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Emergency Management Plan
Executive Summary 2003
(Available in PDF)
The Policies and Procedures included in this
Emergency Management Plan apply to all facilities on the Columbia University
Health Sciences campus in Washington Heights. This includes facilities on this
campus under the jurisdiction of Health Sciences Facilities Management, Health
Sciences Housing, Audubon Biomedical Science and Technology Park and
Institutional Real Estate. In the event of an emergency, the Emergency Director
or the individual(s) that he/she designates will coordinate all response
activities.
| Security Department |
305-7979 |
| Advisory Hot Line |
305-7300 |
| Facilities Operations
|
305-3753 |
| Environmental Health & Safety |
305-6780 |
| Radiation Safety |
305-0303 |
| Telecommunications |
305-7777 |
| Research Administration
|
305-4191 |
| Health Sciences Housing Office
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304-7000 |
A. Overview and
Introduction
The Columbia University Health Sciences (CUHSD) Emergency Management Plan (the
“Plan”) addresses the planned response to extraordinary events such as man-made
and natural emergency situations including fire; hazardous spills; loss of
water, steam, electricity, elevator service; explosions, as well as noxious
fumes, gas leaks and civil disorder.
The Emergency Management Plan is necessary in the event that any significant
event disrupts normal day-to-day operations, including University research
activities and employee safety. The objective of the Plan is to utilize
University resources in an effective manner should interruption of an essential
service occur. In case of an emergency, a Command Center will be designated
under the direction of Health Sciences administration. This will be carried out
by the Emergency Director, who will report to the Executive Vice President for
Health and Biomedical Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, who has
ultimate authority for the campus.
The purpose of the Plan is to set the parameters for the implementation of the
Plan, designate managers responsible for operational centers, and outline the
duties and responsibilities of each operational center and department. Detailed
plans for individual units are included in subsequent sections of the main Plan.
The Plan is composed of two parts:
1) Response Phase, which anticipates immediate response needed to deal with the
emergency;
2) Recovery Phase, which sets forth procedures to assist in the resumption of
University operations during the recovery process.
| This plan is not a substitute
for thinking. It provides an organizational structure for dealing with
emergency situations; however it is not a “cookbook” for dealing with any
specific situation that will certainly arise in the course of an emergency.
It does not and is not intended to substitute for analyzing what needs to be
done and undertaking appropriate actions in situations that will arise and
which must be acted upon quickly by those responding. |
The activities of the Emergency Management
Team are under the direction of the Vice President of Administration, Kevin
Kirby.
A special thanks is given to the following Health Sciences administrators who
serve on the Emergency Management Team and continue to play a key role in the
development of this plan.
Kathleen Crowley, Director of Environmental Health & Safety
Robert Lemieux, Associate Vice President for Facilities Management
George Smartt, Assistant Vice President for Security
Richard Sohn, Associate Dean for Research Administration
The Task Force Team consists of:
Niyazi Bodur, Assistant Vice President of Technology Services
Mitch Gipson, Assistant Vice President Audubon Biomedical Science and
Technological Park
Galene Kessin, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources
Dennis Kohn, Director for Institute of Comparative Medicine
Salmen Loksen, Director, Radiation Safety
Phyllis Lowe, Telecommunications Manager
William Marchand, Director of Facilities Operation
B. Emergency Operational Center
Command Center
The Health Sciences’ Vice-President for Administration or his/her designee will
direct the activities of the Emergency Command Center. The individual directing
the Center will be designated as the Health Sciences Emergency Director. The
Health Sciences Emergency Director will activate the Emergency Command Center
based upon his/her assessment of a particular situation that will have been
brought to his/her attention -- usually by Facilities Management or Security.
The Emergency Director will identify the individuals that he/she wants to be
contacted and who shall report to the Emergency Command Center. Security shall
contact these individuals, notify them of the emergency, and tell them to report
to the location designated as the Emergency Command Center.
The activities of Security, Facilities Management, Human Resources,
Environmental Health & Safety, Radiation Safety, Animal Care, Research
Administration and other administrative support identified as needed by the
Emergency Director will be centrally coordinated by the Emergency Director. The
Emergency Director is responsible for managing the dissemination of all
resources needed for dealing with the emergency situation.
In the event of a designated emergency, an Emergency Command Center will be
activated. The Emergency Director will determine the physical location of the
Command Center. Various options exist including Offices of the Executive Vice
President of Health and Biomedical Sciences, the lobby of Alumni Auditorium,
Hammer Health Sciences Library and the Russ Berrie conference center. These
facilities all have emergency power and access to red emergency telephones. The
Security and Human Resources suites adjacent on the first floor of the Black
Building have also been provided with emergency power and red emergency
telephones, and may be utilized as needed during an emergency.
The Command Center will be the focal point of communication with New York
Presbyterian Hospital, the New York Psychiatric Institute, the Central
University, Harlem Hospital and other governmental and non-governmental agencies
as needed.
