SHAKY GROUND

A CSOT EXERCISE IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND RECOVERY

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HR Msg 5 Response

 

Point of Contact: Gary Womelsduff

CSOT Department/Area: Human Resources

 

What now?

• Does your plan adequately provide for your employees to be outside for any length of time?  Some buildings may not open for several days.

  We did bring some blankets, food and water – but these will also likely be shared with nearby “most-needy”, so no – they are not adequate for a lengthy outdoor stay, especially if it is particularly cold or wet.   I would suggest having Brougham be one of the first building inspected, since it has the potential for housing the most people if it is safe.   Perhaps some outdoor shelters (like the white awnings used for special events) can be stored in such a way that they can easily be accessed and set up, especially in case of rainy weather.

• Are you and your staff prepared for bad weather conditions?

  See above

• Until you can get back into your building, what actions do you need to take in the next hour? Next two hours?

  At this point will send as many staff either “home” as possible, or else to nearby residences of other employees.

 

• Does your plan outline with whom you should meet (e.g. any other CSOT members, etc.) in order to coordinate a response or to address the needs of employees and students?  How will you contact them?  Is this information listed in your departmental plan?

  Getting in touch with OSL (Jeff Jordan) and Student Counseling Center (Steve) and Center for Worship (Deb Nondorf) regarding assessment and follow-up counseling

 

• List by name all essential personnel you will have stay on campus overnight.  Will they need housing (once available)? Are any student employees on the list?

  No students.   HR director will most likely stay, depending on circumstances – but may stay at nearby employee residence.   We will assess at the time whether or not other HR staff will stay, though depending on traffic, staying nearby at a residence may work best anyway

• Based on new information what issues or new questions have emerged, particularly as you begin to address ECMT’s question to CSOT about the extent of the campus closure  -- for tomorrow (TH), the remainder of the week (TH-Sun), or beyond?  With night approaching, what options open for illumination and warmth if buildings not open?

  “People followup” and counseling has usually been assumed to begin a day or two after a major event, primarily with outside assistance.   I think we need to re-think some of this to have more locally available and trained personnel who can be available more quickly, and a plan for how to assess and make available the appropriate counseling services.   I also think this needs to be done very specifically in concert with the student side, since the entire community will be affected simultaneously, and we will all need to understand what is going on.      I think it has been said in other posts, but the assumption of an outdoor gathering site/information center in Tiffany Loop seems imperative.   There would also need to be some visible Leadership at this gathering site as early as possible to assure people and to provide direction.   Good, early and confident feedback from Leadership can go a long way toward allaying fears, panic and directing people to calm, rational and productive response.