Know your severe weather safety, Wildcats: UKPD hosts preparedness bingo night
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 25, 2026) — As part of the Wildcat Ready campaign, the University of Kentucky Police Department is inviting students to take an active role in severe weather preparedness in a Severe Weather Preparedness Bingo Night. The event, hosted by UK Police’s Division of Crisis Management and Preparedness, is 6-9 p.m. Monday, March 2, at the Cats Den in the Gatton Student Center.
The bingo night is designed to make preparedness practical, engaging and easy to understand. Students will participate in interactive games aimed at strengthening readiness skills and reinforcing what to do before, during and after a tornado or other severe weather event.
The evening will also include a presentation and video outlining key safety measures, how to identify appropriate shelter locations, and the steps to take when a severe weather warning is issued.
Attendees can enjoy free food and drinks. Register on BBNvolved today.
“Preparedness doesn’t have to be complicated,” said UK Police Chief Joe Monroe. “It starts with awareness and a willingness to take personal responsibility. When our campus community understands the plan and practices it, we are stronger and safer together.”
Attendees will learn how to:
-
Recognize the difference between tornado watches and warnings
-
Identify the safest shelter locations in residence halls and campus buildings
-
Use tools like UK Alert and SafeZone to stay informed
-
Access the university’s Emergency Response Guide for step-by-step instructions
Severe weather can develop quickly in Kentucky. Taking time now to review safety procedures can make a critical difference when seconds count.
Wildcat Ready emphasizes that safety is a shared responsibility. By participating in preparedness events like this one, students help build a culture of readiness that protects not only themselves, but their friends, classmates and colleagues.
All students are encouraged to attend and take an active role in keeping our campus safe, informed and Wildcat Ready.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.