Event Safety

The Cornell University Fire Marshals Office (UFMO) works with Cornell faculty, staff and students to help ensure that special events on campus are organized and run safely. All registered events require University Events Team (UET) approval using the 25Live Scheduling System. EHS personnel will work with you to review and approve events for items such as:

Locations and occupancy limitations
Event layout, setup and egress
Activities and decorations
EHS staffing requirements
Emergency medical staffing requirements
Applicable municipal permits

The UFMO will determine if EHS professional staffing is required at campus events and will assign personnel as needed.

EHS staff are on duty 24 hours a day and regularly check on-campus events. On duty EHS staff may stop by your event to check on setup, occupancy and other safety issues. They may ask for your assistance in resolving any problems they identify. Please work with them to ensure that your event happens safely. If you have a safety-related question or concern during your event you can contact the on duty EHS staff member by calling Cornell Police at (607) 255-1111. The police dispatcher will contact the on duty staff member to assist you.

Emergencies

Immediately prior to the start of any event in a venue holding more than 49 people, an announcement must be made to notify occupants of the location of exits to be used in the case of a fire or other emergency and advising occupants that if the fire alarm sounds they must evacuate from the building. Suggested announcements wording is:

May I have your attention please? Please note that emergency exits are located (...announce / point out specific location for this venue...). In the event of an emergency or fire alarm, please proceed quickly and calmly out the nearest emergency exit.

In the event of a fire alarm or emergency that requires evacuation, the event must stop and the ushers and event staff should assist people in exiting from the building. Evacuation is always the priority in a fire situation.

In any emergency, call 911 for assistance. Be sure to provide information about the location, type and severity of the problem. Event staff should be sent to meet emergency responders and to take them to the problem.

Contact Information

General event-related questions, UET approval questions and requests for EHS staffing should be sent to ehs_event_mgmt@cornell.edu or call the UFMO office (607) 255-8200.

On duty EHS staff - Call Cornell Police at (607) 255-1111.

More Information

For further information email: ehs_event_mgmt@cornell.edu or call (607) 255-8200.