[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
[Division, Department or Office]
Emergency Response Plan, Companion to the Emergency Response Handbook
Planning Coordinator: [Name], [E-Mail Address] and [Phone Number]
Last Revision: [Date]
To ensure a safe campus, the George Washington University community must work together by
understanding our roles and responsibilities if an emergency should occur. This cannot be accomplished
alone and requires involvement from all corners of the university. Using this emergency response plan
template will enable university divisions, departments and offices to develop standardized emergency
plans to address emergencies from an all-hazards approach. Emergency preparedness is an ongoing
priority of GW, and developing unit-specific plans is an important component that supports universitywide preparedness efforts.
Privacy Statement: The [Division, Department or Office]’s Emergency Response Plan is an internal
document and should not be publicly distributed (i.e. posted on the internet, provided to external
individuals, organizations, media outlets, etc.) as it may include sensitive and personally identifiable
information. This plan should be shared with those individuals and divisions, departments or offices who
need to know the information to successfully implement and use the plan.
Template Version June 2014
The George Washington University
[Month Year]
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Emergency Response Plan Template Instructions
This emergency response planning template is part of GW’s preparedness efforts. It is designed to assist
divisions, departments and offices develop and maintain standardized plans while meeting their unique
needs, functions and operations. Unit specific plans supplement and provide further detail to the
university Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and the Emergency Response Handbook; both are available
at CampusAdvisories.gwu.edu. Additional resources are available from the Office of Emergency
Management, Office of Health and Safety, and the GW Police Department at safety.gwu.edu.
The Emergency Response Handbook provides students, faculty, staff and visitors with emergency
response guidance; however, each unit may need to document location specific information, detail unique
hazards, list employee information and identify evacuation assembly and shelter-in-place areas, etc.
This template is adaptable to individual unit planning needs as some sections in this template may not be
relevant. It incorporates best practices and uses guidance from the National Incident Management System
(NIMS). Use this template as a tool to develop your unit specific emergency plan by reviewing the
guidelines written in italicized blue font and filling in information in highlighted yellow text. Revise and
update plans annually or as needed. Each revision or significant change should be e-mailed to the Office
of Emergency Management (OEM) at oem@gwu.edu. Contact OEM at 202-994-4936 with any questions
you may have.
The George Washington University
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Record of Changes
Regular review of this Emergency Response Plan should be conducted at least annually. Revisions and
updates may be made based on operational changes, best practices and corrective actions identified
through exercises, incidents, and assessment processes. The [Division, Department or Office] Planning
Coordinator should track and record changes using the sample table below.
Date
Page/Section
The George Washington University
[Month Year]
Revision
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Table of Contents
Template Instructions
Record of Changes
Table of Contents
I.
Introduction
a. Purpose
b. Scope
c. Roles and Responsibilities
d. Locations
e. Planning Assumptions
II.
Emergency Response
a. Direction, Control and Coordination
b. Students, Faculty, Staff and Visitors
c. Special Considerations for Unique Hazards
d. Notification and Incident Information Sharing
i. University-wide
ii. Unit Specific
e. Evacuation Assembly Locations
f. Severe Weather Shelter-in-Place Locations
g. Documentation
III.
Training, Testing and Exercising Preparedness Efforts
IV.
Plan Development and Maintenance
Attachments
1. Emergency Items and Equipment
2. Contact List
The George Washington University
[Month Year]
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Introduction
Purpose
The introduction to the Emergency Response Plan should explain the importance of emergency planning.
It may also discuss the background for planning and reference recent events that have led to the
increased emphasis on the importance of emergency planning for the division, department or office.
Sample text for this section is provided below.
GW is vulnerable to a variety of natural and human-caused hazards, each having the ability to disrupt
university operations and activities. While the severity and consequences of an emergency cannot be
predicted, planning for all types of hazards contributes to effective emergency response. The primary
objective of the Emergency Response Plan is to contribute to the protection of students, faculty, staff,
visitors, property and the environment.
Scope
This section describes the applicability of the Emergency Response Plan to your division, department(s)
and office(s) at the Foggy Bottom, Mount Vernon and Virginia Science and Technology campuses,
education centers and other GW related locations. The scope of the Emergency Response Plan should
address all types of hazards (natural and man-made). Sample text for this section is provided below.
The [Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan applies to all [Division, Department or
Office] personnel and works to ensure [Division, Department or Office] is capable of responding to
emergencies.
