Madison Shumway
Staff Writer
Whether it’s an earthquake, train derailment or simply a power outage, the Department of Public Safety has a plan for just about every possible campus emergency.
Students got a glimpse of university emergency preparedness this month, when a recent tornado warning for nearby counties prompted a wave of emails to students living on campus.
Though the threat was distant, Public Safety wanted students to be informed, director Lewis Eakins said.
“The worst thing about not planning is having to explain why you didn’t,” he said. “I think Dr. Vailas and the leadership here really see the importance of the safety of our students, not just from criminal incidents, but from a disaster as well.”
After the tornado warning, Public Safety set up an information booth in the Student Union Building. The display showcased information about emergency supplies and fire and earthquake safety.
A flyer that read “When the zombies invade… we’ll send you a text to give you a head start,” encouraged students to sign up for ISU Alerts, the university’s emergency notification system.
Anyone on campus can log into BengalWeb and verify their phone numbers and email addresses. The system will then send out notifications in the event of a building or school closure, weather emergency or zombie attack.
While the university has plans for ensuring the safety of students and faculty, individuals can be proactive before emergencies happen, said Public Safety emergency manager Carol Prescott.
“They should find ways to just be prepared, know what they want to do, have a plan of action,” she said. “Have a communication plan and, even if it’s small, an emergency supply kit. Sometimes it just takes knowing when to evacuate, seek protective cover or shelter-in-place.”
Eakins emphasized the breadth of the university’s Emergency Operations Plan, or Emergency Response Plan, which contains chain-of-command, resource allocation, communication and other instructions. The plan outlines immediate steps to respond to emergencies and protect life and property.
A Continuity of Government Plan, which addresses the maintenance of university operations, is also in place.
“It is cutting edge. It uses the latest, best practices put out by FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency],” Eakins said of the plan. “It’s top-notch, and it’s constantly being reviewed and tested.”
The university is accredited by the Emergency Management Accreditation program, which establishes standards for plans like the university’s EOP.
Each year, Public Safety conducts emergency response training, from tabletop exercises to mock emergencies that involve cooperation with real first responders. The department has a mobile command center located on a bus, as well as an emergency operations center under construction. The center, slated for completion within weeks, will contain operations, grounds, finance, public relations and incident commander stations, as well as a permanent dispatch center.
According to the EOP, a 2013 Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment survey determined the top six hazards as earthquakes, structural fires, bombs/IEDs/terrorism, active shooters, pandemic/epidemic and cyber/IT disruption.
Though the university hasn’t dealt with many of the hazards in the past, officials are prepared to deal with them, Eakins said.
“We really just don’t have a history of critical incidents happening here. We really are in a good area, but we have one of the best emergency operations programs in the nation for higher ed,” he said. “It is unprecedented for us to have this type of program, but we just want to be ready.”
