Emergency Plan

i 3 Table of Contents

Emergency Operations Plan

February 2020

Section 1. Overveiw

Purpose

Colorado School of Mines (Mines) is vulnerable to a number of natural and human-caused hazards that can affect the welfare and operations of the campus community, property and reputation. To effectively prepare for and respond to these hazards the school has prepared this Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) for use by the campus Emergency Operations Team (EOT).

This EOP is an “all-hazards” document and designed to be flexible enough that these general procedures can applied during any type of emergency.

This plan assigns roles and responsibilities to departments and personnel that are directly responsible for emergency response efforts and critical support services, and provides a management structure for coordinating and deploying essential resources.

Scope of the Plan

The EOP covers responses to incidents occurring on the main Mines campus, Mines Park, Edgar Mine in Idaho Springs, Colorado and at the Water Technology Hub in Aurora, Colorado. This plan could be adapted to address incidents that befall Mines community members away from campus for example, traveling athletics teams and study abroad students. This plan may be activated in response to a regional or national crisis affecting or with the potential to affect campus such as global pandemics or terrorist attacks. The premise of this plan is based on capabilities-based planning.

This plan does not address planned occurrences/events such as E-Days, Commencement or Homecoming; safety for these events is managed through the event planning process by the event coordinator. This plan is not intended to address minor incidents that happen on a regular basis and do not cause widespread problems or necessitate a larger coordinated response effort.

This plan uses the principles and concepts of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and describes a standardized response approach based upon the NIMS Incident Command System (ICS). The ICS is a team-based, action-oriented emergency management structure widely adopted and utilized throughout the geographical region and nation.

The EOP is an overview document describing the campus emergency plans. More prescriptive emergency management activities are described in related procedures and training programs.

Campus Description

Colorado School of Mines is situated in Golden, Colorado, a community of approximately 17,000. Mines has an enrollment of approximately 6,300 students and a staff of approximately 1,400 (includes faculty and staff). There are approximately 1,100 residents in campus housing. Marv Kay Stadium seats more than 4,000 fans.

The Mines campus is approximately 450 acres, which includes Mines Park, located across U.S. 6. Other school property includes:

  • 1600 Jackson Street, Golden – an office building
  • 1750 Jackson Street, Golden – a Residence Hall
  • Edgar Mine, Idaho Springs – an education/research mine
  • Water Technology Hub, Aurora – a leased research facility
  • Catalyst HTI office, Denver – leased office space
  • Denver Federal Center, Lakewood – leased research space

Safety and security resources include a full-time Public Safety office, staffed with sworn officers available around the clock, the Environmental Health and Safety Department’s 24/7 chemical spill response team; a student health clinic that is open weekdays during business hours; and full-time live-in resident assistants.

Situation and Assumptions

Type of Incidents

The EOP uses an all-hazard approach and is based on the risks and threats identified in a hazard vulnerability assessment (HVA). The HVA considered aspects such as physical location and size; number, type and age of facilities; social, educational and research activities; and the availability of emergency response resources on campus and from the surrounding community.

Natural HazardsHuman CausedTechnological hazards
Severe weather
Wildfire
Mass illness/Pandemic
Floods
Tornado
Assault/battery
Drugs and alcohol abuse
Traffic accident
Bomb or bomb threat
Civil disturbance
Cyber attack
Active harmer
Intellectual/technology
Theft
Hazardous materials spill
Radiological contamination
Utility failure
Fire or explosion
Natural gas leak
Broken water main
Structural collapse

Incidents can be either a “forecasted incident,” which is an anticipated incident over which Mines has no control such as a snowstorm or tornado, or incidents can be a “no-notice incident,” which is an unexpected natural or human-caused occurrence that requires an emergency response – examples include fire, hazardous materials spill, active harmer or campus-wide utility outage.

Campus Status Conditions

The following table describes the two different terms used to describe campus conditions relative to emergency status. These terms will be used on the mines.edu/emergency website.

