Evacuation Procedures
This plan provides the University with an effective and efficient procedure to respond to a disaster requiring a partial or total evacuation of the campus. The plan provides for the warning of students, faculty, and staff and delineates responsibilities of on-campus and off-campus personnel and local government agencies, provides for evacuation centers, and establishes operating procedures for an effective and safe evacuation of the campus.
Initial Response
Evacuation of the campus can be ordered by the University Director of Public Safety or her/his authorized designee, alone, or in conjunction with any of the following:
- City of Boston Fire Department
- State Fire Marshal
- State Police
- Any appropriate federal, state or local agency
The Director of Public Safety shall consult with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, the Office of the Director of Environmental Health and Safety, and/or other appropriate University officials in making this decision as time and circumstances allow. Should time and circumstances prohibit prior consultation, notification shall be made through the Public Safety chain-of-command as soon as possible thereafter. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance shall be responsible for notifying University administrators of the situation.
Should the order to evacuate the campus come from outside the University, the Public Safety Dispatcher will verify the call and immediately notify the police shift supervisor. The University Public Safety internal chain-of-command shall be notified by the supervisor or designee.
Notification
Public Safety Dispatcher will notify:
State and Boston Police, which will
- Request assistance
- Control traffic off campus
UMB Parking and Transportation, which will:
- Open all parking gates
- Request additional University shuttle buses
- Request additional MBTA buses
- Alert MBTA for possibility of additional trains
- Alert water shuttle as necessary
- Assist Disability Evacuees (Paratransit Transportation)
Facilities, which will provide assistance as needed:
- Activate Personnel
- Assign Personnel to assist Public Safety
- Install barricades
- Provide vehicles
Notify Environmental, Health & Safety
- Provide advice and counsel as needed
Administration and Finance will notify:
Office of the Chancellor
Human Resources: Activate Telephone Tree Notification System:
- Vice Chancellors, Deans, Administrators, Directors, Faculty, Staff
Office of the Provost
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Communications and Community Relations:
- Notify On-Campus Radio UMB
- Notify Off-Campus Media
- Coordinate Notification of Campus Community via email & emergency broadcast with the Department of Information Technology
Commonwealth Archives Administration
JFK Library Administration
Campus Wide Notification
Department of Public Safety is responsible for alerting and informing the campus of an evacuation.
Public Safety Officers will alert campus by any one or combination of the following:
- Building by Building / Door-to-Door Notifications
Public Safety vehicles with loudspeakers
Fire Alarms
Persons Needing Assistance
University Police will identify a pick-up area for paratransit vehicles. Persons needing assistance should call 911 on any campus phone; identify the type of assistance needed, their location, and follow instructions of Public Safety.
Command Post
Depending on the circumstances of the evacuation, the University may need to establish a command post to manage the crisis and the University. The location of the command post shall be determined by the Chancellor, provided however that Public Safety might establish a temporary emergency command post on its own initiative. Administration and Finance will notify the appropriate individuals when a command post has been established and that their presence is needed.