Communications
· Dissemination of information and coordination of the operations of facilities,
security, animal care, and other administrative units of Health Sciences will be
coordinated from the Center. At the request of the Emergency Management
Director, the Facilities Maintenance Control Center will relocate to this Center
for the duration of the emergency, and will staff this facility continuously
throughout the emergency.
· Easels will be set up in the lobbies of University Buildings to convey the
latest information from the Command Center to the University Community.
· An advisory hotline number, 305-7300, has been established to enable people
calling the campus to get updated information.
· The Health Sciences website homepage and voice mail will also be used to
broadcast information relating to the emergency.
· The Emergency Director will coordinate releases of information to the media.
An individual will be designated to interface with on-site media
representatives.
· Public radio stations will be contacted as necessary to disseminate
information relating to the opening or closing of University facilities
throughout the emergency.
· Each of the emergency response units will maintain a log of events and
incidents that occur throughout the emergency. This log should indicate the time
of the incident, a brief description of the incident and the individuals who
were involved together with their affiliation.
Mobilization
If so directed by the Emergency Director, Alumni Auditorium will be used as the
location for mobilizing the work force needed to be deployed for the duration of
the emergency. An assessment shall be made by the Emergency Director as to the
need to obtain additional personnel assistance from the Morningside Heights
campus, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York State Psychiatric Institute, or
any other appropriate entity. The operational manager for whom the assistance
will be secured will make the appropriate outreach efforts to secure such
assistance.
Locations will be established by the Emergency Director as needed for the
dissemination of supplies, materials and/or information.
Operational Responsibilities
Facilities Management
The research floors in the campus will be divided into a number of segments.
Project managers from Facilities will be assigned these segments and will be
responsible for coordinating the specific needs of the laboratories in their
assigned segment with operations personnel who will be dispatched from the
Command Center. A list of Project Managers and their assigned segments will be
maintained. If needed, Project Managers will be provided with radios to
facilitate direct communication with the Command Center. Project Managers will
also communicate directly with Research Administration personnel in the Command
Center to update them on conditions on the research floors of the campus.
Personnel from Facilities Operations will be dispatched from the Maintenance
Control Center within the Emergency Command Center to deal with specific
facilities issues throughout the campus.
Facilities Operations will provide personnel to operate any elevators that are
operational during the period of the emergency.
Facilities Operations will maintain an adequate supply of flashlights and
batteries, extension cords, fans and spot cooler air conditioners that will be
deployed as needed during the emergency.
· Telephone numbers of vendors from whom various supplies and services may be
needed, will be maintained along with a list of contact personnel. This list
will include vendors of dry ice and distributors of specialty refrigerant
products as well as contractors and subcontractors who we would want to mobilize
in the event of an emergency.
· Telephone numbers and names of contacts at Con Edison, Verizon, Northern
Telecom, NEC and different City agencies (Mayor’s Office of Emergency
Management, Police, Fire, DEP and Sanitation) will be kept as part of this file.
Security
Security will be responsible for controlling access to the Health Sciences
Buildings. The Emergency Director shall establish the criteria for determining
who shall have access to the buildings on the Health Sciences Campus during the
emergency.
Security in conjunction with the Emergency Director will be responsible for
direct liaison to the Police and Fire Departments.
Based upon the type of emergency and the need to limit access to campus
buildings, Security will identify additional posts that need to be staffed to
preclude access to the campus buildings from locations that are not normally
staffed by the University. Security staff will be deployed to such locations for
the duration of the need for limited access to the campus facilities.
Security will be responsible for assuring emergency transportation outside of
the campus as may be necessary. Security will coordinate the provision of food
and beverages throughout the duration of the emergency.
Animal Care
The Director of the Institute of Comparative Medicine (ICM) or his/her designee
shall oversee the emergency operations of the animal care facilities on the
campus. The Director of ICM shall develop a plan for protecting the health and
safety of animals. This plan will be discussed with senior members of the
response team.
As needed, the Director will be provided with a radio to facilitate
communications with the Command Center, and will give periodic updates to the
Command Center about the conditions in the animal care facilities.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications will update the emergency
telephone message on a schedule to be determined by the Emergency Director.
Telecommunication staff will be responsible for emergency telephone services.
Human Resources
Human Resources in coordination with the Office
of the Vice President of Administration, will maintain an operational telephone
list. This list shall include the office, home and any other direct means of
telephone contact (weekend telephone, pager, cell phone, etc) of each Dean and
his/her designee. This list shall also include numbers for the chairperson of
each of the departments on the campus and their designated emergency contact for
both clinical and research personnel.
Information Technology Services
Information Technology Services will utilize the Health Sciences homepage and
other appropriate vehicles to disseminate information concerning the emergency
to the Health Sciences community. This information will be updated on a schedule
to be determined by the Emergency Director.
