CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
A. Overview 1. The overall approach to emergency operations at CWU is designed to promote and apply best practices and national standards of emergency management. 2. The following guidelines and strategies form the overall framework of incident response and emergency operations at CWU: a. Implementing the federal government’s NIMS Incident Command protocol. b. Require all personnel that would be activated to the EOC or EPG be trained on NIMS requirements. c. Develop and implement departmental action plans incorporating response and recovery strategies to emergency incidents that hinder routine business. d. Develop and implement effective emergency warning systems for internal and external stakeholders. e. Educate the campus community on warning systems and overall emergency plan. f. Develop and maintain succinct and useful Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and checklists to respond to emergencies. g. Use on-scene command incident management for all emergencies. h. Develop and maintain strong mutual aid agreements with local agencies. i. Partner with local, state, and federal agencies and appropriate private sector as well as Non-Profit Organizations. j. Periodically exercise the plan to ensure its effectiveness and change as needed. k. Revise the plan as needed (normally an annual review) to ensure current guidelines and policies (internal/external) are incorporated. l. Collect, evaluate, and disseminate damage information as quickly as possible to restore essential services as soon as possible. B. Organization and Priorities 1. The university’s emergency management program is under the executive direction of the CWU President. The Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) is the guiding document for the program. As Chief Executive Officer, the President has the overall responsibility for the safety and welfare of the university, and to ensure all activities and responsibilities addressed in the plan are carried out effectively and in a timely manner. 2. The Executive Policy Group (EPG) maintains executive decision-making authority throughout all stages of an emergency event on behalf of the University President. The Incident Commander will report to the EPG through the EOC for policy direction when decisions extend beyond routine decision making authority and internal resource capabilities. The Incident Commander is operating under delegated authority from the University President. 3. The Executive Policy Group will be given periodic situation updates from the incident via the EOC. A description of individual responsibilities of each group’s member’s and a checklist of duties to assist them in carrying out their functions are provided in the annexes. However, nothing in the duty checklists shall be construed in a manner that limits the use of good judgment and common sense on the part of an individual member in dealing with the details of the emergency, crises or disaster at hand. 4. The CWU Chief of Police is responsible to the President for carrying out the emergency management program of the university. The Chief or his designee shall coordinate all emergency response activities of all individuals and departments within the university, of all outside resources that respond at the university’s request, and shall maintain liaison with, and cooperate with, emergency management agencies and organizations of this and other states, and of the federal government. 5. To ensure that responses to emergencies are both effective and efficient, CWU will use the Incident Command System (ICS) for all responses, regardless of size. ICS will be activated by the Chief of Police or his designee. 6. Operational Priorities a. When conducting emergency operations at CWU, the following areas are prioritized in this order: (1) Protecting life (highest priority), property, and environment. (2) Meeting the immediate needs of students, staff, faculty, visitors, and those with special needs during an emergency at CWU to include rescue, evacuation, medical care, food, and shelter.
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