Crisis Management Protocols for Colleges & Universities: A Crisis Management Template on CD-ROM, by Douglas Henderson

CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS FOR COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES:
A CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEMPLATE ON CD-ROM
by Douglas Henderson, FSA, CBCP

How do we respond to an emergency?
What are the priorities?
What actions should we take first?
How do we return to normal operations?

The Crisis Management Protocols for Colleges & Universities template identifies
step-by-step solutions to these and other important questions. The Plan is designed to
provide guidance to the Emergency Response Team and the leaders of the institution to
respond to an actual crisis event. As such the Plan is written in a concise format that makes
it
highly useful during an emergency event.

Ongoing and overall emergency response operations are defined in the University's
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). The Crisis Management Protocols for Colleges &
Universities template is designed to work with, and not replace, your COOP. These plans
have important specific purpose and are intended for use in harness to greatly lessen the
extent of injuries and limit equipment, material, and property damage.

The structure of the Crisis Management Protocols Plan is designed to be compatible with
organization of a typical College or University and should require little modification. A wide
range of emergency situations are addressed so that most institutions can simply edit-out
any threats that are not relevant.

- - - - -

A COMPLETE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY PLAN

Colleges and universities need to develop a complete scope of plans to address multiple
purposes and the needs of a wide variety of users. We believe that the following specific
plans are needed:

- Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) – This is the central or overarching plan for
the College or University. In addition to defining the overall actions of the University during an
emergency, the primary objective of the COOP is to maintain or rapidly restore normal
academic and research operations.

- Crisis Management Protocols Plan – This Plan provides the University Incident
Commander and the Emergency Response Team with emergency instructions to be
executed during specific disaster events. The primary purpose of the Crisis Management
Protocols Plan is the direction of University resources and life safety.

- Emergency Response Plan for Faculty & Staff – This Plan provides all University
employees with emergency instructions to be executed during specific disaster events.
Individuals who may have received only basic emergency response training use this plan
during emergency situations. As such this plan focuses on basic first responder steps.The
primary purpose of the Plan is life safety.

- Emergency Procedures for Students – This manual provides basic emergency
information to students – primarily Shelter-in-Place and Facility Evacuation procedures. The
primary purpose of the manual is life safety

- Organizational Unit Plans – Each Organizational Unit (the various departments,
organizational groups, divisions or other defined infrastructure entities of the College or
University) with important disaster preparation and/or response assignments needs to
develop a Plan. This Plan defines the Unit's actions before, during and after a disaster event.

- - - - - -

There are important differences between the manner in which a college, university or other
academic institution conducts its operations and the manner in which a corporation conducts
its business. The entire purpose of operations, the presence of large numbers of students,
the style of management, and other factors are all greatly different between an academic
institution and a typical business. Until now these differences have not been particularly well
addressed in literature for emergency plans. A college or university constitutes a more or less
“complete community” and, although subordinate to government entities, the institution is
often responsible for general security, full time residents, etc. – factors that go beyond the
scope of most corporate plans.

- - - - - - -

HOW TO USE THIS CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS PLANNING
TEMPLATE

The structure of the Crisis Management Protocols Planning Template is designed to be
compatible with organization of a typical College or University and should require little
modification. A wide range of emergency situations are addressed so that most institutions
can simply edit-out any threats that are not relevant.

This Crisis Management Protocols for Colleges & Universities Plan designates
Organizational Units and assigns various responsibilities. As part of the overall planning
process, individuals need to be identified to fill these positions. The following Organizational
Units are referred to in this plan:
Finance & Administration
Facilities
Security
Public Relations
Information Technology
Environmental Health & Safety
Human Resources
Business Services
Student Health Services
Student Affairs/Housing/Residential Life
Academic Affairs
Library/Museum
Athletics

- - - - - -

Completing the basic template is the initial critical step, but in order to make the plan
effective in an actual emergency situation, much more work needs to be performed. Areas
that often need special attention are as follows:

PLAN EXERCISES AND UPDATE

In order for any plan to be effective in an actual emergency situation, periodic practice and
exercises should be conducted. Crisis situations for colleges & universities involve a large
number of individuals from different areas. Many of these individuals do not work together on
a day-to-day basis. In an actual emergency situation many individuals have important areas
of responsibilities and must be able to coordinate their efforts.

