Emergency Action Plan

Estimate of the Situation

An emergency situation may occur that could affect the University and surrounding areas, such as a sudden loss of power and/or natural gas for an extended period of time. During this period, electronic communication will be of critical importance in the coordination of emergency activities on campus and for sharing information with parents, the public, and press. There will be the need for limited specific operational administrative activities to occur during emergency periods.

Assumptions

• Power outages may last anywhere from a few minutes to indefinite.
• Natural gas outages have no impact on campus communications.
• At least 1 (one) Internet service provider to the University is functioning.
• Telephone central office is functioning.
• Diesel generator for Information Technology is functioning.

Preplanning Actions (To Do before the Power Outage)

Internal (Information Technology) Actions

• Identify desktop systems and networking equipment for emergency use.
• Insure key IT staff have cell phone numbers posted.
• Building local command center in main IT conference room.
• More "message boards" for the telephone switch should be acquired and dedicated to emergency use only.
• Insure emergency contact lists are up to date and posted.
• Set aside 16 port emergency data switch and 16 station cables.

External (others on campus) Actions

• Test generator cutover with data center equipment. (Facilities)
• Coordinate with MarCom on how to access web servers during outage.

Notification Procedures

• Post announcement on IT web status/alert page of initial situation and what technology/communications services are operational, and where.
• Post announcement on main IT phone line of situation.
• Notify building of EOC activation.

Action During the First 4 (four) hours of the Event

• Mobilize required IT staff.
  • Coverage for main phone line.
  • Staff to move PCs if required.
  • Systems and network/telecom staff.
• Assess status of data center and equipment.
  • Assess any physical damage as necessary.
  • Confirm UPS and generator have cutover in power failure.
  • Confirm phone switch is operational.
    • Confirm local and long distance connectivity to providers (e.g., Pac Bell).
    • Confirm EON wireless phone system is working.
  • Confirm data network is operational.
    • Confirm Internet access.
    • Confirm central web servers are operational.
    • Confirm central e-mail services are operational.
• Notify Campus EOC in Facilities of our status.
• Assist MarCom with posting general notifications on telephone system message board(s). {554-4000 and/or additional lines}
• Depending upon type and scope of the emergency, determine if the bank of local data entry systems needs to be implemented.
  • Deploy emergency network switch in rear of data center.
  • Use tables from data center and guest chairs from office as needed.
  • Bring systems over from Orradre lab up to 16 as needed.
• Deploy mini-hub and 2-4 PCs in IT EOC, as needed.

Needs and Obstacles to Address to Complete this Plan

• UPS/generator power for lighting and data in IT EOC is not available at this time. Funding for upgrading this infrastructure must be identified, and then the work done.
• Funding for the additional telephone switch message boards needs to be identified, then the hardware ordered and installed.

Primary IT EMT contacts

• John Bright
• Todd Schmitzer