If you're ever on fire, the rule is to "stop, drop and roll." But doing so in front of an oncoming USC shuttle bus may defeat the purpose, a group of staff members from the School of Social Work demonstrated in a short video made during the school's annual staff retreat on March 18.

This year's theme was emergency preparedness.

Instead of having a day full of speakers highlighting what to do in case of an emergency, some 60 staff members participated in a scavenger-hunt type game that's a cross between Amazing Race and YouTube, which had players racing across campus completing missions, taking photos and making videos.

Many of the missions forced participants to think about what to do or not to do when emergency strikes. In one mission, groups had to make a video demonstrating how to or not to act in an emergency. Another mission had teams recreating the sinking of the Titanic or other disaster-themed films.

The game was designed by The Go Game, a company that helps organizations succeed through innovative team-building exercises. The company customizes each game to fit the needs of their clients.

"In creating the game, we integrated information directly from the emergency preparedness curriculum as well as general disaster safety guidelines into our classic off-beat missions, and wound up with a thoroughly engaging experience that energized the participants without trivializing the safety lessons," said Greg Snyder, game master.

Steve Goldfarb, the USC fire safety and emergency planning specialist, was not surprised by the School of Social Work's creativity in their event. He said of all the schools and departments, the School of Social Work is leading the way in terms of making sure its faculty and staff are ready in case of an emergency.

Goldfarb and David Carlisle of the USC Department of Public Safety were a part of the retreat's morning agenda, which included a viewing of a training video about workplace violence and a panel discussion featuring the two safety officials; John Gaspari, executive director of USC's Center for Work and Family Life; and Carmen Frierson, associate dean of administration for the School of Social Work and a member of the retreat's planning committee.

Following the Shots Fired video, Carlisle stressed the importance of being prepared. Whether it is a fire, earthquake or a shooter in the building, people need to have a plan of action. Although fairly uncommon, workplace violence and school shootings can happen, Carlisle said, mentioning the April 16, 2007, shooting at Virginia Tech. Workers and students need to be aware of their surroundings and watch for signs. There are usually clues that a co-worker or peer may be a possible threat, Carlisle added.

"We all have a responsibility," he said.
Weeks prior to the retreat, School of Social Work staff received tips via email about where to find emergency supplies, what to do, how to act and who to call if a situation occurs. Throughout the day of the retreat, staff members participated in raffle drawings and were given rewards if they could answer questions developed from the tips.

In addition to praising the administration and staff for their commitment to emergency preparedness, Goldfarb thanked the School of Social Work and its Center for Work and Family Life for its help with the Great Southern California ShakeOut drill.

On Nov. 13, police, fire departments and schools throughout Southern California responded to a fake 7.8-magnitude quake. USC was one of the primary sites for the drill, which included scheduled mass casualty and building inspection exercises, and disaster response teams who treated the wounded. The injuries and building damage were simulated with makeup and special effects. Social workers from the School of Social Work provided mental health counseling to those in need.