University of Michigan-Flint

Providing a safe environment for employees to work and students to learn is a primary concern of the University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint) administration and campus community. All of us, regardless of our job description or title, want a safe and healthy environment. Critical to this goal is being knowledgeable about what to do in the event of an emergency, understanding our roles and responsibilities, following the guidelines for responding to incidents and practicing drills so that response becomes second nature.

Essentially emergency planning and being prepared is our shared responsibility.

This UM-Flint Campus Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is designed as an "All Hazards" approach to response to a wide variety of emergency scenarios. Its primary focus is safely evacuating, sheltering, securing in place, seeking medical treatment or responding in the initial phases of an emergency incident.  If an incident continues to evolve without being adequately controlled, he Crisis Management Team may be activated and Business Continuity Plans may be initiated.

However, the primary function of the ERP is to establish a framework for UM-Flint to respond effectively and safely to an emergency. This includes assessing an emergency situation, coordinating a response effort and, most importantly, ensuring that individuals are informed, safely evacuated or sheltered and accounted for with reasonable assurance.

If you have any questions, concerns or would like further information about the Campus ERP perhaps need assistance in further developing departmental response plans and Business Continuity Plans or BCPs please contact EHS at 810-766-6763.

Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) It is essential that each department have an up-to-date business continuity plan so that the essential operations will safely continue with limited interruption. A continuity planning template has been designed by the University for departments to use as a guide or initial starting point, when beginning the process of developing their own business continuity plans.  Some issues to consider as you develop, review or further fine-tune your plans include: 

• What critical operations or business must continue, and can be done from a remote location (i.e. employee’s home, secondary office location)?
• Does your operation have a way to contact students, faculty, staff, other stakeholders if there is an event cancellation, class suspension, department closure, building closure?
• Which employees must report to work, even if classes are canceled? Are employees crossed trained in multiply job functions in the event some one is not able to perform critical tasks due to illness
• If the university is not closed, but employees or students are away because of illness or taking care of relatives, how does that impact classes? business operations?
• Have you coordinated your continuity plans with other departments that you may be relying upon for emergency services… Facilities Management, DPS, ITS, EBS, etc.?
• Have you identified alternate suppliers and or service providers in the event that those contractors that you supply upon for essential supplies or services are unable to provide the necessary supplies/services during a local/regional outbreak?

Do you need help with your preparedness planning?  The Environment, Health and Safety department works closely with other internal departments as well as the Genesee County Health department, County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Office, UM Ann Arbor campus OSEH, UHS, and the Dearborn Campus in reviewing and updating, where needed, our campus hazard preparedness planning efforts. EHS is available to meet and assist UM-Flint departments in developing continuity plans, conducting department specific training and exercises. Contact EHS at 766-6763 for assistance.