EMBCP Role of Organizational Units

Requirements of All Unit Plans

Unit Plans prepared by all College Units shall be consistent with the guidelines established in this EMBCP. Each Unit shall, as appropriately directed, execute the portion of their Unit Plan that may be required to assure optimum endurance and rapid recovery from the effects of an emergency. Deans, directors, department heads, and other responsible parties shall at a minimum develop and maintain procedures to accomplish the following:

  1. Identify the individuals and alternates to whom the specific responsibilities are assigned:
    1. Unit Plan Execution / Emergency Response.
    2. Unit Plan Maintenance – all Units are required to provide the Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plan Coordinator with an updated Unit Plan every year during the annual budget process.
    3. Identify a Unit Plan Emergency Management Team.
    4. Identify a Command Post and alternate location where everyone can meet during a crisis situation. The Command Post will need to have sufficient room, chairs, workspace, telephone access and flipchart or blackboard.
  2. Develop procedures for communicating within the Unit.
    1. Current emergency call roster for the team members.
    2. Contact list for all Unit Faculty and Staff.
  3. Identify all life safety threats. Be certain that all Faculty and Staff review and understand the safety procedures defined in the Incident Response Plan (i.e., Information Technology, Advising/Counseling, Learning Center/Library, Telecommunications, and Testing Center).
  4. Identify important assets and how to protect them in an emergency situation.
    1. Assets include physical items of value and data information.
    2. Assign individuals (or other units) to secure physical assets.
    3. Assign individuals to be responsible for vital records.
    4. Assist with building content damage assessments.
  5. As appropriate identify disaster-specific Response Plans to maintain and restore services that are critical to the College.
  6. Identify and document (contact names, location, telephone numbers, email address, etc.) subcontractors, suppliers and service providers that may be needed in an emergency situation.
  7. Identify critical reliance on other Units.
  8. Provide training for new hires as necessary.
  9. Communicate assignments to all employees.

The Unit Plan Template presents a standardized template for use by each Unit.

Primary Units for Recovery

The following roles are assigned to organizational Units with critical or special functions:

President

  • Assimilate information received and make decisions on actions necessary.
  • Disseminate action plan to employees via e-mail and/or phone.
  • Disseminate information to TSUS System Office.

Public Information

  • Coordination of all information disseminated to the press and the public.
  • Provide for a consistent “one-voice” to the news media and all other interested parties.
  • Provide for rumor control and emergency communications.
  • Disseminate information, specify emergency response steps and maintain contact with the following:
    • News media (TV, Newspapers, etc.)
    • Government agencies and civil authorities
    • Disseminate information via BlackboardConnect to Faculty, Staff, and Students.

Security

  • Preserve law and order, and campus security
    • Monitor and disseminate warnings and threats
    • Provide traffic and crowd control
  • Monitor weather conditions on a continual basis.
  • Direct evacuation efforts.
  • Control access to buildings and scene of the disaster.
  • Interface and coordinate with Local, County, and State Law Enforcement entities to implement mutual assistance agreements.
  • Maintain the College Communications Center on a continuous basis.
  • Work closely with Public Information to ensure communications concerning the campus are consistent.

Physical Plant

  • Provide for the structural integrity of buildings.
  • Provide utility services and, as necessary, shut down utility services.
  • Provide for emergency water and sanitation.
  • In the event of a pending emergency, secure the campus grounds and buildings.
  • Distribute supplies to Faculty and Staff to secure building contents.
  • Clearance and removal of debris.
  • Conduct building damage assessments / determine if buildings are safe / repair buildings if applicable.
  • Maintain the Emergency Operations Center.
  • Provide for emergency transportation and/or parking for essential personnel.
  • Secure vehicles.

Finance and Operations

  • Together with Human Resources, maintain the continuity of Payroll Processing Services.
  • Ensure that emergency funds are available for expenditure as College priorities change during periods of crisis.
  • Provide access to TSUS legal advice.
  • Together with Academic Studies and Allied Health, Workforce, and Technical Studies develop plans to reschedule classes.
  • Maintain accurate financial and administrative records in periods of changing priorities and emergency decisions.
  • Together with Physical Plant facilitate emergency procurement of goods and services.
  • Provide for emergency food service operations.
  • Assess the value of College property – buildings, building contents and other College assets.
  • Contact insurance representative and insurance adjuster.
  • Contact FEMA and complete Request Application.
  • Collect and analyze damage assessment reports.
  • Evaluation of damaged assets.
  • Ensure that critical disbursements are made.
  • Document and submit claims for insurance and FEMA.

Information Services (IS)

  • Maintain the operation of voice, intranet, data, video, and wireless communications services; contingent on  available resources.
  • Assess availability and integrity of critical services; perform restoration as needed 
  • Properly document all hardware physical conditions develop a plan for hardware replacement as needed.
  • Implement adequate information security controls for personnel accessing sensitive/confidential data
  • Maintain a records management strategy that duplicates data on a regular basis and secures this information at remote locations.
  • As necessary develop and implement a method to access critical applications from a remote site, during recovery period.
  • Assess mail service operations and determine alternatives.
  • Maintain College Emergency Website content; as received from Public Information Office.

Human Resources (HR)

  • Together with Finance and Operations, maintain the continuity of Payroll Processing Services.
  • Maintain the continuity of critical Employee Benefit Services.
  • Provide for employee counseling.
  • In a post disaster community-wide disaster:
    • Assess Faculty and Staff availability.
    • Assist with the appropriation of personnel.
    • Assist employees with work recovery needs – psychological help, day care center, local transportation, time off for personal needs, etc.
  • Process work related accident claims.

Student Services

  • Develop procedures to coordinate with the President to provide communication through BlackboardConnect and to account for students in emergency situations.
  • Provide for emergency transportation of students.
  • Develop emergency plan to use the student center as a shelter during and after an emergency.

Academic Studies and Allied Health, Workforce, & Technical Studies

  • Develop procedures to communicate with and account for teaching faculty in emergency situations.
  • Develop plans to identify alternate facilities where College activities can be conducted in the event of the destruction, disablement, or denial of access to existing facilities.
  • Identify and prioritize critical support services and systems.
  • Identify and ensure recovery of critical assets.
  • Assess faculty availability.
  • Develop procedures to account for students in emergencies.

Safety

  • Develop and maintain building evacuation plans.
  • Develop and maintain shelter in place procedures.
  • Develop and maintain standard operating procedures.
  • Maintain information on safety hazards.
  • Maintain emergency procedures plans.

Secondary Units for Recovery

Laboratories

  • Assist in damage assessment and building condition reports.
  • Maintain information on the content and location of radiological, chemical, biological, and fire safety hazards.
  • Provide for emergency response to HAZMAT release.

Library

  • Identify and assist with the evaluation of library assets – books, collections, etc.
  • Develop plans and procedures to protect critical library assets.

Advising, Counseling, and Recruiting

  • Assist students with educational recovery needs.
  • Recruit students.

Registrar and Student Records

  • Admit students.
  • Student records maintenance.

The Brown Estate

  • Secure building and building contents.
  • Maintain communication with customers, vendors, and part time employees.
  • Identify alternate facilities where events can be held in case of destruction, disablement or denial of access to existing facilities.

Testing

  • Secure test inventory, records.
  • Protect computer equipment.
  • Inventory secure test materials and records following a disaster.
  • Notify testing companies of damage.
  • Order testing inventory needed.
  • Restore environment for testing.

Financial Aid

  • Back up forms.
  • Back up EdExpress database.

Next Steps