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The Appalachian State University campus is currently operating under NORMAL conditions.

Emergency Operations Plan

5.0 Assumptions

5.1 Incident Assumptions

  1. An incident that affects the University is likely to also affect the surrounding communities and region. Therefore, the University should plan to manage all incidents with limited external resources for the first 24 to 48 hours.
  2. Specific University operations and interests will remain under the coordination and management of the University; therefore, it is necessary to plan accordingly and maintain incident operations until the incident is concluded.
  3. Non-University coordination and external resource requests will be forwarded to the Watauga County Emergency Operations Center (WEOC).
  4. An emergency incident or disaster may occur at any time of the day or night, weekend, or holiday, with little or no warning.
  5. The succession of events in an emergency incident or disaster is unpredictable; therefore this plan should be utilized as a guidance document, and adapted accordingly for the specific needs of the emergency incident or event.
  6. Although Appalachian State University is more vulnerable to specific hazards, such as flash flooding or winter storms, the University must plan to respond using a standard structure and organization to any hazard that may affect the University.
  7. The fundamental priorities for Appalachian State University during an emergency incident or disaster are:
    1. The preservation of life and protection of people.
    2. The protection and restoration of property and infrastructure.
    3. Stabilization of the emergency incident or disaster.
    4. Recovery fulfilled to pre-incident conditions.
  8. During an emergency incident or disaster, all operations will be coordinated through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC will issue tasks to the field, and coordinate through the University Executive Group and Watauga County Emergency Operations Center.
  9. Appalachian State University will consult the advice and guidance of Watauga County, the Town of Boone, and North Carolina Emergency Management when making evacuation and other emergency management decisions, but reserves the right to make decisions beyond that of Watauga County and the Town of Boone.
  10. Extended incidents that require 24 hour operations will most likely be divided into two (2) operational periods or shifts of 12 hours each. Staffing should be planned accordingly.

5.2 Plan Assumptions

  1. Appalachian State University will maintain and disseminate an all-hazard Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). In addition to the Plan itself, the University will educate individual departments and units so that all personnel will be aware of the general framework for responding to emergency incidents and disasters.
  2. All University departments and units will be familiar with the emergency operations plan, and their specific responsibilities within the plan.
  3. All departments must maintain specific emergency response plans relevant to their area and operations. In addition to the framework provided in the EOP, these departmental plans should address additional specific issues that may affect the department. Faculty and staff within each department should understand the basic premise of the EOP, as well as any departmental plans so that emergency incident and disaster operations may be conducted in both a timely and effective manner. Department plans should address at a minimum:
    1. Evacuation
    2. Sheltering in Place
    3. Building Lockdown
    4. Communication procedures for both dissemination of information and contacting the Emergency Operations Center or other coordinating entities.
    5. Actions to be taken to ensure continuity of operations including critical tasks, services, key systems, and infrastructure.
    6. Method to ensure that all personnel have been made aware of the plan and the plan is revised at least annually.
    The Emergency Management Coordinator may assist any department with the development of a departmental policy or plan.
  4. The Emergency Operations Plan will be reviewed and updated at least annually by the Emergency Management Coordinator and the Emergency Management Committee. A record of changes will be maintained.
  5. The Plan will be exercised at least once annually.