Emergency Management and Preparedness

We recognize our responsibility for managing emergency and disaster situations affecting the campus community.

In cooperation with local officials, University Police has primary responsibility for managing and coordinating all phases of a disaster that occurs within the campus footprint. Local and state authorities will provide assistance to the campus in the event of a disaster that exhausts university resources.

The university follows the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Incident Management System (NIMS) guidelines. Established in 2004, NIMS provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from the effects of emergencies, regardless of cause, size, location or complexity.

Emergency Management Team

The University’s Emergency Management Plan is overseen and assisted by the Emergency Management Team (EMT). To enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the EMT, the team is broken into five subcommittees with distinct responsibilities and areas of oversight:

  • Systems and Technology
  • Fire Safety
  • Education and Training
  • Exercises and Drills
  • Policy and Compliance

Activation of Emergency Operations

Upon notification, the University Police Department will serve as the initial point of contact for reporting emergency situations on campus. Emergencies such as disease outbreaks and utility outages could potentially be reported in other manners.

Once a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to health and safety is confirmed, University Police will notify the campus community using a systemized emergency communications procedure (RAVE Alert Mass Notification System).

The university has developed an integrated and comprehensive procedure which includes all of the following emergency alert systems:

  • Cell phone text messages
  • Emails
  • Voicemails
  • Outdoor mass notification system announcements using a siren voice alert system
  • Indoor notification monitors
  • Blue telephones
  • Social networking sites
  • Face-to-face communications
  • Website notifications

Release of Information: General Guidelines

Appropriate information to release to internal and external audiences includes:

  • Verified facts
  • Campus response(s) to those affected
  • Provision(s) made by the university to those affected (e.g., counseling services, housing, etc.)
  • Timely updates with verified facts

Fitchburg State Emergency Response Plans

MEMA Emergency Response Plans

Live Weather Radar and Forecast
Free FEMA Online Training