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Emergency Preparedness:

Leveraging IT for Safety and Security

Major Jay Gruber

Assistant Chief of Police/Assistant Director of Public Safety

University of Maryland, College Park

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National Emergency Preparedness Month

• September is National Emergency Preparedness Month

• All college and university campuses should emphasize the importance of Emergency Preparedness• www.ready.gov

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College and University Related Emergency Management Groups

• Disaster Resistant Universities (DRU)• International Association of

Emergency Managers (IAEM) – University and Colleges Committee (UCC)

• ACC Emergency Managers (ACC-EM)• IACLEA

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University and College Emergency Management Forums

• George Washington University Emergency Management in Higher Education Conference

• University of Louisville College and University Emergency Management Roundtable

• ACC Emergency Managers Meetings

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No-Cost Emergency Management Training

• FEMA Emergency Management Institute Independent Study Courses

• Emergency Management Institute (EMI)• Center for Domestic Preparedness –

Anniston, AL• EMRTC, New Mexico Tech – Socorro,

NM• IACLEA Incident Command Training

Course

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Emergency Management Phases on College Campuses

• Preparedness• Testing Notification and Information Systems• Reviewing Plans on a regular basis• Reviewing back-up systems

• Cell Phones• Contingency Phones• Blackberries• Satellite Phones

• Refreshing Emergency Contact Information• Web Based and Password Protected

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Emergency Management Phases on College Campuses

• Prevention and Mitigation• Hazard Mitigation Plan• Back-up sites for information and services• Utilize targeted weather forecasting

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Emergency Management Phases on College Campuses

• Response • Develop mutual aid agreements• Develop and practice the use of an EOC

and ICP• Utilize good communications protocols• Utilize NIMS and ICS protocols

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Emergency Management Phases on College Campuses

• Recovery• Have a COOP Plan• Document loss, damage and costs• Develop and utilize an Executive Team

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Emergency Awareness Activities

University of Maryland Emergency Awareness Week

• UMD Alert Text Messaging Sign-up Stations around campus

• Electronic Letter from the Provost• Electronic Letter from the Vice-

President for Administrative Affairs• Shuttle Bus Electronic Sign Boards

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Emergency Awareness ActivitiesUniversity of Maryland Emergency

Awareness Week• UMD Alerts Video played prior to movies

at the Hoff Movie Theater on campus• PSA’s played during Home Football

Game• UMD Alerts Video played on the Campus

Cable Channel• Information posted on campus FYI daily

events posting and Commuter listserve

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Emergency Awareness ActivitiesUniversity of Maryland Emergency

Awareness Week• Pushing information out to Parent

Groups• Decals placed on delivery and

carryout packages• Blurb placed on the University

website• Flyers posted in Residence Halls

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Alert Notification Platforms• RSAN Text Messaging System• Early Warning Siren System• ALERTUS System

• All Notifications Systems are tested on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 11:55 am

• All communications staff drill quarterly on the activation of the systems and the population of the Emergency Information Dissemination Platforms

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Alertus Notification System 19 Alertus Boxes placed

at the UMD Campus Boxes receive signals

over the FM band Activation done through

web portal Templates and dynamic

messages can be placed. Audible and visual

signals are given along with text.

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Early Warning Siren System A cost effective, efficient

method for outdoor warning.

An Electromechanical Siren System was selected.

The site selection took into consideration research on how campus topography would effect the warning signal.

Three 128 db sirens were deemed adequate to warn the campus population.

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Roam Secure Text Messaging System• Emergency Text

Messages can be sent to cell phones, PDA’s and pagers

• E-mail messages are rapidly generated and disseminated via the text messaging

• Remote Hosted Service

• Rapid Enrollment Feature

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Severe Weather Warnings• Activating the Early

Warning Siren System requires timely, accurate, pro-active information.

• WeatherData has a pro-active approach with faxes, text messages and a phone call to the Communications Center.

• A SmartRad Computer is located in the Communications Center.

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Information Dissemination Platforms

• www.umd.edu - University Homepage• 88.1 FM WMUC – Campus FM Radio

Station• 301-405-SNOW – Severe Weather Line• TERP TV – Campus Cable Channel 76• 800 MHz Radio System • Deans, Directors, Department Head e-mail• Facebook – Social Networking Website

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Redundant Communications Platforms

• Utilize various communications mediums in the event of an emergency. These methods include:

• Primary Campus Phone System• Back-up (contingency) Phone System• Cellular Phones (with text messaging)• 800 MHz Radio System• Satellite Phones• Blackberry Devices (text, e-mail, PIN)

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Social Networking• Facebook• My Space• Blogs

• Enables posting of emergency information

• Allows two way communication between community members and emergency mangers

Emergency Awareness at University of Maryland

Organizations - General

Size: 231 members

Profile updated last Thursday

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Leveraging Other Technologies for Emergency Management

• CCTV Systems• Access Control

Systems• License Plate

Recognition System• E-911 Communications• Redundant Power

Supply to Communications and IT Units

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IT Emergency Management

Campus IT systems provide the backbone for many emergency management functions.• Be certain that IT has good security• Help IT develop an emergency

management and COOP plan• Assure back-up and redundant systems• Assure extra capacity and website

versatility

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Collaboration• State and Local Emergency Management

Agencies should be communicated with on a regular basis

• Work with your local Red Cross Chapter• Establish MOUs and Mutual Aid

Agreements with local jurisdictions and neighboring colleges and universities

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Collaboration• Work with neighboring universities on

issues such as:• Cross staffing resources for emergencies• Remote hosting of websites and IT back-

up• Joint exercises• Grant funding • Equipment resources to avoid redundancy

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Comprehensive Planning• There is a strong need for a NIMS

compliant overarching Emergency Operation Plan

• Separate focused plans for campus first responder groups are essential:• Facilities Management, Resident Life,

Environmental Health and Safety, Public Safety, Health Center, Transportation Services, Dining Services, Telecommunications and Networking

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Exercising the Plan• Full-Scale Exercises

• Involve Local Responders

• Tabletop Exercises• Simple and Focused

• Regular Drills• Activation of

Emergency Notification and Emergency Information Platforms

• Back-up Communications Drills

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Hallmark Programs from the Recent Educause Summit in Washington, DC

• Shared Emergency Operations Centers• Event Management System• Leveraging Sharepoint for Emergency

Management• Command Information Dashboard• GIS Incident and Accident Tracking• Unified Alert Notification Console (e-mail,

text messaging, voice, sirens, etc)• UC-Berkley/Cornell Business Continuity

Tools

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Emergency Awareness MonthSeptember is National Preparedness Month

In Planning for an Emergency and in Dealing with an emergency take a moment to:

StopThinkObserve Plan

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Contact Information

Major Jay GruberUniversity of Maryland

Department of Public SafetyCollege Park, MD 20742-6011

301-405-7045jgruber@umpd.umd.edu