Welcome to Georgia State University

IX. Emergency Communications

A. Strategy
Georgia State University emergency communications will be utilized in response to a crucial incident or other emergency that may affect or has affected the health, safety or welfare of students, faculty, staff or campus visitors. Critical incidents require a timely and effective communications response and include situations that:

Result or may result in significant damage to facilities

Result or may result in death, injury or health or safety threats to our students, employees or the public

Significantly disrupt research, teaching or operations

Call into question our workplace practices or

Call into question the integrity of our organization, its people, or its products and services

Result in the activation of the University's Emergency Action Plan, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or the notification of designated Emergency Response Organization members.

B. Objectives
The University's emergency communication efforts will strive to meet the following objectives:

Issue timely notices and alerts for incidents that could negatively impact life safety

Provide up-to-date and factual information as quickly as possible

Allow easy access to factual information by media and key stakeholders

Maintain focus on known facts and positive behavior

Maintain stakeholder confidence in the University, its faculty and staff

Effectively communicate with employees, students, Board of Regents, alumni and the public

C.Administration and Approval
1. The University Police Department, Office of Emergency Management and the University Relations Department administer resources and systems designed for emergency communications.

2. While the President, Provost or designee are the only authorized personnel to declare a �Campus State of Emergency', select officials within the above mentioned departments and offices have the authority to utilize emergency communications to preserve life safety, security and order within the University.

3. The University has designed redundant emergency communications measures so there are multiple ways the University community can be notified during an emergency.

D. Activation of �Emergency Communications'
Emergency communications will be activated during any event where a known threat to life safety or personal injury exists in as rapid a manner as possible. It is important to note that the activation of emergency communications is NOT the same as declaring a Campus State of Emergency.

All emergencies that fall into the Level 2 or 3 categories should be immediately reported to the University Police Department. The Police Department ensures necessary emergency actions are initiated including activation of fire, Emergency Medical Service (EMS), and hazardous materials response.

The activation of the Emergency Management Group, Emergency Operations Center, and/or emergency communications may be done by the President's and Provost's office, the Chief of the University Police, the University Relations Office and/or the Director of Emergency Management for the University.

Activation of specific emergency communication resources is strictly controlled by administrators in the offices mentioned above and is designed to ensure false activation is mitigated.

E. Emergency Closing Information
In the event of weather conditions or other conditions that might cause any interruption to classes or events, Georgia State University students, faculty, and staff are advised to check the University's website: www.gsu.edu and tune to local radio or TV stations for the reports on the University's status.

Postings on the University website and announcements through local media will serve as prime sources of information for Georgia State University status during inclement weather or other emergency events. Information on the status of classes and specific events may be available from the University website, the specific college or department, or from the centralized University emergency hotline at 1-888-DIAL-GSU (not yet active, as of the date of this publication).

Students, faculty, and staff should not call the University's other on-campus offices for information.

Among the actions that might be taken by the University before, during or after an emergency are:

1. Close the campus.
2. Suspend classes.
3. Suspend events.
4. Delay opening the campus.
5. Remain open with no changes in schedule � normal operations.

If inclement weather conditions occur overnight, the President will make the decision to cancel classes as soon as possible, ideally prior to 5 a.m., and this decision will be communicated to University Relations and media as soon as possible.

In the event that weather or emergency conditions affect University operations during normal operating hours (8:00 a.m. to 800 p.m., Monday through Saturday), the decision will be communicated on campus via one or several communications resources depending upon the conditions of the emergency (outdoor broadcast system, Connect-Ed Mass Notification System: text messages, e-mail and phone calls, the University website, and/or via the media as noted above).

F. Communication Resources
1. Outdoor Emergency Broadcast System: this system allows us to notify University personnel of a sudden emergency or incident that threatens life safety while they are in transit throughout the campus. This system has a severe weather warning horn/siren and voice capability and can be activated remotely through command modules currently installed in the Police Communications Center and the Office of Emergency Management. There are a total of four (6 speaker) arrays throughout the campus. This system will be tested once every semester.

