A fire truck on display for a demonstration and information offered by organizations helped students and faculty members learn how to live safely on and around campus during SGA-hosted Safety Awareness Day on Wednesday.

According to a news release, the SGA invited several groups to attend, including UAPD, Tuscaloosa Fire Department, UA’s environmental health and safety department, the Women’s Resource Center and the Residence Hall Association.

Corderrol Harris, SGA advisory board chairman, said the idea for Safety Awareness Day came from the members of the board researching safety. Harris said SGA created the event in hopes that students and faculty would have the chance to learn how to be safer.

“It always helps to promote safety, and it’s a big thing on campus,” Harris said.

Marty McElroy, lieutenant of Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Services, said the University asked the fire department to provide demonstrations of what the fire department would do if a large building, such as Rose Towers, caught on fire. The fire department brought a fire truck to UA for the demonstrations.

Karen Wyatt, environmental safety assistant, said the environmental health and safety department checks to make sure exit signs, safety lights and smoke detectors work in all buildings. Wyatt said environmental health and safety also has fire technicians who fix problems with fire control panels, as well as someone in charge of chemical safety.

“All of us are responsible for fire safety on campus,” Wyatt said.

Susan Penrod, a junior majoring in criminal justice, was among a few other students who were giving general safety information. Penrod said they were giving away information and pamphlets which included the Safer Living Guide, bike safety information and emergency phone numbers, among other forms of safety information.

“It’s about how to protect yourself, mainly on campus,” Penrod said.

Glenn Davis, director of EMS training, said the University recently received a grant of about $100,000 from Capstone Health Foundation and IMPACT to purchase 75 automated external defibrillators. Davis said the goal is to have an AED in every building on campus and to train a minimum of four people in CPR in each building. Davis said Donald Keith, director of the office of emergency preparedness, oversees the placement of the AEDs.

Davis said CPR training is in the Student Recreation Center, Ferguson Center and Rose Towers. Davis said many faculty members are becoming involved in the training.

“The training is ongoing as we speak,” Davis said.

Davis said the office of emergency preparedness plans to works with greeks to provide routine training courses for students in the future.

“It’s all about saving lives,” Davis said.

Davis said students and faculty can find more information about AEDs and the University’s emergency plans at prepare.ua.edu.

Harris said this year’s Safety Awareness Day was a pilot program, but SGA will probably host another at the beginning of the fall semester.