The University's COOP should assign responsibilities and procedures for regular exercising
and updating of all emergency procedures and documents.

INDIVIDUALS IN CHARGE

The Crisis Management Protocols Planning Template assumes that the institution operates
under the “Incident Command System” – a system utilized by FEMA and many other
emergency response organizations. Under this system a single Incident Commander directs
all University resources.

Emergency procedures stated in this document reflect procedures that parallel the steps
typically taken by civil responders. Meet with Fire, Police and other Emergency Response
Professionals and review the proposed response steps to these crisis situations. Discuss
their standard procedures for each crisis, solicit their recommendations regarding the steps
to be taken by institution and incorporate their suggestions into the documentation.

COMMUNICATIONS – REPORTING AN EVENT

General communications under this Crisis Management Protocols for Colleges &
Universities Planning Template assumes that a Security department with a central monitoring
center (“Communication Center”) is available. In an emergency situation, Communication
Center personnel would contact other internal resources and, if necessary, Civil Authorities
as the situation merits and as directed by the University Incident Commander. This approach
greatly simplifies notification procedures and will free individuals on the scene of the event to
address the actual situation. Initial responders will know that a central source will be
contacting the proper personnel and that the appropriate resources will be assigned to
assist.

We also assume that the Communication Center operates on a 24/7 basis and is staffed by
knowledgeable Security personnel. If such a Communications Center does not exist, then
alternate reporting and plan activation procedures need to be developed.

PLANS IN PLACE

This Crisis Management Protocols for Colleges & Universities Planning Template assumes
that a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and Organizational Unit Plans have all been
developed.

- - - - - -

OUTLINE

General Procedures
Section I Pre-Disaster Action Steps
Section II Disaster Event
Section III Campus Recovery Steps

Natural Disasters
Section IV Earthquake
Section V Flood
Section VI Hurricane
Section VII Severe Winter Storm
Section VIII Thunderstorm
Section IX Tornado

Man-Made Disasters
Section X Civil Disturbance
Section XI Criminal Acts
Section XII Hazardous Release
Section XIII Hostile Intruder/Violent Student
Section XIV Sudden Emergency
Section XV Terrorist Attack - WMD

Other Disasters
Section XVI Accidents
Section XVII Medical Emergency
Section XVIII Utility Disruption
Section XIX Wildfire

Appendices
A: Organizational Unit Responsibilities
B: Incident Command System
C: Communications
D: Emergency Operations Center
E: Damage Assessment Forms
F: Resources
G: Contact Information

Attachments
A: Emergency Response Procedures for Faculty & Staff
B: Emergency Procedures for Students

- - - - - -

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DOUGLAS M. HENDERSON, FSA, CBCP, President of Disaster Management, Inc., has 30
years of experience in the management and human resources fields with national consulting
firms, including nine years as a consultant in a major accounting firm.

In August of 1992, Doug was the key associate of the Emergency Response Team for a
consulting firm located in South Miami-Dade County. Inspired by the real life business
experience with Hurricane Andrew and the lack of preparation within the business and
academic community, Doug founded Disaster Management, Inc.

Doug has a B. S. Degree from the University of Arizona and is a Fellow, Society of Actuaries
(FSA). Doug is a Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), a member of FEPA
(Florida Emergency Preparedness Association), the editor of DisasterALERT, the author of
the book Is Your Business Ready for the Next Disaster?, the author of the Emergency
Management Plan for Colleges & Universities (a COOP planning template) and the co-author
of the Business Continuation Plan for Academic Institutions. Doug has also made
presentations at the National Hurricane Conference, the Florida Governor's Conference, and
to numerous other organizations.

- - - - - -
Published by Rothstein Associates Inc.
In stock for immediate shipment.
ISBN #1-931332-23-1
2004, CD-ROM. Order #DR729.
- - - - - -