Roles and Responsibilities
This section should delineate responsibilities for emergency preparedness and response. Sample text for
this section includes:
Preparedness
All students, faculty, staff, divisions, departments and office share the responsibility of emergency
preparedness. [Division, Department or Office] leadership should develop this Emergency Response Plan
and familiarize their units with emergency preparedness policies, procedures and responsibilities. In
addition, [Division, Department or Office] leadership should:
 ensure faculty and staff understand their role during a university closure or emergency;
 ensure faculty and staff have prepared a workplace emergency kit;
 maintain a current list of faculty and staff contact information;
 procure and maintain necessary emergency supplies, equipment and items;
 routinely discuss, test and exercise planning efforts;
 coordinate preparedness activities with other academic and administrative units as needed;
 regularly review emergency preparedness information with faculty and staff, and train them on
emergency plans and notification procedures; and
 empower employees, with skills, knowledge and training, to respond appropriately during
emergencies.
Response
The George Washington University
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
All students, faculty, staff and visitors should take appropriate measures to protect themselves from
threats and hazards. [Division, Department or Office] leadership should notify and share emergency
information with students, faculty, staff, visitors, each other, supervisors, unit leaders, stakeholders and
ensure appropriate protective measures are being taken.
Locations
Buildings and locations that the [Division, Department or Office] occupies:
[Building Name]
[Office Location/Suite Number]
[Building Address]
[Building Address]
[Contact Person at Location, Title and Phone Numbers]
[Building Name]
[Office Location/Suite Number]
[Building Address]
[Building Address]
[Contact Person at Location, Title and Phone Numbers]
[Building Name]
[Office Location/Suite Number]
[Building Address]
[Building Address]
[Contact Person at Location, Title and Phone Numbers]
[Number of Employees who Telecommute and/or use Hoteling Space]
Planning Assumptions
This section should provide readers with assumptions made during the planning process. Sample text for
this section is provided below.
The [Division, Department or Office] and the Office of Emergency Management developed this
Emergency Response Plan with the following assumptions:
 An incident may occur at any time of the day or night, weekend or holiday and with little or no
warning.
 The success of events in an incident is not predictable. The [Division, Department or Office]’s
Emergency Response Plan may require modifications in order to meet the requirements of the
emergency.
 GW is exposed to a variety of natural and human-caused hazards that have the potential to disrupt
the community and cause damage.
 Incidents affecting the university may also impact the surrounding community. It is necessary for
the university to prepare for and carry out emergency response and recovery operations in
conjunction with external partners.
 [Insert additional assumptions here.]
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Emergency Response
Direction, Control and Coordination
This section provides information on how this unit specific plan supports the Emergency Operations Plan
and Emergency Response Handbook while linking other preparedness plans.
The contents and procedures in this plan are consistent with direction described in the University
Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and the Emergency Response Handbook. As described in the EOP,
Incident Management Teams oversee the university’s strategic and tactical-level activities during
emergency response and recovery efforts. Divisions, departments and offices should follow direction
provided by Incident Management Teams. As needed, this unit will coordinate response and recovery
efforts with Incident Management Teams, other university units and stakeholders.
Students, Faculty, Staff and Visitors
Individuals should follow guidance in the Emergency Response Handbook and this emergency response
plan, as well as directions provided by first responders. The Emergency Response Handbook provides
guidance for the following situations: fire, severe weather, earthquake, assisting people with access and
functional needs, medical emergency, utility failure, biological release/chemical spill, suspicious/unusual
package or mail, suspicious person, bomb threat, violence/active shooter and crime. Students, faculty,
staff and visitors should always follow instructions provided by first responders and emergency officials.
Special Considerations for Unique Hazards
Not all hazards are listed in the Emergency Response Handbook. Additional hazards that are specific to
your unit require special considerations and procedures. Detail any unique hazards and special
considerations for those hazards below:
[Detail special response procedures, notifications, protective actions, protective equipment and
other needs for unique hazards here.]
Notification and Incident Information Sharing
During an incident, it is important to share information among members of your unit and other key
stakeholders. Knowing how your unit will communicate during an incident and developing a strong
communications plan will ensure an efficient flow of information during an incident. Sharing incident
information is fundamental for successful emergency response.
University-wide
This section describes how GW notifies students, faculty and staff of emergencies affecting the university
community.
GW Campus Advisories
CampusAdvisories.gwu.edu is the university’s primary website used for communicating
emergency preparedness and incident-related information to the GW community. Users can visit
this site for changes in university status, adverse weather conditions, important safety issues, and
anything else that may disrupt normal operations.
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
GW Alert
GW Alert is a notification system that sends emergency alerts to e-mail addresses and mobile
devices. Students, faculty and staff may update their account and add additional contact
information in the GWeb Information system. During emergencies, alerts may also appear at the
top of university webpages.
Infomail
A blast e-mail system that may be used separately or in conjunction with GW Alert that provides
notification and/or advice for incident preparation to the GW community.
