Appendix IV: Emergency Communications Plan

Policy

This policy is implemented by the University of Chicago’s Incident Commander and/or Operations Section Chief.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to describe the University of Chicago’s (University) operational plan for providing prompt and factual communication during a declared emergency, including but not limited to circumstances on campus that constitute a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees.

The University will, without delay, and taking into account the safety of the community, determine the content of the notification and initiate the notification system, unless issuing a notification will, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.

Definitions

Phase I is triggered when the University issues instruction to the campus community to take some action at the onset of the emergency.

Phase II occurs when the University provides updates to the campus community during the emergency or to issue an all clear.

Authority and Responsibility

Department of Safety and Security

Receives emergency calls, initiates contact with first response emergency resources, instructs affected University community to take action and notifies the Emergency Manager.

The Associate Vice President and Chief of Police, or his designee, will make a determination, based on information presented, the particular circumstances, and the severity of the situation, to confirm that a significant emergency or dangerous situation exists. Based on the information available, the Associate Vice President and Chief of Police, or his designee, may make a determination to alert the entire campus or any segment of campus.

  1. Emergencies will normally begin with a call to the University’s Communications Center (UC Comm).
  2. UC Comm then confirms the emergency call.
  3. UC Comm then calls the first response emergency resources (e.g., Chicago Fire Department [CFD], Chicago Police Department [CPD], the Safety Office, Facilities Services).
  4. UC Comm using appropriate public address system and pre-recorded message instructs affected campus community to take action.
  5. The Associate Vice President and Chief of Police can also issue messages via cAlert for safety and security incidents.
  6. UC Comm notifies the Emergency Manager (EM).

Operations Section Chief

Serves as Safety and Environmental Affairs On-Site Incident Commander.

  1. Notifies Operations Section Chief that an emergency has occurred.
  2. Provides Operations Section Chief with details pertaining to emergency and updates.

Operations Section Chief

Organizes and directs all aspects of the emergency operations section.

  1. Ensures the distribution of critical information/data.
  2. Notifies the Incident Commander that emergency has occurred and provides details of emergency.
  3. Maintains list of emergency management contacts.
  4. Notifies Watch Area Managers when instructed by Incident Commander.

Incident Commander

Organizes and directs Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Gives overall direction for University operations and, if needed, authorizes communication and evacuation.

  1. Reviews and approves all communiqués to campus community.
  2. Authorizes distribution of communiqué.
  3. Reviews and approves information provided to the media.

Public Information Officer

The Associate Vice President for University Communications serves as the primary coordinator of public information in a major emergency situation, assisting the University administration in gathering key information and disseminating it.

  1. The Associate Vice President for University Communications or alternate serves as primary coordinator of public information in an emergency situation.
  2. Ensures that all news releases have the approval of the Emergency Incident Commander.
  3. Assists the Policy Group in gathering key information and disseminating it.
  4. Communicates accurate information to the public.
  5. Provides timely status reports and announcements to the University community.
  6. Identifies restrictions in contents of news release information from Emergency Incident Commander.

Communication Modalities

The University has several different communications modalities; any one or all of them can be used to communicate with the University’s community.

The primary means of notifying the campus community in the event of an emergency is the cAlert System. This system will enable authorized University officials (i.e., Associate Vice President and Chief of Police, Safety and Security, Office of Civic Engagement, and Associate Vice President News and Public Affairs and University Communications) to reach members of the University community through mechanisms other than regular University email and telephones.

Other communications modalities that may be used are:

  1. Widely available
    1. Telephone
    2. Email
    3. Website
  2. Limited Availability
    1. Pager
    2. Cell Phone
    3. Two-way radios
  3. Specialized
    1. Public address systems on police vehicles
    2. E-Phones equipped with public address system
    3. Watch Areas (as described under the University’s Emergency Management Plan)

Notification of the Emergency Management Team

To ensure prompt notification of the Emergency Management Team in the event of an emergency, the University maintains a listing of emergency contacts and backups.

The Operations Section Chief is responsible for maintaining the list of emergency management contacts. The specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Updating the contact information for members of the emergency management team semi-annually.
  • Distributing updated listing of emergency contacts to the Emergency Management Team by posting to Webshare and sending an email instructing members to download the list to their PDAs.
  • Ensuring that the emergency contact list contains the following information:
    1. Title, division, and/or department name
    2. Name of primary emergency contact
    3. Name of backup to primary emergency contact
    4. Group designation, e.g., Operations Section Chief, Policy Group, Emergency Management Group
    5. Main office telephone number
    6. Private office telephone number
    7. Home telephone number
    8. Cellphone number
    9. Other, e.g., pager

The content of the emergency management list is confidential information and shall not be distributed by anyone other than the Operations Section Chief. The list can only be distributed to the members of the Emergency Management Group and their alternates.

Notification Procedures

The following systems and procedures are in place to facilitate notification of the Emergency Management Team:

Primary Notification Method

  • Utilizing the cAlert system, the Operations Section Chief will send a text message to the Emergency Management Team.

Alternate Notification Method

  • Utilizing the voicemail emergency notification system, the Operations Section Chief may notify the Emergency Management Group.
  • The Operations Section Chief also may utilize the Emergency Management Group’s listserv to notify the Emergency Management Group.

If off campus at the time of the emergency notification, members of the Emergency Management Group can respond remotely.

Phase I and Phase II Procedures

Phase I

The following units may disseminate Phase I communications:

  1. Department of Safety and Security
    Associate Vice President and Chief of Police (primary),
    First Deputy Chief of Police (alternate)
  2. News and Public Affairs/University Communications
    Associate Vice President News and Public Affairs, Communications (primary),
    Vice President, Communications (alternate)

Accordingly, these units may initiate emergency communications and are authorized to disseminate information that is intended to protect and safeguard the University community.

