Weather Plan

The UTMB President has designated the function of initiating all Stages of the Emergency Plan to the Institutional Emergency Preparedness Officer (IEPO). If a weather emergency occurs outside of regular working hours (M-F, 8a.m. – 5p.m.), SHP personnel will be contacted via the Leadership Communication Tree along with UTMB modes of communication included below. Each department is responsible for maintaining a departmental emergency plan addressing employee and student related functions, a phone tree with contact information for each employee and a system for communicating information during and immediately after an emergency.

The IEPO may issue instructions for release of nonessential (N) employees, class cancellation/student release during any of the phases. All instructions, including class cancellation, student release, evacuation, and work/class resumption will be communicated through the broadcast media and UTMB website and in coordination with the Academic & Students Affairs Office and Departments as appropriate. See the UTMB Alert webpage, http://www.utmb.edu/alert/, for additional information.

Communications

During and after an emergency, all employees and students will be called back to work and classes through broadcast media announcements, and information on the UTMB website. Students are encouraged to contact their respective departments during the preparation and re-entry stages rather than the Office of the Dean.

After the IEPO has determined that the emergency has ended and has communicated through the above noted avenues, University Police will establish a procedure to allow access based on IEPO directives to open the nonessential facilities to academic essential personnel to assess damage, secure hazardous substances, and to protect research materials and equipment. After the re-entry contact person has ascertained the status of hazardous materials, he/she should notify the Environmental Health and Safety representative in the Emergency Command Center (ECC), who will be available to assist in assessing the hazard or cleaning up spills of hazardous materials, or contact the ECC as directed by communications. Nonessential personnel will not be permitted to re-enter the building until directed by IEPO through media, website and/or First Alert communications. Additional information may be provided through school and departmental leadership as able.

In the event electronic connections to Galveston are disrupted, UTMB may activate back up computer services run on servers located in other Texas cities. Mission critical applications will be the first to be restored.

In the event of a disaster or emergency weather conditions, please refer to the following lines of communication for more information:

§ Call the UTMB hotline at (409) 77-ALERT (772-5378) or toll free at (888) 772-5449; or

Information Technology Emergencies - In the event that there is a disruption of network or applications services, you can check the status of any given system by viewing the Daily Operations Status

FIRSTCALL is UTMB's Emergency Alert Notification System - All employee and students are urged to register for this very important communication system to receive urgent information via email, phone and text messages. To register and for more information go to: http://www.utmb.edu/emergency_plan/firstcall/

All personnel in academic areas (non-hospital personnel) will be assigned a classification code for the purpose of defining responsibilities and for communication purposes.

Please Note:
1. At this time, no SHP personnel other than the Dean may be designated Essential to remain during adverse conditions.
2. All SHP personnel not appearing on this list are designated N - Nonessential.

E-RE = RE-ENTRY ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL: Designated persons in academic areas who will assist with re-entry after a weather emergency, may be assigned to work at an alternate location if assigned and may to come to work during scheduled time off if requested. These personnel may also be essential for preparation as determined by department needs.

N = NONESSENTIAL PERSONNEL: Employees during a declared emergency status, but who cannot leave campus/hospital until released by supervisor and must return to work as directed when emergency ends.

**Please refer to the main UTMB Emergency Operations link (http://www.utmb.edu/emergency_plan/) for information on personal preparation, links to City of Galveston guide and the Emergency Operations Plan found on that page provides detailed information on essential operations and personnel.

NOTE: E-RE personnel are allowed to re-enter the building when the Emergency Command Center determines, where the UTMB Police working with Environmental Health and Safety, will determine when it is safe to re-enter. Personnel must have the orange essential badge card, orange parking pass and UTMB badge available to present as needed on campus and at any check points en route to UTMB.

GUIDELINES FOR PREPARATION OF DEPARTMENTAL EMERGENCY WEATHER PLANS FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIAL USE AND STORAGE AREA

In order to assist academic departments in the preparation of their departmental weather plan for areas where hazardous materials are used or stored, the following guidelines are provided.

The purpose of this guideline is to minimize the potential for the release and spread of hazardous materials due to the effects of flooding or high wind forces. Hazardous material use and storage areas in basements and on ground floors should be considered susceptible to flooding. Such areas located in rooms having outside windows should be considered susceptible to damage from high winds and flying debris.

Specific activities are required as each category of the ACADEMIC WEATHER PLAN is implemented. (Refer above to Classification Codes for SHP Personnel). Each distinct Laboratory shall have assigned personnel and alternates to ensure that all laboratory areas are secure. Principal Investigators/Authorized Users are to assume the responsibility to see that proper precautions are taken to reduce loss, damages and potential health hazards should severe flooding or a hurricane occur.

Departmental emergency weather plans for areas where hazardous materials are used or stored should specifically provide for the following courses of action: