Emergency Management
Building a safer, more resilient campus through emergency preparedness, response and recovery efforts
The Emergency Management office provides emergency planning in compliance with federal and state emergency management regulations for all Penn State locations. The office is responsible for:
Developing, updating, and exercising the overall University Emergency Operations Plan
Overseeing and coordinating emergency planning, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts at all locations
Educating the community on how to best protect themselves by following all applicable regulations and best practices
Facilitating exercises and coordinating drills in support of existing plans
Notifying the community upon declaration of a state of emergency, including appropriate external emergency management agencies, and maintaining the University's Emergency Operations Center
Coordinating centralized resources with responsible personnel at all Commonwealth campus locations if an emergency is declared affecting those units
Managing and maintaining the PSUAlert emergency notification system
Contact
Brian Bittner, Emergency Management Director, (814) 867-3430
Alexandra Craige, Senior Emergency Mgmt. Coordinator (University Park)
Eric Morgan, Emergency Management Coordinator (Western District)
Dan Spencer, Emergency Management Coordinator (Eastern District)
Email: [email protected]
Mailing Address:
University Police and Public Safety - Emergency Management
8 University Drive, University Support Building 1, Suite 104
University Park, PA 16802
Resources
Travel and weather information:
National Weather Service
Weather.com
Penn State Transportation Services
Department of State
CIA World Factbook
Penn State Travel Services
State and Federal Resources
American Red Cross
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Homeland Security
Pandemic Preparedness
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)
Ready.gov
State Homeland Security
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Action Guides
Continuity Planning
Exercises/Drills
The following can be facilitated with your college, department, or unit.
Drills - This is a coordinated and supervised exercise used to test a single specific operation or function. It involves deployment of equipment and personnel.
Tabletop Exercise - This is a facilitated group analysis of an emergency situation in an informal stress-free environment. It is designed for examination of operational plans, problem identification, and in-depth problem solving.
Functional Exercise - This is a fully simulated interactive exercise that tests the capability of an organization to respond to a simulated event. It takes place in the Emergency Operations Center and focuses on coordination of multiple functions or organizations. This exercise strives for realism and is short of actually deploying equipment and personnel.
Full-Scale Exercise - This is a simulated emergency event, as close to reality as possible. It involves all emergency response functions and requires full deployment of equipment and personnel. (To note, planning efforts for this type of an exercise would take approximately 12 months, from the start to final execution.)
Email the Emergency Management Office if your unit is interested in conducting a drill or exercise.
Clery Exercises
Clery Exercise - This is a year exercise completed with all campuses. The exercises are conducted with campus leadership, as well as their crisis management team to practice emergency situations that fall under the Clery Act. The exercise also generates a physical test of the emergency notification system known as PSUAlert.
Other Training Sites
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) training page offers information on training, drills, and emergency management.
Penn State Environmental Health & Safety offers training and emergency information.
University Police also offers training exercises and courses on safety, security, and self-defense.