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7.11 Emergency Management

7.11 Emergency Management

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This online version is for convenience; the official version of this policy is housed in the University Secretariat. In case of discrepancy between the online version and the official version held by the Secretariat, the official version shall prevail.

Approving Authority: Board of Governors

Original Approval Date: November 20, 1992

Date of Most Recent Review/Revision: February 10, 2022

Office of Accountability: Vice-President: Finance and Administration

Administrative Responsibility: Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management

1.00 Purpose

1.01 Wilfrid Laurier University is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment to all Members of the University Community, visitors and contractors. The University is potentially subject to natural, technological and human-made emergencies that could threaten the community, its core academic mission, and/or environment. The purpose of this policy is to provide the framework to prepare the University to deal with such events.

The university’s priorities prior to, during and after an Emergency or Disaster are as follows:

  • Life Safety
  • Stabilization of the Incident
  • Protect the Environment
  • Protect University Property
  • Restoration of Critical Services, Education, and Research Programs
  • Reputation
  • Financial Sustainability

2.00 Definitions

2.01 Crisis: A significant event that threatens (or could threaten) the well-being of one or more individuals of the Laurier community, that requires support and guidance of senior University administrators. It is an event that could require the support and assistance of the broader community in either, or both, response recovery and restoration.

2.02 Disaster: A widespread or severe emergency that seriously incapacitates the University community. This may include an occurrence of a natural catastrophe, technological accident, or human caused event that results in severe property damage, deaths, and/or multiple injuries. Normally, it is widespread and impacts more than the University alone and may require involvement of municipal, provincial, or federal governments.

2.03 Emergency: A situation or an impending situation that constitutes a danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property and that is caused by the forces of nature, a disease or other health risk, an accident or an act whether intentional or otherwise.

2.04 Emergency Control Group (ECG): A group composed of University operational staff that are involved in directing the University’s response, and management of an Emergency, including the implementation of its Emergency response plans and procedures.

2.05 Emergency Management Program Advisory Group (EMP-AG): A group of University stakeholders that reviews and provides functional recommendations on the Emergency management program, plans and initiatives.

2.06 Emergency Management Policy Group (EMPG): A group of senior administrators that provides institutional and strategic decisions during an Emergency, to support the University’s ability to meet its mission of ensuring a safe environment for teaching, research and public service.

2.07 Emergency Management Program: A system that provides for management and coordination of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery activities for all potential and actual emergencies. The system encompasses all organizations, agencies, departments, and individuals having responsibilities for these activities.

2.08 Emergency Response Plan (ERP): A detailed program of activities to control and/or minimize the effects of an emergency requiring prompt corrective measures beyond normal procedures to protect human life, minimize injury, and to reduce the exposure of physical assets and the environment from an accident.

2.09 Incident Commander (IC): The designated individual as defined within the Emergency Response Plan (ERP), who is responsible for the coordination of incident activities, including the development of strategies and tactics and the ordering and release of resources. The IC has overall authority for conducting incident operations and is responsible for the management of all incident operations. The University IC may take direction or collaborate with Emergency service partner(s).

2.10 Incident Management System (IMS): A standardized approach to Emergency management encompassing personnel, facilities, equipment, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure.

2.11 Members of the University Community: Persons who currently work or study (in person or online) on any Laurier campus. Members include Students (including student groups), Employees, adjunct and visiting faculty, and volunteers at Laurier.

3.00 Jurisdiction/Scope

3.01 This Policy applies to all Members of the University Community with a particular focus on areas that have responsibilities identified in the University’s ERP, other units’ specific Emergency plans and procedures, and/or areas that provide essential services. The ERP is a dynamic document that is subject to periodic amendments and revisions as recommended.

4.00 Policy

4.01 The University shall develop, implement, and continuously improve an Emergency Management Program, and associated ERP, that is based on the principles of Emergency Management Ontario’s IMS; meets the needs of the multi-campus structure of the university; and is compatible with the municipal Emergency plans for the campuses.

4.02 The Emergency Management Program Advisory Group (EMP-AG), working under the authority of the Vice-President: Finance & Administration will perform a functional review of the Emergency Management Program twice annually.In addition, EMP-AG advises on the development, implementation and maintenance of the Emergency Management Program in accordance with this policy.

4.03 The ERP will identify the members of the two functional groups:

  1. Emergency Management Policy Group (EMPG)
  2. Emergency Control Group (ECG).

4.04 The Emergency Management Policy Group (EMPG) provides governance, oversight and institutional decision-making during an Emergency, Crisis or Disaster; and its membership bring a multi-campus perspective to this work. In addition, the EMPG provides overall strategic policy decisions for crises and incidents that affects the University’s ability to meet its mission of ensuring a safe environment for teaching and research.

4.05 The Emergency Control Group (ECG) consists of campus specific Command Staff and General Staff and are identified in the campus specific operational appendices of the ERP. It is the responsibility of the ECG to manage the frontline response and recovery efforts during and following an Emergency, Crisis or Disaster at each campus.

 

Relevant Legislation

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