The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) is committed to protecting the welfare of its community members as well as its intellectual property and facilities. The Emergency Operation Plan (EOP) has been developed to minimize the impact of emergencies and maximize the effectiveness of the campus community's response to those incidents.
We can best prepare to meet the challenges presented during emergencies by working together, both within the university and through the emergency response and support agencies in Douglas County and the City of Omaha.
The plan includes a chain of command that establishes the authority and responsibilities of campus officials and staff members.
Scope
The Emergency Operation Plan is initiated whenever a crisis, man-made or natural, disrupts operations, threatens life, or creates major damage to the university. The EOP is considered an "all hazards" document.
The UNO Emergency Operation Plan is designed to provide a framework and guidance for a coordinated response to campus emergencies.
- The plan does not replace procedures for safety, hazardous materials response, or other emergency measures that exist within a department.
- This plan supplements those procedures with a temporary crisis management structure, which provides a managerial focus on response operations and an early transition to recovery operations.
Authority/Implementation
The responsibility for the safety and welfare of students, faculty, staff, and visitors of the university rests with the Chancellor. To fulfill this responsibility, the Chancellor will grant the Incident Commander or Unified Command the authority and resources to accomplish incident management objectives.
The Incident Commander or Unified Command may request activation of the UNO Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Incident Command System (ICS)
The Emergency Operation Plan is based on the Incident Command System (ICS), an emergency management system structure adopted throughout the U.S.
It also stems from the National Incident Management System and various directives from the Department of Homeland Security. The ICS helps with coordination between different agencies by reducing duplication of effort, using common terminology, integrating communication, and establishing a unified command during an emergency event.
UNO has an Emergency Preparedness Coordinator that works within the Department of Public Safety. The Emergency Preparedness Coordinator works with the UNO Incident Command System to develop plans, conduct training, and design exercises related to emergency preparedness.
In the event of a large scale emergency, UNO staff from each of the following sections will be contacted to assist with the response effort:
- Operations
- Logistics
- Planning
- Liaison
- Public Information
- Safety
- Finance
- Administrative Support
Communications
The university has a number of methods to communicate emergency messages or update the university on campus closings or emergency status.
They include:
- All-campus email
-
UNO Alert message and email alerts
- Overhead pages and indicator lights on campus
-
Emergency information line
-
Media outlets
Depending on the circumstances and urgency, the messages will be generated through Public Safety or the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.
Preparedness
The university will continually review, train, and exercise the emergency response plan and will collaborate with local emergency response agencies to foster relationships and coordinate responsibilities.
These preparedness and response plans will help provide a smooth transition to restoring normal services and implementing recovery programs.