ConditionDescriptionCharacteristicsExamples
Normal OperationsNormal day-to-day
operations. Routine
and minor situations
are resolved without
implementing EOP.
No ongoing danger exists
Limited in scope
Readily resolved with
available resources
Minor traffic accident
Individual medical
emergency
Small chemical
release
Campus EmergencyA major incident that
requires a
coordinated
response from
multiple
departments and/or
agencies.
Impact may extend
into the surrounding
community
People are in danger
and/or facilities/property
is at risk.
Immediate action is
necessary.
Active harmer
A rapidly spreading
fire, a radiological
release or a major
chemical release
Any severe weather
event that threatens
normal operations
May result in:
Closure
Evacuation(s)
Delayed start
Early release
Winter weather –
snowfall, ice, blizzard
conditions
Other severe weather
such as tornados

Planning Assumptions

  • Residents, research and facility operations result in around-the-clock activities on campus. A critical incident, crisis or disaster may occur at any time of day or night, on weekends or holidays, and with little or no warning.
  • Most incidents are handled locally – but some incidents may exceed the capabilities of the University and require the support and resources of local, county, state and federal governments, private institutions and/or other entities.
  • Emergency functions performed by campus personnel and departments will generally align with their normal functions.
  • The succession of events in any incident are not fully predictable, therefore, this EOP and any Incident Action Plan (IAP) devised prior to or at the time of the event will serve primarily as a guide or checklist and may require modifications in the field to mitigate injuries, damages and/or to recover from the incident.
  • An emergency or a disaster may additionally affect residents within close proximity to Mines, therefore city, county, state and federal emergency services or resources may not be immediately available. In such cases, there may be a delay in the delivery of effective off-campus emergency services.
  • Any incident that is likely to result in media coverage should be promptly reported to the Chief Marketing Officer. The accurate assessment of received information and its accurate reporting to all will negate the spread of unfounded rumors, panic and other effects of misinformation.
  • During any incident which is perceived to require operations for longer than 24 hours, at the discretion of the Mines President, impacted personnel shall be assigned to appropriate shifts with cancelation of vacations, holidays and/or regular time off from work, as needed.
  • Communications are likely to be disrupted or compromised during a disaster, due to damage to related infrastructure or by the burdens placed on communications systems due to high levels of usage. This is especially true of cellular telephones.

Section 2. Comprehensive Emergency Management at Mines

Mines follows the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Comprehensive Emergency Management Program Model, which addresses the four phases of emergency management:

    1. Mitigation/Prevention
    2. Preparedness
    3. Response
    4. Recovery

1. Mitigation/prevention

Mitigation/prevention is intended to eliminate hazards and vulnerabilities, reduce the probability of hazards and vulnerabilities causing an emergency situation, or lessen the consequences of unavoidable hazards and vulnerabilities. Mitigation/prevention should be a pre-disaster activity, although mitigation/prevention may also occur in the aftermath of an emergency situation with the intent of avoiding repetition of the situation. Among the mitigation/prevention activities included in the EOP are strengthening facilities and the campus against potential hazards through ongoing activities and actions to eliminate or reduce the chance of occurrence or the effects of a disaster.

Examples of mitigation/prevention activities include hazard identification and elimination, communicating emergency preparedness information, crime prevention, laboratory safety, mental health awareness and care and establishing emergency preparedness training programs.

2. Preparedness

Preparedness activities will be conducted to develop the response capabilities needed in the event of an emergency. Anticipating what can go wrong, determining effective responses and developing resources are critical steps in preparing for the unexpected. Among the preparedness activities included in the EOP are:

    • Completion of a hazard vulnerability assessment
    • Emergency planning, including maintaining this plan and associated documents
    • Event planning
    • Training for emergency responders/emergency management personnel
      • The Emergency Operations Team trains quarterly
      • The Emergency Notification Team meets monthly and regularly tests the notification tools
      • Mines emergency spill response team meets monthly and maintains a 24-hour spill response phone line
      • Mines Public Safety Officers adhere to a progressive training and proficiency plan that meets or exceeds all state and federal standards
    • Conducting periodic tests of emergency systems
    • Fire and Life Safety Systems in buildings and preventative maintenance plans for these systems (fire alarms, sprinkler systems, emergency lighting, etc.)
    • Community planning and notification
    • Building evacuation plans and annual building evacuation drills
    • Annual inspections by Golden Fire Department
    • Anonymous concern reporting and follow up by Environmental Health and Safety
    • Documenting After Action Reviews following exercises and actual emergencies to provide for continuous improvement of the EOP
    • Training, exercises and drills performed on a routine schedule
    • Behavioral Threat Management Team meets regularly and communicates routinely
    • Crime prevention techniques and technology are leveraged and practiced

3. Response

Mines will respond to emergency situations as effectively and efficiently as possible. The focus of this plan and associated documents is on planning for the response to emergencies and the capabilities of those resources available. Response operations are intended to resolve an emergency situation quickly, while minimizing causalities and property damage.

4. Recovery

If a disaster occurs, Mines will carry out a recovery program that involves both short-term and long-term efforts. Short-term operations seek to restore vital services to the university and provide for the basic needs of staff and students. Long-term recovery focuses on restoring the university to normal operations.

Section 3. Concept of Operations

Plan Implementation

When immediate action is required, the emergency response priorities are:

    1. Save and protect lives – of responders, campus community members and the general public
    2. Establish command and control within the NIMS system (Unified Command, Incident Commander)
    3. Coordinate communications
    4. Stabilize the incident, determine the course of action and prevent the situation from expanding
    5. Control the scene – prevent entry by non-essential personnel
    6. Prevent damage to the environment, systems, property and reputation
    7. Provide essential services
    8. Restore critical services and return to normal operations

Incident Reporting and Identification

Emergency response personnel may become aware of an incident through:

    • Calls to 911
    • Calls directly to Mines Public Safety, Student Life or EHS
    • Visits to Student Health Center
    • Warnings issued by the National Weather Service or Jeffco Code Red
    • Building alarm systems
    • Jefferson County Public Health
    • Mines Emergency Alert System
    • Other concern reports

When an incident occurs that affects campus, first responders will take action according to standard response practices. Incidents will be managed using the ICS model at the tactical or operational level. An Incident Commander (IC) will be designated or, if multiple jurisdictions are involved, a unified command will be established. Notifications will be made through preestablished lines of communication to achieve interoperability.

The determination of which individual or entity is responsible for IC (or individuals in the case of a joint command system) will depend on the type of hazard and the associated impacts on campus. Field command may transfer throughout an incident as it progresses. External agencies, such as Golden Fire, may assume Incident Command as the situation dictates.

Campus officials will quickly assess the incident to determine the level of response necessary, considering aspects that include but are not limited to:

  • Are lives threatened?
  • Is there significant property damage?
  • Is the environment at risk?
  • Will teaching, research or event functions be interrupted?
  • Do we need outside agency assistance?
  • Do we need to make an emergency notification to campus?
  • Is there a potential for reputational harm?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” the designated campus official shall immediately notify the Executive Leadership & Policy Group.

Once a critical incident begins to evolve, the Incident Commander (IC) shall be continuously mindful of the possibility that Mines resources and capabilities may be overwhelmed. If so, the IC shall apprise the Executive Leadership & Policy Group of this fact, or the possibility thereof, so that a request for additional assistance can be forwarded promptly to municipal, county or state authorities in a timely and effective manner using the appropriate mechanisms.

Section 4. Roles and Responsibilities

Emergency Management Structure

The following groups drive the core functions of the campus emergency management efforts:

1. Executive Leadership and Policy Group

    1. Members:
      1. President
      2. Chief of Staff and Vice President for External Relations
      3. Provost
      4. Executive Vice President of Finance, Administration and Operations
      5. Vice President of Student Life
    2. Functions:
      1. Verify campus emergency management is current and effective by providing and maintaining the tools, training, equipment, processes and proficiency to mitigate risk, prepare for, respond to and recover from an emergency situation
      2. Determine priorities for continuous emergency management program improvement, considering input from EHS and Public Safety
      3. Make policy decisions and allocate resources during an incident such as the need to:
        1. Evacuate campus building(s)
        2. Close campus
        3. Restrict access to campus
        4. Postpone or delay classes and/or business operations

2. Emergency Operations Team (EOT) (see figure 1)

The EOT is comprised of personnel from organizations directly involved in managing a campus incident. The EOT provides the infrastructure and personnel required to support an incident response and manage the logistical, financial, planning, operational and safety aspects of an emergency. The incident type and size will dictate which members of the EOT are activated. The EOT meets quarterly to discuss plans, readiness, emergent issues, emergency management strategies, conduct training and exercises.

    1. Membership
      1. Executive Leadership and Policy Group
      2. Office of General Counsel
      3. Associate Vice President of Operations
      4. Public Information Officer – Communications and Marketing
      5. Facilities Management Director
      6. Information and Technology Systems
      7. Student Life
      8. Public Safety
      9. EHS (Director serves as campus emergency manager)
    2. Function (Details provided in Appendix B)
      1. Incident Command Team (ICT) is responsible for responding to the incident. They develop incident action plans and request resources from the Business Continuity Team. This team will:
        1. Save and protect lives
        2. Initiate communications
        3. Prevent damage to the campus and environment
        4. Request activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
        5. Assess damages
      2. Business Continuity Team (BCT) directs resources to support the ICT and for making strategic decisions on returning campus to normal operations. Specific activities include
        1.  Monitor the situation
        2. Make timely and strategic decisions
        3. Initiate recovery operations
        4. Maintain university services
        5. Prepare messages and communicate with campus and media
Mines Emergency Operations Team Flowchart

Figure 1. Mines Emergency Operations Team

3. Emergency Notification Team (ENT)

    1. Membership
      1. EHS (team facilitator)
      2. Public Safety
      3. Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) iv. Communications and Marketing
      4. Senior Executive Assistant to the President
      5. Associate VP for Infrastructure and Operations
    2. Function: The ENT maintains process, technology and proficiency for effectively communicating emergencies and warnings to the campus community
      1. Maintain functional notification tools, routinely testing the mass notification system. Inform the campus community of the emergency notification system and have a process for maintaining current information.
      2. Provide timely information on emergency conditions that threaten the health and safety of the campus community. Communicate protective action measures.
      3. Provide important updates, information or instructions regarding an ongoing or recently terminated emergency.
      4. Notify the campus that the emergency has ended.

External Agency Support

Mines maintains strong partnerships with local, state and federal agencies, including law enforcement, public health and Golden Fire Department.

Section 5. Communications and Media Relations

Mines Alert – Campus Emergency Notification

During any critical incident or emergency, Mines may use several methods of communication to disseminate information to the campus community, known collectively as “Mines Alert.” The methods may include, but are not limited to:

  • Text messages and phone calls to registered cell phones
  • E-mail messages
    Messages to office phones
  • Public address announcements to Code Blue phone towers and available building public address sytems
  • Updates to Mines.edu/emergency
  • Establishment of an emergency call center
  • Emergency digital signage
  • Social Media (Facebook and Twitter)
  • Press releases to the media
  • News conferences

Members of the Emergency Notification Team have the training, experience and procedures to use these notification formats.

Notification to campus will take place upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving immediate threat to the health or safety of students or staff on campus, unless notification will compromise efforts to contain the emergency. Notification will only be delayed if there is a professional determination by law enforcement that issuing the notice would put the community at greater risk.

Emergency status information will be maintained on the mines.edu/emergency webpage. Concerned family and friends and other members of the public are directed to this page for the most current information.

Media relations

Effective communications play a critical role during any emergency. In almost all emergencies, the university will need to communicate with students, faculty and staff. Depending on the severity of the situation, external media may arrive on campus and seek information and video footage.

All media inquiries should be directed to the Chief Marketing Officer (or their designee), who serves as Mines’ Public Information Officer (PIO). It is important that information provided to outside media persons be coordinated through the PIO to ensure consistent and approved dissemination of information. If the incident involves entities from other jurisdictions, the external communications function of the PIO shall be coordinated through an established Joint Information Center (JIC). Sufficient factual information should first be gathered and evaluated for accuracy to minimize or prevent spreading false or inaccurate information.

