Introduction
The Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) reflects the uniqueness of the campus location while conforming to the essential common elements set forth in the Guidebook Policy number 3356-4-20 Emergency response. The plan forms the collective institutional strategy to prepare the University to respond effectively and efficiently during and after a major emergency.
The CEMP provides the individual strategy, through specific information and suggestions, for students, faculty, staff and others to assist them in preparing for and surviving emergencies. Together, they provide an important means to protect the University’s single most important asset during times of serious crisis, its people.
- Purpose of the Plan
The Purpose of the CEMP is to maximize human safety and survival, minimize danger, preserve and protect property and critical infrastructure, provide for responsible communications with the University Community and the public during and after an emergency, and restore normal activities.
The CEMP provides a template for the University, on the department level, to adapt quickly and redirect its immediate efforts under emergency conditions.
- “Emergency” Defined
An Emergency is any event or condition that presents an imminent risk of death, serious injury or illness to the University Community, suspension or significant disruption of university operations, significant physical or environmental damage, or significant threat to the University’s financial wellbeing.
Rather than establishing rigid parameters for qualifying an event as an emergency, this definition is intended to emphasize the actual and potential catastrophic effect, the imminent threat, and seriousness inherent to emergencies. Other events may produce crises or harmful effects but an emergency is distinguished by the severity of the threat and its effects as well as the ongoing threat posed to the University Community.
- Administrative Policy on Campus Emergencies
It is the policy of the University to prepare for and effectively respond to emergencies and other conditions that present a serious threat to the university community. This is accomplished by the following elements included in each Emergency Management Plan:
- The emergency management authority of the University President as defined in guidebook policy 3356-4-2.
- A common Goal and Purpose
- The Department Emergency Operations Plan
- The Emergency Resource Team
- The coordinating role of the YSU Police Department
- Use of available university-wide processes to mitigate potential threats posed by individuals
- Collaboration with local, state and federal emergency partners
- Adoption of the National Incident Management System
- Effective emergency communications and notification
- National Incident Management System
The CEMP adopts the National Incident Based Management System (NIMS) for emergency management in the event of a campus wide emergency which would require the coordination of both University resources as well as outside resources. NIMS is a comprehensive, nationwide approach to incident management that is applicable to all major emergencies. It provides a consistent nationwide template to enable all government, private-sector, and nongovernmental organizations to work together during an emergency as well as other large incidents and events. Because of the necessity to operate seamlessly with external emergency response and management partners, the Youngstown State Plan adopts the NIMS system for emergency management.
The National Incident Management System in its entirety is rather complicated and provides considerable detail, necessarily so, in prescribing the structures, processes, and responsibilities necessary for effective emergency management.
- Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Overview
The primary focus of the CEMP is on the responsibilities, processes, and activities necessary for the University, as an institution, to manage an emergency and its effects.
The Four Phases of Emergency Management illustrate that the functions and responsibilities associated with emergency management are ongoing and extend beyond the actual response to an emergency. Successful and effective emergency management begins before an emergency occurs, prevents it if possible, and continues after an emergency. The Four Phases are:
- Preparation
- Mitigation
- Response
- Recovery
The Preparedness Phase involves the activities undertaken to provide the University with the operational capability to effectively respond to an emergency before it occurs.
The Mitigation Phase involves activities that may either prevent an emergency from occurring or reduce the campus’ vulnerability in ways that minimize the adverse effects of an emergency.
The Response Phase involves recognition that an emergency is either imminent or occurring and the immediate action taken to save lives and protect property.
The Recovery Phase involves activities taken to restore the campus to normalcy after actual emergency conditions have ended. This Phase may be short‐term with the prompt restoration of critical services, support systems, research, and classroom activity. Other conditions may require long‐term activities designed to recover costs and fully restore infrastructure systems to pre‐emergency conditions.
- Department Emergency Operations Plans
The Department Emergency Operations Plan is the internal, department-level plan that prescribes the changes in the functional responsibilities and operations of a department during an emergency. Each nonacademic department is expected to develop, maintain, and periodically update a Department Emergency Operations Plan. Each academic dean shall determine those academic departments which must have such a plan. The purpose of this plan is to give clarification and guidance, with some degree of predictability, to department employees and to coordinate activities in times of crisis. This plan should minimally include:
- The succession of authority which identifies positions in charge in absence of the chair or director
- The transition from normal to emergency operation for those departments reasonably expected to remain operational during an emergency
- An emergency contact list of essential employees
- The process for protecting informational, educational or physical assets
- The protection and continuity of critical research
- The identification of individual roles and responsibilities relating to an emergency
While some academic and support departments may curtail, or suspend operations during an emergency, others may be required to continue their operations and adapt accordingly. Therefore, some Department Plans may be quite abbreviated while others are extensive and quite detailed.
- Essential Nonacademic Department
Certain Youngstown State University departments have been specifically identified as having direct roles and responsibilities that are essential during an emergency. At an operational level, they provide for safety, health, and housing needs, protect the critical infrastructure of the campus, facilitate communication, and deliver other essential services. These departments are:
- YSU Police
- Facilities Maintenance
- Student Health Services
- Housing and Residence Life
- University Dining Services
- Environmental Health and Safety
- Information Technology Services
Appendix A: Crisis Communication Plan
APPENDIX B: Comprehensive Emergency Management Base Plan