Crisis and Consequence Management

Disasters are natural or human-caused events that may result in overwhelming loss of life, injury, destruction of property, or loss of infrastructure that prevent the community’s ability to respond without outside assistance. Crisis and consequence management addresses incidents—potential or actual—that broadly affect the Emory community and threaten or act to disrupt the operations of the university.

The elements of this risk include the nature of the incident, the degree to which property damage and/or personal injury has occurred, the severity with which university operations have been affected, and the number and type of individuals who will be required to respond to, mitigate, and recover from the effects of the incident.

Examples of such events may include severe weather/tornado, active shooter, major structural fire, transportation (aircraft or train) disaster, major hazardous material leak/spill (chemical, radioactive), explosions, civil unrest, a mass casualty event, public health emergency (pandemic), or a deployment of weapons of mass destruction/terrorist incident.

The Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response leads and/or participates in multiple preparedness activities related to crisis and consequence management:

  • Emergency Operations Plan—development and maintenance
    • Supporting Annexes
  • Crisis Management Command Structure
    • Includes senior/executive leadership across the university and Emory Healthcare
  • Emergency Support Function/Operations Group
    • Includes senior operations leaders across university and Emory Healthcare
  • Emory Web EOC—internet-based information sharing and crisis management platform
  • Emory Alert—Emergency Notification System (Emory Alert [RAVE] text message, email, social media, siren/PA System, Emory Cable Television Banner, Digital Signage, and Emory websites)
  • Emergency Operations Center—development, maintenance, and operation
  • “Just-in-Time” Emergency Response Guide—development of electronic guidance for students, staff, faculty, and visitors
  • National Incident Management System—Incident Command System training for all key personnel
  • Discussion-based and full-scale disaster exercises
  • Annual Hazard Impact and Risk Assessment (HIRA)
  • Threat Assessment Team—management and oversight
  • LiveSafe safety application—management and oversight
  • Campus-based weather monitoring
  • Storm Ready University (first in Georgia)
  • Clifton Corridor Emergency Planning Committee (CCEPC)
  • Campus Automated External Defibrillator Program, Stop the Bleed, and medical first response kits
  • Special Event Support (Commencement, Winship 5K, VIP support)
  • Enterprise Risk Management Process: RMPOs for Catastrophic Event and Workplace Violence
  • Community Engagement
    • CEPAR develops and maintains relationships with Emory’s community partners in the emergency management/homeland security, fire, EMS, public safety, and public health preparedness domains (local, state, and national)
    • Emory University Safety Alliance partner
    • Support and subject matter expertise for DHHS/ASPR, DHHS/CDC, and DHHS/NIEHS–sponsored programs
    • Higher Education Emergency Management Group (Emory, GSU, GT, KSU, UGA)
  • COVID-19 Response and Recovery—contribute to infection prevention and control policy development and operations that protect the health and safety of the Emory community
    • COVID-19 Leader’s Group—Co-lead for Operations and Lead for Health and Safety
    • Lead, Community Health and Safety Workgroup
    • Lead, Contact Tracing Task Force