Emergency Procedures
OVERVIEW
Emergencies may be weather related such as a severe snow or rain
storm, tornado, hurricane or flood. It may also be non-weather
related such as assaults including hostage-taking or barricade,
a violent or peaceful civil disturbance including a
demonstration against a visiting dignitary, chemical or
biological attacks, bomb threat or other homeland security
threat. These incidents may be either on or near the campus.
The president has appointed the vice president of administration
and finance as the executive staff member who is responsible for implementing
the emergency operations plan. This individual shall coordinate University and
community resources to save lives, protect property and provide for the
continuity of University operations.
The line of succession for emergency operations shall be
established by the president and may vary dependent upon the type of emergency
and the availability of executive staff members.
COMMUNICATIONS
Salisbury University’s Public Relations Office will serve as the
conduit for information on and off campus during a designated campus emergency.
In the event of an emergency situation, the campus will be notified by using the
following:
- University e-mail,
- the Gull Line (a campus telephone hotline),
- postings on the University Web site,
- campus signs in buildings,
- campus media outlets including WSCL/WSDL Public Radio Delmarva, WXSU
Student Radio, five campus television cable stations (located in the
residence halls, the University Center, Caruthers Hall and selected
offices),
- Public Access Television (PAC 14),
- and all local, commercial media.
LEVEL OF EMERGENCY
The president, vice president of administration and finance or other designee
shall determine the level of emergency. The following guidelines shall be used
to make decisions about the University’s response to the emergency:
Level 1 - Critical Incident (Minor Emergency)
A critical incident or minor emergency is any event whose initial impact is
limited to a specific segment or subgroup of the University. These incidents
cause significant disruption to the subgroups which they affect, but do not
disrupt overall institutional operations. During a critical incident an Incident
Command Post (ICP) may be established as deemed necessary by the vice president
of administration and finance or other designee.
Level 2 - Crisis (Major Emergency)
A crisis or major emergency is any event that disrupts the orderly operations of
the University or its institutional missions. Such an event affects all facets
of the institution and often raises a question or concern of closing or shutting
down the institution for a period of time. Outside emergency resources will
probably be required, as well as a major effort from all available campus
resources. A crisis on campus will require the establishment of an ICP and may
require an Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Major policy considerations and
decisions will usually be considered by the administration during this type of
event.
Level 2 emergencies, if warranted, may be reclassified to the
most serious category which is Level 3. For example, the threat of a hurricane
may require at minimum
a Level 2 response. However, should the storm actually
arrive, circumstances will dictate a higher level response.
Level 3 - Disaster (Severe Emergency)
A disaster or severe emergency is an event whose nature and impact extends
beyond the University and disrupts not only operations and functions of the
institution, but also those of the surrounding community. During such events,
resources that the University might typically rely on may be delayed or
unavailable because they are being employed within the broader community.
In some instances, mass casualties or severe property damage may have been
sustained. A coordinated effort of all campus-wide resources is required to
effectively control the situation and outside emergency services and resources
will be essential. In all cases of a disaster, an ICP and an EOC will be
activated, and appropriate support and operational plans will be executed.
These emergency levels are guidelines only and are intended to
assist in classifying the situation and providing for an appropriate
administrative response. The designated level may change as emergency conditions
intensify or ease.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES:
As a member of the University community, you should be familiar with the
procedures to follow in a variety of emergencies
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