KIT Library Conducts Another Emergency Drill

On November 5, 2026, another emergency drill was conducted in the old building of the KIT Library South. Users were also involved in the unannounced drill. The target of the exercise was to test the evacuation procedure under realistic conditions, after it had already been put to the test last year in the new building.

The alarm was triggered at 9:35 a.m. Staff members, identifiable by their orange safety vests, coordinated the evacuation and assisted visitors in leaving the building and proceeding to the assembly point between the library and the Student Services Center. The exercise was supervised by a Specialist for Occupational Safety (FAS), a member of the Fire Department at Campus North—who served as the incident commander and coordinated operations at the assembly point—and the Facility Management (FM) business unit. Since there were fewer people in the library than expected at the time of the alarm, the evacuation proceeded calmly and in an orderly manner. The time required was also favorable: According to the representative of the Fire Department, there was sufficient time to make all necessary preparations for a smooth operation before the fire department arrived.

At 9:49 a.m., Library Director Arne Upmeier reopened the building. Overall, the exercise demonstrated that the evacuation plan works and that the building could be cleared quickly. Feedback from those involved is now being evaluated and will help to further improve procedures and continuously optimize preparations for a potential emergency.