Environmental Health and Safety
Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) staff shall be responsible for responding
to all situations potentially involving any fire, chemical biological agents or
pathogens on the campus, and shall be involved in any emergency resulting from
extended interruptions involving utilities serving the campus.
EH&S staff shall work closely with Research Administration to coordinate
dissemination of essential laboratory support as may be required (e.g. dry ice
or other refrigerants) to laboratories throughout the Health Sciences campus.
EH&S shall coordinate their efforts with the Facilities Management project
managers and with staff from Radiation Safety.
Radiation Safety
The Radiation Safety Office (RSO) staff shall be responsible for responding to
all situations potentially involving radioactive material or ionizing radiation
producing machines throughout the Health Sciences.
RSO staff shall work closely with Research Administration to coordinate
essential laboratory support as required (e.g. ensuring the security of licensed
radioactive material and ionizing radiation producing machines) to laboratories
throughout the Health Sciences campus. RSO staff shall coordinate their efforts
with Research Administration, staff from EH&S and with staff from Security.
Research Administration
Research Administration personnel shall work with the Emergency Director to
determine who shall be admitted to laboratories during the period of emergency.
The Emergency Director or the responsible individual from Research
Administration shall determine whether there shall be limited access to the
facility. Personnel having authorization to enter the facility shall have a
sticker issued which will be placed on their ID card, and which will serve as
acknowledgment to Security that the individual is authorized to enter the
facilities. These stickers shall be controlled by Security.
Research administration shall coordinate with Facilities Management project
managers in their dealings with research laboratories throughout the campus and
shall also coordinate closely with the Director of Animal Care concerning the
conditions on the animal care floors during the emergency.
Other Administrative Support
The Emergency Director shall identify any other administrative support needed
during the period of emergency and shall activate personnel on an as needed
basis including, but not limited to:
· Deans of each School (Health Sciences Campus) or their designated liaison
· Human Resources
· Student Services
· Health Sciences Housing
· Audubon Biotechnology Park Management
· Clinical Affairs
· External Relations
· General Counsel
· Institutional Real Estate
· Risk Management
C. CHECKLIST for EMERGENCY
RESPONSE PLAN
If action is considered and deemed unnecessary, mark with N/A (not applicable).
__Decision of which staff to marshal at Command Center
__
Decision if campus or specific buildings to remain open or to close
- Develop announcement message
- Activate phone trees
__
Communication with:
- New York Presbyterian Hospital
- NYSPI Administration
__Communication/Notification to Faculty, Staff & Students
- College of Physicians & Surgeons
- School of Public Health
- School of Oral & Dental Surgery
- Nursing School
- Programs in Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy
- Health Sciences Housing Management
- School of Arts & Sciences (GSAS)
- Center for Biomedical Engineering
__Public Notices/ develop update schedule
- Telephone Hotline
- Website
- Outreach to Radio Stations
__Communication to Utilities and Governmental Agencies
- NYC Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management
- NYC Police Department
- NYC Fire Department
- NYC Department of Environmental Protection
- NYC Sanitation Department
- Con Edison
- Verizon
__Communication with Morningside Heights Campus
- Notification to Morningside administrative personnel as needed
- Contact Support Services to insure that shuttle bus is kept in operation
unless
specifically directed to cease operation
- Contact Dining Services to arrange for food and beverage to campus
__Communication with Community Leaders
Set Meeting for Regrouping of Emergency Respondents
Completed by: ____________________Date: ___________ Time:________
D. Summary/Recovery
Phase/Critique
When the Command Center is notified that basic service has been restored or that
the situation has been stabilized, the Health Sciences Emergency Director or
his/her designee, will notify the individuals who had been specifically
mobilized for the emergency. This group shall reconvene at the Emergency Command
Center to assure that everyone knows that the emergency has been concluded.
The recovery phase includes an assessment of damages, the development of a plan
for the resumption of normal activities and a communication to the university
community of this information.
A meeting shall be scheduled for the next day or as soon as feasible thereafter
to collect the original logs maintained by staff and to critique the response to
the emergency. The Emergency Director shall designate specific individual(s) to
develop a chronology of the events that transpired throughout the emergency.
This chronology will be based upon the collected logs and other information
obtained from discussions with individuals who had been involved with the
emergency.
The Emergency Director will convene a group to review this chronology. This
group shall include key members of the Emergency Management Team as well as
other individuals deemed necessary such as Risk Management and General Counsel.
E. Review of Plan
The Emergency Director will convene the Emergency Management team to review the
Plan after each designated emergency or no less often than annually. At this
meeting, the group shall assess the usefulness of the Emergency Response Plan
and make appropriate modifications. This review will include verification that
the Emergency Command Center is appropriately stock piled, in good working order
with contents replaced as needed. All telephone numbers will be verified for
accuracy, and batteries, red outlet lines, and data ports will be checked. All
aspects of the Plan will be checked to be current and updated.
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