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RESOURCES FOR U-M FACULTY AND STAFF

BUILDING RESPONSE INITIATIVES

The Building Incident Response Team (BIRT) program provides coordinated emergency response within particular buildings on the University of Michigan campus. These teams typically are led by facility personnel and are made up of faculty and/or staff who work in (and are thus familiar with) each specific building. Participation in the BIRT program may be voluntary or required depending on the unit and position.

Roles within each BIRT include:

  • BIRT Members: Members of a BIRT are never expected to place themselves in any danger. They only need to be familiar with their immediate area and building-specific evacuation procedures, and to maintain a calm demeanor in an emergency. They also will support and provide information to emergency first responders.
  • BIRT Liaisons: Team leaders appointed as BIRT Liaisons are expected to interface with emergency first responders and coordinate volunteer BIRT Members. This allows each BIRT to assist in quickly evacuating buildings, providing direction for sheltering and assisting in wayfinding.

Director of Michigan LEague Xavier WilsonWithout BIRT training, things may not have gone as smoothly or effectively…when the fire happened, which reinforced the importance of continuing the training.

– Xavier Wilson, director of Michigan League after a fire occurred in his building

For more information, please read the FAQs below.

Please contact us at (734) 763-8391 or dpss-safety-security@umich.edu for more information.

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