Illinois law now requires colleges to have emergency-response plans

A new law in Illinois requires colleges and universities to develop and practice emergency-response plans. Under legislation signed into law by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, schools will work with state and local emergency management officials beginning Jan. 1 to conduct training and emergency response drills at least once a year. Most schools already have some sort of response plan, but the new law is an effort to improve and standardize those measures, says Patti Thompson, spokeswoman for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.