Emergency Organization Planning

Campus Conditions

Severe Weather Notification Plan

Emergency Procedures

Emergency Guidelines for the Campus Community

Information Resources

Emergency Procedures

Purpose
In today’s society, we must be more vigilant of surrounding influences that can affect the safety of our community. Medical emergencies, disasters, accidents, injuries, and crime can occur at any time without warning. The purpose of this plan is to provide for the carrying out of emergency functions; establish responsibilities necessary to performing these functions; prevent, minimize and repair damage; and ensure continuity of operations so that essential services may continue to be provided to the WSU community.

This plan assigns roles and responsibilities to departments and individuals that are directly responsible for emergency response and critical support services, and provides a management structure for coordinating and deploying essential resources.

WSU has many capabilities and resources that could be used in the response to any major disaster. These include the facilities, equipment, personnel and skills of both government and non-government professions and groups. The purpose of this plan is to promote the effective, coordinated use of these resources to:
• Maximize the protection of life and property;
• Ensure the continuity of the University; and,
• Provide support to all areas of the University which require assistance.

The actions outlined in this EOP constitute the existing guidelines of WSU in response to a disastrous emergency. However, the President has the authority to alter this operations plan during the course of an emergency to the extent that it is deemed necessary.

Scope
These procedures apply to all University faculty, staff, students, and visitors. It encompasses all university operations, domestic and abroad.

Strategy
WSU adheres to the “all hazards” concept for emergency planning under which all emergencies or disasters are different with unique issues, but the consequences are typically the same; this allows a set of operational fundamentals to be used to manage response activities to all emergencies. Paramount to the “all hazards” concept is that planning must address what is expected, but be flexible to adapt to what is unknown. The EOP addresses likely hazards, such as severe weather or fires, yet does not overlook the possibility of an unlikely, catastrophic hazard, such as a train derailment or a terrorist act.

This plan guides the preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation actions and may be activated during the following incidents:

Train derailments
Explosions
Gas leaks
Hazardous material spills
Fires
Severe weather/ University Closing
Floods and other natural disasters
Civil unrest (bomb threats, violent behavior, suspicious packages/mail)
Terrorism/national security emergencies
Utility failure
Extended power outages
WSU Pandemic influenza
Direction and Control
Warning and Notification
Public Relations/Communications Plan
Emergency Medical Service
Power/Utility Failure
Evacuations
Medical Emergencies
Suspicious Packages/Mail
Bomb Threats
Violent Behaviors
Managing Threats
Finance
Information Technology
Search and Rescue
Damage Assessment
Civil Unrest
WSU Chemical Hygiene Plan
WSU Health Service Plan
WSU Childcare Center Evacuation Plans
WSU Residence Halls Evaluation Plan
University Center-Rochester Crisis Response Plan
University Center-Rochester PIRP
Resources/Contact Information
Glossary

This plan may be activated in response to a regional or national crisis that impacts the WSU community. Any major emergency that affects our students, faculty, and/or staff community is considered a University emergency.

The WSU EOP is based on and complies with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Minnesota Incident Management System (MNIMS)—a proven emergency management system.

Last Modified: Friday, June 27, 2008 16:40