Emergency Response Plan:
(2) Concept of Operations

2.1 Response Priorities

St. John Fisher personnel, equipment, and resources will be used for protection in the following priority order:

  1. Protect and preserve human life and health
  2. Provide for incident stabilization
  3. Protect university property and structures
  4. Facilitate continuity of academic and business operations

2.2 Initial Response

Safety and Security will take initial command, using ICS principles, of incidents that may require the coordination of several operational departments. Responding personnel will report to the appropriate location as directed. Safety & Security will notify the Emergency Incident Coordinator.

Safety and Security will coordinate with local emergency responders, integrating into to the incident command post operations.

Safety and Security in unison with the Incident Coordinator are responsible for determining whether emergency notification is necessary and sending the initial emergency notification using the RAVE Alert system.

The Clery Act mandates that each institution have and follow procedures to “immediately notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or staff occurring on the campus. An immediate threat is defined as “an imminent or impending threat,” giving as examples an approaching forest fire and an active fire in a campus building. While the timely warning requirement applies only to Clery crimes, the emergency notification requirement compels institutions to implement notification procedures in a wider variety of situations, including severe weather and natural disasters.

Safety & Security will transfer command to the Emergency Director once on site, conducting an appropriate transfer of command briefing.

2.3 Plan Activation

In the event of an emergency the Emergency Director, in consultation with the Incident Coordinator and other event appropriate staff, will determine the level of the emergency and activate plans to the extent necessary to control the situation. Upon activation, appropriate Emergency Response Team members will be notified and should report to the designated command center as directed. The Emergency Director shall review the nature of the emergency with team members to determine the appropriate response. The Emergency Director shall also notify/inform senior leadership and members the President’s Advisory Team.

2.4 Incident Types and Levels of Activation

Type 5 (Least Complex)

Levels of Response

  • The incident can be handled with one or two single resources
  • Safety & Security is Incident Commander;
  • Safety & Security activates those areas necessary to deal with the incident (ERT is not activated);
  • Incident command may be transferred to the appropriate department after it is sufficiently contained;
  • No written incident action plan (IAP) is required.

Type 4

Levels of Response

  • Several resources may be required to mitigate the incident (internal and/or external);
  • Incident control phase is usually limited in time to one or a few hours;
  • No Incident Action Plan is required;
  • ERT is only activated as needed, generally event determined command and general staff;

Type 3

Levels of Response

  • The incident may extend into multiple operational periods (13 or more hours);
  • A written Incident Action Plan may be required for each operational period;
  • Complexity of the situation requires activation of Emergency Response Team Section Leaders;
  • Examples include: Major snow, wind, or ice storm (event), flood, casualties and hazardous material incident, armed intruder.

Type 2

Levels of Response

  • Incident extends beyond the capability of local control;
  • Expected to go into multiple operational periods;
  • A written Incident Action Plan is required for each period
  • Full activation of ERT and related/needed staff;
  • Generally requires resources out of area, to include regional or national resources (NIMAA), to effectively manage operations, command and general staffing.
  • Examples include: Major snow, wind, or ice storm (event), flood, casualties and hazardous material incident, armed intruder.

Type 1 (Most Complex)

Levels of Response

  • Most complex type of incident requiring national resources to safely and effectively manage and operate;
  • All ERT sections are needed and staffed;
  • Examples include: Hurricane, 9/11 type event, major earthquake or other natural disaster.

2.5 Command Posts and Centers

Incident Command Post

The incident command post is the field location at which the primary on-scene incident command functions are performed. Safety & Security at an incident scene will be responsible for establishing an incident command post if needed in the most appropriate location based upon the incident. Responding staff arriving on the scene will check in with at the incident command post for information, direction and assignment.

In an emergency involving outside emergency responders, the command post will be established by local emergency responders as needed for the particular incident. Safety and Security will provide a command post representative who will communicate and coordinate with the ERT at the emergency operations center.

Emergency Operations Center

The emergency operations center is the facility that is used as a single coordination center for the information management, decision-making, and resource support/allocation during response and recovery operations. The facility may be used as an Incident Command Post or Incident Management Team meeting and operational center. St. John Fisher will maintain a permanent primary EOC. A secondary EOC at another facility may be adapted to use as an EOC. An off-site EOC may be required depending on the nature and scope of the incident.

  • Primary EOC Location – Wilson Formal / COP conference room
  • Secondary EOC Location – Facilities Conference/break room
  • Off Site EOC Location – Alesi Building / Murphy Hall based on needs.

Event Liaison

  • Emergency Services: Communications on field operations will flow through the Department of Safety and Security.
  • Contractor / Services: Communications with product and service providers will flow throw the Department of Facility services.
  • Mental Health / Counseling / Outreach services: Communications for support services will flow through the Department of Human Resources/Planning Team.
  • Media Inquiries: All inquiries will be addressed by the PIO who may set the media staging location in concert with the EOC.

Emergency Response Team Handbook Revised and Updated: January 2020