Call 112 - then 87 15 16 17

During the past year Aarhus University has had two bomb threats, a threatening letter and two small fires. AU is now reviewing the university’s contingency plans to find out how they can be optimised. The first part of this process is all about how to deal with crises effectively, including rapid communication with both students and staff.

112 still works

If you witness an accident, fire or life-threatening situation at AU, the first thing you should do is try to stop or limit the accident, if possible. Then call 112 and evacuate the building, if necessary. Then call the AU alarm number.

“As a general rule you should always call the alarm number after calling 112, and it’s better to call once too often than not often enough,” says Svend Aage Mogensen, who is a member of the working group that has prepared AU’s crisis communication plans and is responsible for the implementation of the new alarm number.

However, the alarm number is only for serious situations:

“It’s a number for use in life-threatening situations and in case of acute physical threats. So don’t use this number if you’ve simply forgotten your sweater or laptop in a reading room and want to come back and get it after opening hours.”

You can use the number no matter where you are at AU.

Local contingency plans

You can call the alarm number 24 hours a day. The AU crisis management plan will then kick into action, involving people from Staff and Strategy, AU Communication, Campus Services and the management.

There are also a number of local contingency plans all over AU, for instance in laboratories and facilities where animals are kept. The new number does not replace these contingency plans, says Svend Aage Mogensen.

The work on AU’s contingency plans continues – ways of preventing crises and accidents, for instance. There will also be a training session during the autumn.

“We’ll be testing how fast the plans take effect and whether people do the right thing,” explains Svend Aage Mogensen.

Emergencies at AU

20 June 2012: Small fire at the Department of Food Science in Aarslev. A climate chamber burned out, damaging five other climate chambers and a laboratory. Nobody was hurt.

17 October 2012: Small fire in administration buildings 1445 and 1448 in Aarhus. Nobody was hurt, but heavy smoke meant that staff were unable to return to work for the next four days.

26 October 2012: Bomb threat at Fuglesangs Allé in Aarhus. 2,000 students and staff were evacuated, and several exams were cancelled. But it turned out to be a false alarm. Nobody was arrested.

17 December 2012: Bomb threat at Fuglesangs Allé. Once again the students and staff were evacuated and exams were cancelled before the police found out that it was another false alarm. Three people were charged, including a 22-year-old student who was subsequently expelled by the university management. No date has yet been fixed for the trial.

4 March 2013: Threatening letter targeting the AU at Tåsingegade. Several roads were closed and a number of buildings were evacuated before this turned out to be a false alarm. One person was arrested and charged, but there was insufficient evidence to lead to a conviction.

Spring 2013: A history student sustained serious injury in connection with a Friday bar.

Incidentally, the only school shooting in Danish history took place at Aarhus University on 5 April 1994. A 35-year-old male student shot and killed two students and injured two more before finally shooting himself. 

What to do in case of emergency

This is what to do if there is a fire, accident or life-threatening situation at AU:

• Stop the accident, if possible. Do not expose yourself to any danger.
• Call 112
• Evacuate the building, if necessary.
• Call the Aarhus University emergency phone number: 87 15 16 17

For more information, please go to  medarbejdere.au.dk/administration/bygninger/beredskab/