Each of these units will prepare communications templates covering foreseeable emergencies. The templates will enable units to communicate essential information under the duress of an emergency. Templates will include a brief description of the emergency based on known facts and specific actions individuals should take. Units may modify the content and instructions based on the actual events.

The templates will be reviewed and approved by the Emergency Management Committee and then sent to the Policy Group for final approval. The templates can be modified by the authorized individual based on the specifics of the emergency. Substantive changes made during an emergency must be approved by the policy group.

Each unit must appoint a primary representative and one alternate who are authorized to initiate emergency messages. The individuals selected must have the ability to make prompt, sound judgments under highly stressful and ambiguous circumstances and have sufficient stature within the University such that communications from them are perceived as credible. The individuals should be highly accessible by University Police, Safety, and their units. As training and practice will be required, the Initiators must be available for these responsibilities. No alternate may issue an emergency message unless authorized by a unit specific plan in cases where the primary representative is unavailable. The Policy Group will approve the appointments of all primary representatives and alternates.

Alert Initiation Process

To issue an alert during Phase I, the Initiators contact the UC Comm at extension 123 or by calling 773.702.8181, request that an alert be sent, and provide the information to complete the appropriate template message. Initiators will provide updated emergency messages according to the time established in the previous message. The Initiator is responsible for issuing an “all clear” message when appropriate.

To ensure that the request is authentic, the Initiator will provide the UC Comm with a unique identifier, which will then be verified against the master list of unique identifiers kept by the UC Comm. The confidential identifiers will be issued by the Director of Environmental Health and Safety. The primary and alternate initiators will each have a distinct identifier. Initiators are responsible for keeping the identifier confidential.

Once verified, UC Comm will make the emergency alert.

Initiators are authorized to use the PA system (when implemented), the cALERT system, and other communication means deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

Emergency Command

Immediately after the initial emergency alert has been sent, UC Comm shall notify the Emergency Manager as defined in the University’s Emergency Management Plan, who will then follow the dictates of the University’s Emergency Management Plan.

Phase II Emergency Communication

When the Policy Group is activated according to the Emergency Management Plan, the Policy Group will notify UC Comm to discontinue accepting messages for communication from the Initiator and instruct UC Comm to issue only the messages the Policy Group authorizes. UC Comm will notify the Initiator of the Policy Group’s assumption of communication responsibilities. Phase II Emergency Communications (Phase II) is defined by the need to communicate with the community immediately following an incident or to provide ongoing follow-up. Communication under Phase II is contained in the Emergency Management Plan.

Operations and Control

A. Actions during Periods of Heightened Risk

  1. During periods of heightened risk alert, warning, and communications, direction and control will emanate from UC Comm. When the University EOC is in operation, direction of the alert, warning, and communications function will shift to that location. Direction and control may also be assumed by an on-scene Incident Command Post, if appropriate.
  2. The Alert, Warning, and Communications Officer is responsible to maintain a current recall roster of the persons assigned responsibilities in the alerting, warning, and communications function. This roster will be updated annually and will be kept at UC Comm.
  3. Alert, Warning, and Communications supervisor staffing will be provided by UC Comm, which has on duty supervisors and on-call administrators 24 hours per day. During emergencies, supervising personnel will be shifted to a 24-hour schedule with 12-hour shifts

B. Warning Procedures for Special Concern Populations

  1. Warning of potential hazards to campus day care centers will be by telephone communications or by direct contact by emergency personnel.
  2. Warning of potential hazards to the hearing–impaired student population will be made by TDD communications or through the residence life staff.
  3. Non–English speaking members of the University community will be notified of potential hazards through their respective departments, residence life staff, etc.

C. Alerting of Key University Officials

  1. Key University officials including members of the Emergency Management Team will be alerted to any incident that exceeds the scope of normal day-to-day emergency operations.
  2. This notification will be accomplished utilizing procedures set forth in this annex and will include, but not be limited to, telephone contact, paging, email, and messengers.

Responsibilities

A. Standard Operating Procedures

Current standard operating procedures that describe how the alert, warning, and communications function will be accomplished are contained in: the UCPD Policy and Procedures Manual and the University of Chicago Crisis Management Communications Plan.

B. Mutual Aid Agreements

The UCPD has verbal mutual aid agreements with the following agencies/ departments. Those agreements permit mutual aid assistance in the alerting, warning, and communications functions:

  1. Chicago Police Department
  2. Chicago Fire Department
  3. City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management Center

Assistance from these agencies will be on a priority need basis and as manpower and equipment is available.

C. Outdoor Warning Devices

The external PA system is active as an outdoor warning device.

D. Testing of Emergency Communications

  1. UC Comm radio, telephone, and other telecommunications systems are in continuous use.
  2. UCPD Crime Alert Email System is used periodically.
  3. cAlert is tested quarterly.

Tests may be announced or unannounced. Each test will be documented by date and time of the test, whether the test was announced or unannounced, and a description of the exercise will be provided.

Continuity of Government for Alerting, Warning, and Communications

A. Line of Succession

The Emergency Management Coordinator and the personnel working within the alerting, warning, and communications functions will be kept informed of the following line of succession, which ensures continuous leadership, authority, and responsibility for those functions:

  1. Associate Vice President and Chief of Police
  2. Director for Environmental Health and Safety
  3. UCPD: First Deputy Chief of Police

B. Essential Records

Essential police records and logs of alerting, warning, and communications operations will be protected and preserved by the Department of Safety and Security’s Division of Emergency Communication and Security Technology. These records will nominally include:

  1. computer aided dispatch records
  2. incident reports
  3. communications desk recorder tapes