FOREWORD
The Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) assigns specific planning responsibilities to local jurisdictions; cities and counties. While the format is not specified most jurisdictions follow the state format which is based on guidance from the Comprehensive Preparedness Guide published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Some use the title “Emergency Operations Plan” (EOP) rather than the state title CEMP. EOP suggests a focus on specific operations when an emergency occurs. CEMP focuses on a broader range of subjects such as hazard identification, hazard mitigation, continuity of operations, facility plans such as an emergency operations center (EOC), staging areas, utilizing available resources, short term and long term recovery and other subjects. A CEMP is more comprehensive hence the name. Since a university operates much like a small city a CEMP is much more useful than a traditional EOP. This plan is designed to address most major emergencies or disasters that may occur and it provides guidelines for the response to and recovery from these events. It is both a planning and an operational document. Responsibilities are assigned to various individuals and departments. Checklists are provided for functions and for individuals to help ensure the transition from normal operations to emergency operations and back again is as smooth and seamless as possible. The emergency management organization described in the plan is the Incident Command System (ICS). ICS is the management structure used within the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS is mandated by Presidential Directive for all federal agencies and its use is tied to certain federal funding for all entities. Virtually all federal, state, and local government emergency operations use ICS. An emergency operations center (EOC) is described along with guidelines for its activation and operation. A primary and alternate EOC have been identified on the campus. The EOC provides a secure facility for the incident command staff to work and ensures that sufficient space and necessary supplies and equipment are available. In addition the EOC is the reporting point and operations center for all outside agencies that may be called upon to assist. An emergency management plan is useless unless it is distributed, read, understood, subscribed to and maintained. The middle of a crisis is not the time to decide who will be in charge and how the event will be managed. Training is vital. Periodic tabletop exercises and the occasional full scale exercise will help ensure that those with responsibilities under the plan understand their roles and know how to carry them out effectively and efficiently. The plan must be reviewed at least annually and revised as necessary. No written plan can address every conceivable situation. A plan does establish the organizations and procedures that can then be adapted to the situation, regardless of its size or complexity. The plan only works when there are trained and dedicated men and women who are willing to take on the responsibilities described herein.
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