Both recipients of the 2007 Campus Safety Director of the Year Awards knew it was time to give their departments a fresh start. From changing their agencies’ images to implementing new technology – and everything in between – Bonnie Michelman of Massachusetts General Hospital and David Rivero of the University of Miami had what it takes to put their agencies back on track.
With 2008 being a presidential election year, our nation’s main political parties will soon be hosting their conventions. What often goes unnoticed, however, is how these events can affect adjacent campuses. Here’s how Massachusetts General Hospital successfully planned for the 2004 Democratic National Convention and protected its patients, staff, visitors and premises.
For those individuals suddenly given the responsibility for developing a disaster/emergency management and business continuity program, basic plan, or emergency operations plan, the process can be overwhelming. This second part of our three-part series on NFPA and NIMS compliance provides 10 steps campus officials can follow to start creating their programs, while avoiding the fear and frustration that normally accompanies the task.
Campus officials should have a clear understanding of NIMS, NFPA 1600 and NFPA 1561, as well as incorporate these codes into their emergency management programs. This first part of our three-part series discusses how both public and private sector institutions that do this can reduce their exposure to litigation in the aftermath of an incident and be better able to respond to the event itself.
Communications can be a campus’ greatest asset or biggest vulnerability. Long before an emergency occurs, universities, schools and hospitals should plan on how they will deal with the media, employees and public during and after an incident. If they wait, irreversible damage to the reputation and life of the institution could result.
Recent tragic events have shined a giant spotlight on college campuses’ crisis communication tools and their limitations. While it is extremely challenging to prepare for every crisis situation, multichannel communication tools significantly improve a campus’ ability to reach its community in the fastest, most efficient and effective method possible. As such, these tools must be a cornerstone of any prudent college or university crisis response plan.
This guide was developed to encourage you to look at your current preparedness plan’s effectiveness and determine how you can strengthen it before an active shooter threat becomes a reality.
Crisis response can be a weak spot for many campuses. Learn how to manage tasks, share response plans and maintain command and control over response teams during a crisis.
