COMMAND AND CONTROL

Incident Command System (ICS)

The Emergency Operations Plan uses a management system widely known as the Incident Command System. The ICS provides an organizational structure capable of responding to all levels of emergencies from simple to complex. It also provides the flexibility to respond to an incident as it escalates in severity.

The purpose of the ICS is to:

• Provide an organizational structure that can grow rapidly in response to the requirements of the emergency;
• Provide the Emergency Management Coordinator with the control necessary to direct all operations and all agencies responding to the incident;
• Assign employees with reasonable expertise and training to critical functions without loss of precious time;
• Activate only those positions needed to manage a particular incident or level of incident; and
• Promote proper span of control and unity of command.
• Provide a system for coordination of information to internal/external audiences.

 The organizational structure of the ICS may not resemble the day-to-day organization of the University.  Employees may have a different reporting relationship under the ICS than their normal reporting relationship.  As the severity of the incident increases, assignments may change in the ICS organizational structure.  This means that an employee’s position in the ICS may change during the course of a single incident.

A diagram of the Incident Command System as it may apply at Southern Methodist University is illustrated below.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER/GROUP (EOC/EOG)

The primary Emergency Operations Center is located in Room L011 A & B of the Lloyd All Sports Center. The alternate EOCs are in Room 131 of The Dedman Life Sciences Building and the Letterman’s Room in Moody Coliseum.  The EOC will be staffed with representatives from the following listed operational areas.  A specific and current list of individuals is maintained at the SMU Police Department and is available upon plan activation.  The representatives from the departments listed below will be designated as the Emergency Operations Group (EOG). 

The primary purpose of the EOG is to serve as a single focal point for the management of information, decision making and resource support/allocation during the entire disaster management and recovery process. The Emergency Operations Center is equipped with multiple telephone capabilities and other alternative communications. The communications link through the EOC will allow direct contact with the Office of the President and Emergency Services provided by the City, County, State and Federal disaster response agencies as well as the news media.

COMMUNICATIONS

• The Emergency Management Coordinator will be responsible for directing all communications activities during an emergency/disaster response.
• Police, Fire and EMS have sufficient radios and telephones for day‑to‑day emergency operations.
• An Information Management Critical Resource Plan is available detailing telecommunications capability and backup systems.
• Voice mail, email, and runners will be utilized for emergency warning and instructions to the campus community.
• Portable radios, cellular telephones or message pagers will be provided to active members of the EOG.
• A critical resource plan for Public Information is available.

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE BANK

• Emergency telephone bank capability is available at the following locations:
  • Lettermens Room – Moody Coliseum
  • Development Telemarketing – 3^rd floor of McFarlin Auditorium
  • The Media Reporting Room (Room 511) in Ford Stadium
• EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION AND WARNING
• External sirens operated by the City of University Park are north and south of the campus to alert people who are outside of buildings, homes or in vehicles
  • Tornado Warning:  3 to 5 minute steady tone
  • Attack Warning: 3 to 5 minute wavering tone
  • System is tested the first Wednesday of each month.
• Police Vehicle Public Address System
• City of University Park cable television emergency messages
• A hazardous weather alerting system is available at Ford Stadium.