ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY

Title: Emergency Preparedness

Subject: Office of Emergency Management

Policy No: DPS: 2015: 03

Applies: University-Wide

Issuing Authority: President

Responsible Officer: Assistant Vice President for the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management

Adopted: 

Amended: 04/23/2015

Last Revision:  12/07/2015

 

I. PURPOSE

The distinctive organizational design of Rowan's campuses is serviced through a centralized system of support from the Office of Emergency Management that allows all the campuses to maintain independent day-to-day operational control while ensuring accountability, consistency and internal jurisdictional control over operational and emergency personnel when it is most important to do so. This policy outlines the responsibilities under the Emergency Operations Plan to address this unique situation by defining what support and oversight is provided centrally while ensuring the campuses' day-to-day operations remain flexible, autonomous, and independent.

II. ACCOUNTABILITY

Under the direction of the President, the Assistant Vice President for Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management, shall implement this policy and ensure compliance.

III. APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to University faculty, staff, students, employees, and visitors to all Rowan campuses.

IV. POLICY- EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

  1. General Information
    1. The Office of Emergency Management coordinates all campus emergency planning, activities, mitigation, response, and recovery efforts. This includes the development, maintenance, and approval of an Emergency Operations Plan and all training, preparation, and development of an Executive Management Team (EMT) and the Emergency Operations Team (EOT). This department is also responsible for being the primary liaison between the University and other outside municipal, state and federal agencies related to, or directly responsible for, emergency management.
    2. The Office of Emergency Management develops and maintains the Emergency Operations Plan for the University, ensures regular tests of emergency management systems are conducted and makes sure the necessary emergency services, police and security services and other support personnel are available when requested.
    3. Department heads are responsible to prepare their department emergency plans, and will coordinate with the Office of Emergency Management who will oversee all campus-wide emergency/disaster plans, training, and exercises. The Office of Emergency Management will ensure the department emergency plans are in line with the overall University Emergency Operations Plan.
    4. The Director of Emergency Management will obtain the formal adoption of the Emergency Operations Plan by the University Board of Trustees. The Office of Emergency Management manages all of the Emergency Annexes, outlined in the Emergency Operations Plan to aid in the mitigation of a university crisis.
    5. An emergency is defined as an event, expected or unexpected, involving shortages of time and resources, that places life, property, or the environment in danger and that includes and exceeds the regular 911 Police/Fire/Medical response.
  2. Emergency Management Chain of Command
    1. The University President has the authority for the University's overall response to emergencies and incidents which may affect the University and its operations.
    2. The University President or his/her designees, in times of emergency or threat to the university community, may declare a campus emergency which may modify the University's or an individual campus' operational status as well as make available University resources and direct university operations to the incident. The size and scope of the emergency will be conveyed at the time of the declaration in accordance with the Emergency Operations Plan. Campus resources may be directed and made available to be utilized to prepare for the threat, to mitigate the incident and/or restore the University to an operational status.
    3. The Assistant Vice President of the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management serves as the University's Emergency Management Coordinator, and as such, functions as the President's direct representative during public safety emergency operations. The Assistant Vice President of the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management also has delegated authority to engage in mutual aid agreements and partnerships with responders and services to provide additional resources beyond the campus' capabilities to assist during an incident.
    4. The Office of Emergency Management Director shall maintain, review, and ensure compliance of the Emergency Operations Plan. The Emergency Operations Center Annex Manager reports to the Director of the Office of Emergency Management and provides assistance and support during any major, declared disaster or event, specifically if outside resources are required and requested.
    5. During an incident or heightened periods of increased risk, the Assistant Vice President of the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management, in consultation with the Incident Commanders, Executive Management Team members, Emergency Operations Team members, and the President, if warranted, has the authority to take the necessary steps to maintain or restore normal university operations.
    6. Normal day-to-day public safety duties provided on the Rowan campuses shall be the responsibility of the respective departments, after consultation with the University President, and the Assistant Vice President of the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management.
    7. Should a public safety emergency arise that requires a significant multi-department, or jurisdictional response, the Emergency Management Coordinator will activate the University Emergency Operations Team (EOT) to handle any operational component of a localized, or departmental emergency, and advise the Executive Management Team (EMT) if, and when key executive decisions are required. The EOT is comprised of key departmental heads and senior managers that have the authority to make decisions at the operational level to mitigate minor incidents or emergencies. The EMT is comprised of the Executive Cabinet, which makes university-wide decisions that affect the entire university. The Emergency Management Coordinator coordinates the efforts of the various team members. The Director of the Office of Emergency Management will manage resources, planning and the maintenance of the University Emergency Operations Plan and lead the support from the Emergency Operations Team.
    8. During Emergencies requiring the activation of the Emergency Operations Team, department heads shall remain in charge of their respective departments, and communicate their efforts with the EOC.
  3. Compliance Procedures
    1. Emergency Reporting and Response-Normal Operations:
      1. During normal operations, Rowan's Department of Public Safety coordinates and responds to emergencies on and around all University campuses. Rowan's Department of Public Safety also coordinates response to fire and medical emergencies. Municipal partners will assist in rendering additional support and/or resources, if deemed necessary to mitigate an emergency response outside of the scope if the capabilities of University responders. The National Incident Management System (NIMS) protocols will be used to manage the incident or event when outside resources are needed, and requested by university officials.
        For emergencies at all Rowan University campuses,:
        1. From any University phone, dial direct at 4911/4922. If calling from an outside line dial 856-256-4911/4922.
        2. Any emergency where someone at Rowan dials 9-1-1, the call will immediately be re-directed to a Rowan Communications Center.
    2. Emergency Reporting and Response-Large Scale Event/Incident
      During an emergency impacting the entire campus or region, normal reporting and response services may not be available. Rowan's Office of Emergency Management uses an Emergency Operations Center and the incident Command System to manage hour-by-hour decisions during and after a major event. Depending on the location of the emergency, the Emergency Operations Centers for Rowan are located at the following:

