Emergency Management Organization/Structure
The Skidmore Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) is an action plan intended
to provide guidelines that address and minimize the effects of emergency circumstances
affecting the College. It also provides documentation and recovery procedures that
will be necessary following emergency situations. The plan is under the executive
control of the College President and Cabinet who will consult with members of the
Emergency Management Team and Response Group as necessary.
The emergency management organization is comprised of designated groups (described in detail below) who are responsible for various aspects of emergency operations (i.e. prepare, respond, and recover from any emergency contingency).
The chart below shows the organization and reporting structural of the College’s emergency management.
| PRESIDENT'S CABINET |
|
President |
| EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM (EMT) |
|
Dean of Student Affairs (EMT co-chair) |
| RESPONSE GROUP |
|
Dean of Student Affairs (EMT co-chair) |
President’s Cabinet is primarily responsible for:
a. Approving the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan
b. Formulating policy with regard to overall operation of the CEMP, including:
-
- Defining areas of responsibility
- Determining members of the Emergency Management Team
- Defining the selection process for the Emergency Management Co-Chairpersons
- Formulating public information policy
- Creating the financial structure and institutional support for CEMP
The Emergency Management Team is primarily responsible for:
a. Reviewing the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) on an annual basis to ensure it is updated and adaptable.
b. Requesting review by legal counsel as needed for applicable laws and compliance.
c. Participating in training and preparation.
d. Representing various areas of the College.
e. Disseminating information to various areas of the College regarding general emergency planning and responsibilities.
f. Conducting ongoing threat assessments and prioritizing College resources to prepare and respond to emergency contingencies.
g. Determine the essential functions and essential employees required to cover necessary work in their areas during an emergency.
The Response Group is responsible for the CEMP’s implementation, directing the response phase, as well as initiating the recovery phase. This includes the following:
a. Coordinating the operational implementation of the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan under the direction of the Emergency Management Co-Chairpersons.
- Determine and implement appropriate steps to minimize damage and expedite return to normalcy
- Establish contingency plans for response to various emergency incidents
- Access resources, both on and off campus, to address the needs of the situation
- Work with responding agencies guided by principles of the Incident Command System (ICS)
b. Establishing an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) as needed to direct response to the situation – to be determined based on the emergency.
- An EOC and alternate sites will be identified, funded, supplied, and organized to meet team needs
c. Disseminating information internal and external to the College.
- Establish relations with media
- Establish relations with responding agencies
- A designated spokesperson will be assigned as official spokesperson for all communication
- Establish communication network to keep campus community informed (Web, voicemail, e-mail, hotlines, etc.)
d. Designating a Coordinator for the Recovery Group.
e. Identifying training needs and developing training programs for all aspects of emergency response.
- Schedule annual training sessions including orientations, tabletop, and functional exercises
- Work with local response entities including police, fire, and EMS to coordinate joint training exercises
The following two tables contain information detailing the responsibilities of:
- Emergency Management Team Members and Responsibilities (Table 1)
- Emergency Planning Responsibilities by Functional Areas, Listed Alphabetically (Table 2)
CRISIS COMMUNICATION TEAM
CRISIS COMMUNICATION TEAM
Executive Director of Communications
Director of Community Relations, Communications
Director of Media Relations, Communications
Additional Members from EMT or other members of the Skidmore community who may have information that bears directly
on the emergency at hand
The Crisis Communications Team will manage the following:
Notification of Key Constituencies
The Crisis Communications Team will determine which groups need to be informed first. Prompt, effective communication will help to quell rumors, maintain morale, and ensure public safety. In life-threatening situations, the constituencies of greatest immediate concern will be students, faculty, staff, and news media. As the situation evolves and facts become clearer, the team’s focus will expand to include interested constituencies that are not directly threatened, including parents, trustees, alumni, donors, public officials, neighbors, and the general public.
Development of a Fact Sheet
As soon as possible in wake of an incident, a fact sheet will be prepared and will be continually updated throughout the crisis. Serving as the college’s authoritative statement on the situation, this will be a primary reference for reporters and will be posted on the college’s Web site.
Interactions with News Media
The Director of Media Relations and Director of Community Relations, in consultation with the Executive Director of Communications, will be responsible for alerting news media and keeping them informed throughout the crisis. In cases where a crisis is likely to be prolonged and/or especially complex, a News Media Briefing Center may be established to help in coordinating the flow of information. Consideration will be given to appropriate media staging locations that can accommodate vehicles such as satellite trucks.
