When it was created, the Office of Risk Management was initially concerned with general safety. By necessity, it has since expanded its scope to include more highly specialized attention, said Blow, who has been with Old Dominion for 15 years. We have many more labs and programs that have safety and environmental regulations. We just had to grow to keep pace with where the university was going and keep up with federal and state regulations. Charles R. Core, fire protection inspector, and administrative aides Patty Poore and Nancy Wright.
Fire safety is probably the office's best-known responsibility.
Core provides fire safety training twice a year to the directors and advisers in all residence halls, during which he creates a simulated fire and evacuates the buildings. He recently had the Norfolk Fire Department talk with children in the Lions Child Study Center and the Child Development Center as part of Fire Prevention Week. Core conducts semiannual fire drills in each university building, ensuring that everyone gets out quickly and safely. Fire safety concerns also play a crucial role in special events, including the President's Lecture Series. Blow and his staff work with the Office of University Events on site selection for such activities to determine the best location based on maximum seating capacity and configuration.