In an emergency, no one is authorized to speak to the media except for the designated PIO spokesperson.

Media Center/Joint Information Center (JIC)

If a campus incident is expected to last for more than eight hours, a media center/Joint Information Center (JIC) will be established. Parking adjacent to these facilities will be reserved for media and staff vehicles.

Other Notifications

It is critical that adjoining jurisdictions be notified whenever an incident has actual or potential impact on residents, buildings, traffic or civic health or well-being. The BCT, in coordination with the IC, shall determine when and by what methods to appropriately issue timely warnings, emergency alerts and other informational releases to key government officials, community leaders, emergency management response agencies, volunteer organizations and any other persons and entities essential to mounting a coordinated response to the incident. See the Timely Warning and Emergency Notification Policy.

Section 6. Emergency Facilities

Whenever a critical incident, crisis or disaster occurs or is imminent, it shall be the responsibility of the IC to establish an Incident Command Post (ICP). The University has several predesignated locations that may serve as an Emergency Operations Center.

Incident Command Post (ICP)

A Mines Police vehicle or other suitable vehicle may be used as an Incident Command Post (ICP). The ICP is to be located as close to the emergency scene as possible to enhance tactical control but not too close as to be impacted by the potential or real hazard. A suitable building or conference area with a desk, chairs and a telephone may also be established as near to the scene as may be determined necessary by the Director of Public Safety/Chief of Police.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the Emergency Operations Team

An Emergency Operating Center (EOC) is a central point of coordination that provides support to the IC and Incident Command Team. The primary functions of the EOC is information management, incident analysis, strategic decision making and resource support. The EOC may be activated by the IC or any member of EOT.

When activated:

    1. A member of the ENT will alert EOC members of the EOC activation and direct them to assemble in the designated location. EOC staffing will depend on the complexity of the incident and the support functions that are required to meet the demands and functions required.
    2. The EOC will maintain situational awareness by receiving regular updates from the Incident Command Post and/or IC
    3. The EOC will communicate emergency information to the campus and the public
    4. The EOC will prepare documentation and record events, expenses, time keeping functions and logistical support

EOC locations

1. GRL Classroom – across the hall from Mines Museum 1310 Maple Street

2. Mines Park Community Center #2 2001 Infinity Circle

3. Open in 2020: Conference room on ground floor of Maple Street Office building 1318 Maple Street

Section 7. Document Control Log

The Director of EHS shall facilitate regular reviews and updates to this plan.

Revision #Revision DescriptionDate
1Initial issue10/15/2015
2Update content to reflect current campus organization2/27/2020

Appendix A – Acronyms

AARAfter Action Report
BCTBusiness Continuity Team
EHSEnvironmental Health and Safety
ENTEmergency Notification Team
EOCEmergency Operations Center
EOPEmergency Operations Plan
EOTEmergency Operations Team
FEMAFederal Emergency Management Agency’s
IAPIncident Action Plan
ICIncident Commander
ICPIncident Command Post
ICSIncident Command System
ITSInformation & Technology Solutions
JICJoint Information Center
NIMSNational Incident Management System

Appendix B – Implementing the Incident Command System (ICS) at Mines

The Incident Command Team (ICT) will consist of those Mines individuals responsible for responding to and managing an emergency incident and its coordination on campus.

Assumption of Incident Command

The person assuming IC will vary depending on the situation. All assumptions and changes in command shall be made clear and apparent to all parties. Assumption of command should be by the individual with the specific skills, knowledge, experience, and training needed to respond to the emergency.

Typically, the most senior member in rank and present with Public Safety will be the on-scene Incident Commander. Public Safety will primarily be in incident command for incidents involving criminal activity. For accidental hazardous materials incidents, a member of Environmental Health and Safety may assume IC. Golden Fire Department may also assume IC for a multi-agency response – such as a mass casualty incident, fire or large hazmat incident. Whenever appropriate, a unified Incident Command Structure may be most suitable, depending on the scenario. In any cases suspected or involving a nexus to terrorism, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains statutory authority to manage the investigation and all evidence associated with the incident.