Twitter/Facebook
Select GW Campus Advisories and GW Alerts are posted to the university's Twitter
(@GWtweets) and Facebook (/GeorgeWashingtonUniversity) accounts.
GW Information Line
A recorded information line, the 202-994-5050 line provides a brief message regarding the
university's status and any pertinent information. The Virginia Science and Technology Campus
(703-726-8333) and the Biostatistics Center (301-881-9260) have their own information lines.
Unit Specific
This section describes the unit’s primary and back-up methods, and procedures, for internal notification
and communications (e.g. listservs, e-mail distribution lists, phone trees) as well as external
communications.
In the event of a localized incident, which may only affect your unit, or if your unit needs to communicate
during an emergency, the [Division, Department or Office] will communicate using the following
methods:
[Insert communication methods and considerations here.]
Note: Individuals should always call GW Police at 202-994-6111 (Foggy Bottom) or 202-242-6111
(Mount Vernon) first to report an emergency. Individuals not at Foggy Bottom or Mount Vernon should
call 911.
Per university policy, during an emergency, divisions, departments and offices will only retweet or repost
official GW social media tweets (@GWtweets) and Facebook posts (/GeorgeWashingtonUniversity) to
reduce sharing of misinformation. In addition, direct all inquiries (i.e. from students and parents)
regarding university-wide emergencies to CampusAdvisories.gwu.edu or to the GW Information Line.
Evacuation Assembly Locations
In addition to guidance provided in the Emergency Response Handbook, units should pre-identify
assembly locations should their locations be evacuated. It is important to note that students, faculty, staff
and visitors should always listen to instructions provided by first responders and emergency officials.
[Insert evacuation assembly locations here.]
The George Washington University
[Month Year]
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Shelter-in-Place Locations
In addition to guidance provided in the Emergency Response Handbook, units should pre-identify shelterin-place locations should they take immediate shelter indoors and isolate themselves from the threat.
Shelter-in-place considerations will be different depending on the threat or hazard. It is important to
note that students, faculty, staff and visitors should always listen to instructions provided by first
responders and emergency officials.
[Insert shelter-in-place locations here.]
Documentation
Record keeping in real time is vital for effective emergency response and recovery efforts. During
emergency response and recovery, [Division, Department or Office] will keep detailed records of all
damage, employee time, payroll information, resources used, expenditures, procurement activities,
contracts, actions taken and other relevant information. Documentation should begin as soon as response
efforts start and continue until recovery operations are complete. Incident Management Teams may
request collected information at any time during response and recovery operations.
[Detail who is responsible for documentation and how you will document during an emergency.]
The George Washington University
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Training, Testing and Exercising Preparedness Efforts
This section should contain a strategy that provides your division, department or office with a regularly
scheduled, integrated training, testing and exercise program to ensure that your unit is capable of
effectively responding to emergencies. Training, testing and exercising the Emergency Response Plan
will familiarize your unit with individual roles and responsibilities during an emergency, and ensure
emergency plans, communication methods and emergency items work properly.
[Division, Department or Office] will provide an appropriate orientation of the [Division, Department or
Office] Emergency Response Plan and the Emergency Response Handbook to all new employees and
review this plan, at least, on an annual basis with all employees.
Additional trainings and resources are available from the Office of Emergency Management, Office of
Health and Safety, and the GW Police Department at safety.gwu.edu.
[Describe how the division, department or office will train, test and exercise their Emergency Response
Plan.]
The George Washington University
[Month Year]
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Plan Development and Maintenance
This section describes the process the division, department or office uses to maintain a current
Emergency Response Plan. The section should identify who is responsible for revisions and updates, how
often the agency will review and update the plan and how coordination will occur. Sample text for this
section is provided below.
[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan Maintenance Schedule:
Date
Name/Position
The George Washington University
[Month Year]
Responsible For
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Attachment #1: Emergency Items and Equipment
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to build a kit with items to sustain themselves for three days in
case of emergencies. Divisions, departments and offices should procure and maintain necessary
emergency supplies and items. List the location of emergency supplies and items your unit maintains or
has access to:
Emergency Supply or Item
Location
Copy of this Plan
Emergency Kit
First Aid Kit
Flashlights
Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
Fire Extinguisher
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[Division, Department or Office] Emergency Response Plan
Attachment #2: Contact List
Divisions, departments and offices should compile a list of important internal and external contacts for
communication during an incident. This should also serve as a roster to assist in accounting for
individuals during an emergency.
Internal Contacts:
Name
Title
GW Unit
Office
Phone
Work
Wireless
E-Mail
Company
/Contractor
Office
Phone
Work
Wireless
E-Mail
External Stakeholders:
Name
Title
The George Washington University
[Month Year]
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