been hurt."
That was the scenario used in recent elaborate emergency drill organized by UBC's Dept. of Health, Safety and Environment.
Code-named Operation Solstice and held on the first full day of summer, June 21, the drill co-ordinated the efforts of Health, Safety and Environment, Parking and Security Services, Public Affairs, the Vancouver Fire Dept. and its Hazardous Materials Response Team, the RCMP, B.C. Ambulance Service and Vancouver Hospital, UBC Pavilion.
"These exercises are really valuable in determining the sequence of events and what we need to work on in emergency planning," said Dorit Mason, environmental and emergency planning officer in Health, Safety and Environment.
"If everything runs perfectly, then it's not worth doing the drill in the first place. The goal is to always find ways of improving what we do."
The emergency scenario was especially useful this year because it marks the first time it has been conducted with the Vancouver Fire Dept., which now services the campus after absorbing the UEL Fire Dept.