The IC is responsible for:

  • Providing overall leadership for the incident response
  • Establishing an incident command post (ICP)
  • Assessing the situation
  • Issuing an initial alert and notifying the appropriate member of the Executive Leadership Team
  • Establishing incident objectives
  • Developing the incident action plan (IAP)
  • Requesting resources to staff the ICT

Transfer of Command

Transfer of command is the process of moving the responsibility for IC from one Incident Commander to another. Transfer of command may take place for many reasons, including:

  • A jurisdiction or agency is legally required to take command
  • Change of command is necessary for effectiveness or efficiency
  • Incident complexity changes
  • There is a need to relieve personnel on incidents of extended duration
  • Personal emergencies (e.g., Incident Commander has a family emergency)
  • Executive Leadership directs a change in command

A main feature of ICS is a procedure to transfer command with minimal disruption to the incident. This procedure may be used any time personnel in supervisory positions change. The following three key procedures should be followed whenever possible:

  • The transfer should take place face-to-face.
  • The transfer should include a complete briefing.
  • The effective time and date of the transfer should be communicated to all personnel who need to know, both at the scene and elsewhere.

The transfer of command briefing should always take place. The briefing should include the following essential elements of information:

  • Situation status
  • Incident objectives and priorities based on the IAP
  • Current organization
  • Resource assignments
  • Resources ordered and en route
  • Incident facilities
  • Incident communications plan
  • Incident prognosis, concerns and other issues
  • Introduction of command and General Staff members (see list below)

Command Staff

Command Staff report directly to the IC and positions includes the Public Information Officer and Safety Officers

The Public Information Officer is responsible for relaying incident-related information to the public and media and with other agencies. Mines PIO will be a member of the Communications and Marketing Department. The IC may also assign someone to serve as the liaison officer responsible for coordinating with external partners, such as city, county, state or federal agencies and public and private resource groups.

If required, the Mines PIO will function through the Joint Information System (JIS) to permit coordinated PIO services whenever subordinate to joint or area command functions. Mines has two basic public information guidelines to observe in any emergency incident:

  1. Only authorized spokespersons such as the Mines President or his or her designee, or the PIO will meet or talk with the media
  2. Only factual information is released; no speculation is to be offered

The Safety Officer, a member of the Environmental Health & Safety department, monitors incident operations and advises the ICT on all matters related to operational safety, including the health and safety of emergency response personnel. The safety officer is responsible for developing the site safety plan and including safety specifics in the Incident Action Plan.

General Staff

The General Staff has four functional areas: 1) Operations, 2) Planning, 3) Logistics and 4) Finance & Administration. The sections activated will depend upon the situation.

The Operations Section Chief is responsible for the assessment and implementation of field operations including law enforcement, facilities management including building inspections, damage assessment, and repair and emergency construction.

The Planning Section Chief is responsible for receiving, evaluating, and analyzing all disaster information and providing updated status reports to the IC.

The Logistics Section Chief is responsible for procuring supplies, personnel and material support necessary to conduct the emergency response (e.g. personnel call-out, equipment acquisition, communications, lodging, transportation, food, donations, etc.). This includes shelter operations and management of staff and student emergency volunteers.

The Finance Section Chief is responsible for cost accountability, time reporting, establishing emergency accounting procedures, and workers compensation and risk and insurance administration. The team documents expenditures, personnel costs, purchase authorizations, damage to property and equipment usage.

Additional support personnel or functions:

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) coordinator: Campus emergency manager or their designee

ITS staff shall support the Incident Command Team. This team will consist primarily of those individuals with computer, telecommunication and networking skills who can help maintain internal and external communications networks.

Student Life representatives can assist by making campus student housing available and securing necessary supplies, providing staging areas, lockdowns and communication to residents, etc. in support of the Incident Command Team.