2. NTI � Connect-ED (Text Messaging Mass Notification): this system is designed to send email, text and/or phone messages to a large audience in a rapid manner. It may be utilized for more than an emergency and may be used to send specific group announcements (i.e. incoming freshman classmen class receives a welcome message from the President or Provost on their first day of class). This system is most effective during an emergency when all faculty, staff and students are loaded into the system. While this system is effective for �initial alerts', it is not designed to distribute multiple messages and allow for detailed situational awareness. Therefore, redundant communications measures are needed to supplement this system. This system will be tested once every semester.

3. Web-based Emergency Messages: a web-based application that allows select members of the University ERO to broadcast an emergency alert banner on the University home-page and may act as a hyper-link to a secure Emergency Broadcast Message web-page. In the event of a significant emergency, this capability is the primary means to effectively communicate with the local community and concerned personnel. With this web-based application, the University will be able to post emergency messages and provide updates in a timely and efficient manner.

4. Phone Trees and Group-Wise Email: traditional systems that could be utilized in lesser emergency events that do not pose an immediate threat.

5. Police Vehicle Public Address (PA) System: select police vehicles are outfitted with loud speaker systems that could be utilized in localized emergencies and to disseminate location or event specific information.

G. Concept of Emergency Notification
1. During a Level 1 emergency, the appropriate response units, i.e., University Police Department, Atlanta Department, etc., will alert and notify affected personnel and members of the Emergency Response Organization that may be negatively impacted at the operations level. This may include, but is not restricted or limited to: the Emergency Management Group, Unit/ Facility Emergency Coordinators, College Deans, Department Heads, and/or Directors. This can be accomplished in person or by telephone or additional resource, according to the circumstances of the emergency. Periodic updates will be provided to affected areas as necessary and appropriate.

2. During a Level 2 or Level 3 emergency, making timely internal and external emergency announcements requires a broader approach involving many participants. Students, faculty, staff, administrators, researchers, and visitors will receive information as to what happened, where it happened, and what to do next as quickly as possible and as conditions allow.

3. The University Police, Office of Emergency Management and/or the Office of University Relations are responsible for coordinating all internal and external communications during an emergency and are an integral part of the Emergency Operations Center. When life safety is threatened, the University Police, the Office of Emergency Management and/or University Relations may use all available resources and personnel to accomplish this task. Other members of the Emergency Management Group will assist with communicating emergency information as necessary.

4. The Office of University Relations will contact the news media for dissemination of information as directed by the President or designee; prepare announcements for the media concerning the emergency; arrange for public announcements through local radio and TV stations; and establish, if necessary, an appropriate communications center for media operations during the emergency that is near, but not in the same location as the Emergency Operations Center.

5. The University's GroupWise email server may be used to disseminate information to all active members during an emergency that is not time sensitive.

6. The telephone, if functional, may be used to notify other affected personnel and units. All academic and administrative units will establish unit specific emergency contact lists for emergency notifications of employees and/or students. Periodic updates and sign offs by the appropriate administrator are required.

7. Building fire alarm systems may be used to evacuate buildings during fire and other emergencies.

8. Emergency text messages may be sent to all participants who have registered with the Connect-Ed Mass Notification System (not implemented as of the date of this draft � 26MAR08).

9. The University television channel, �GSUTV� and FM 88.5,(WRAS � Atlanta), as well as, local television/radio stations and print media may be used to broadcast emergency information and status reports.

10. The University's web page, http://www.gsu.edu, will also be used to broadcast emergency information, status reports, and information about whether the campus is operating at normal capacity or is closed and to what extent as soon as possible.

11. Additional Emergency Response Organization members will be notified as needed and may be asked to report to the Emergency Operations Center, where they will perform their duties as assigned. Each college, division and department is responsible for developing after-hours emergency call list or contact information and maintaining it on file.

US Patent Numbers 7,720,998 B2, 7,836,207