      Glassboro Campus
      Primary EOC:
      Bole Annex, Conference Room #26, 601 Whitney Ave., Glassboro, NJ 08028
      Seats approximately 10

      CMSRU and Camden Campus
      Primary EOC:
      CMSRU – Conference Room #522, 401 S. Broadway, Camden, NJ 08103
      Seats 50 and has video conferencing capabilities

      RowanSOM
      Primary EOC:
      Deans Large Conference Room #310 Academic Center
      Stratford, NJ 08084
      Seats approximately 30

      The EOC's are structured and equipped to provide:
      1. Direction and control.
      2. Communications with the President and Administration, and other Rowan departments, as well as with city, county, state and federal officials.
      3. Coordination with other government agencies.
      4. Information Management.
        The Emergency Operations Center is supported by all University departments, upon request. Departments must transmit emergency impact reports to the Emergency Operations Center, and in some cases, provide emergency response services and relay emergency information and instruction to their constituents. As requested by the Emergency Management Coordinator, departments may be required to provide direct representation to the Emergency Operations Center during an emergency, or disaster. The EOC may be required to be located in another location based on the nature of the emergency
    3. Recovery
      All University Departments shall have a Continuity of Operations Plan to identify core operational functions, and the facilities and personnel needed to continue the mission of the University. The Emergency Operations Center will be utilized to manage large recovery operations and support department specific emergency plans. Department heads are required to maintain accurate records to record personnel and equipment costs for any potential insurance, or FEMA recovery claims. This information must be made available upon request, and submitted in a timely manner to the Assistant Vice of the Department of Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management.
      All cost recovery efforts are coordinated through the Office of Risk Management, Facilities and Operations, the Office of Finance, and the Office of Emergency Management.
  4. Actions Implemented During Periods of Increased Risk
    During periods of heightened risk, initial emergency information, direction and control will originate from the Rowan University Department of Public Safety and Office of Emergency Management. If it becomes necessary to activate the Emergency Operations Team, an Emergency Operations Center will be established. The Emergency Operations Center will be activated at the discretion of the Emergency Management Coordinator or, in his/her absence, by his/her designee for any emergency that exceeds the capabilities and resources of the University's regular emergency services and routine mutual aid. This would include incidents that may require an extensive and coordinated response.
  5. Requests for Resources and Information
    During times of emergency all University department heads shall direct and coordinate all resource requests, and report efforts through the Emergency Operations Center. The Emergency Operations Center Annex Manager shall prioritize all University resource requests and direct them to the impacted area.
    The University will cooperate with all other local and appropriate agencies that have responsibilities relating to disaster preparedness, response, and control. The University will also take required and prudent steps to assure the continuity of operations and restoration of normal processes as quickly as possible following an emergency.
    All procedures and regulations are subject to amendment.