Legal counsel may be assigned directly to the Incident Command Team to advise the IC on legal matters, such as emergency proclamations, legality of evacuation orders and legal rights and restrictions pertaining to media access.

A Medical Advisor may be designated and assigned directly to the Incident Command Team to provide advice and recommendations to the IC in the context of incidents involving medical and mental health services, mass casualty, acute care, vector control, epidemiology and/or mass prophylaxis considerations, particularly in the response to a bio-terrorism event or pandemic.

Incident Action Plan

An Incident Action Plan (IAP) is a written or verbal strategy for responding to the incident developed by the Incident Commander and Section Chiefs of the General Staff. A written IAP is not required for smaller incidents. In those cases, the Incident Commander can verbally communicate response strategy to the responding resources. In larger emergency situations, a written IAP will be more effective. A written IAP should be considered when:

  • Two or more jurisdictions are involved in the response
  • A number of ICS organizational elements are activated (typically when General Staff Sections are staffed)
  • A HazMat incident is involved
  • A mass casualty incident has occurred
  • An active harmer situation

Developing an Incident Action Plan

In larger emergency situations, the Incident Commander and Section Chiefs of the General Staff will meet immediately to develop the Incident Action Plan (IAP). The Planning Section Chief is responsible for the development, maintenance and distribution of the IAP.

The Operations Chief will delineate the amount and type of resources needed to accomplish the plan.

The Planning Section, Logistics Section and Finance & Administration Section will have to work together to accommodate those needs.

The IAP will include standard forms and supporting documents that convey the Incident Commander’s intent and the Operations Section’s direction for the accomplishment of the plan. The Planning Section will communicate with other sections Chiefs any materials and documentation needed to develop the plan. The Incident Commander approves the written IAP. Copies of the IAP are distributed to the Executive Leadership and Policy Group and members of the ICT. The IAP should be conveyed to all resources on scene. A briefing prior to each shift should be held to communicate the IAP to everyone involved in the incident. In a Unified Command situation, the unified Incident Commanders will work together and with Command and General Staff to develop the IAP.

Implementing the IAP

The Operations Section is in charge of implementing components of the IAP. The Operations Section Chief will meet with supervisors of tactical resources to brief them on the plan and delineate their respective assignments. The Operations Section has the authority to make appropriate adjustments to the plan as needed to meet the plan objectives in the most efficient manner possible. Changes should be communicated to the Incident Commander and Planning Section Chief and documented.

Deactivation of Emergency Incident Operations

At the close of Incident Operations, the Incident Commander will notify the Operations Section Chief to begin the stand-down phase of operations according to the procedures developed as part of the Incident Action Plan for that incident.

Incident Documentation

Each participating department, section, building or function manger/supervisor is responsible for documenting all activities and expenditures associated with the discharge of his/her emergency functions. Additionally, each emergency response entity will retain documents associated with its activities during the response. These documents, although local in origin, will be based primary on the formats and purposes devised for federal ICS forms for the following purposes:

  • Provide a basis to assess the emergency and evaluate the response
  • Identify areas where campus preparedness activities worked well and those areas that need improvement
  • Verify all emergency-related expenses and document efforts to recover such expenses
  • Assist in recovery in the event of litigation

All documents, status sheets, daily logs and forms shall be kept along with all financial records and photographs related to the emergency. The Finance/Administration Section Chief shall request documentation, including post-incident reports, from any responding agency that participated in the incident response.

After Action Reports

After the conclusion of emergency operations concerned with a critical incident, crisis or disaster, the IC shall initiate the preparation and publication of an After Action Report (AAR).

The AAR shall detail all facts and circumstances known about incident causation, the quality and nature of the response effort, and the incident resolution. In addition, the AAR shall determine both deficiencies and highlights that occurred during the resolution of the incident and shall make recommendations about planning, training and operational needs and improvements that could enhance the efficiency of future responses.

Each original AAR shall be retained on file within the EHS office for a period of five years.

Organizations Involved in Mines Emergency Management

Figure 2. Organizations supporting campus emergency management