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Emergency Managements Fact Sheet

Introduction

The Department of Environmental Safety, Sustainability and Risk (ESSR) is responsible for responding to assist the agencies legally responsible for, or to directly provide, emergency management and appropriate incident investigation on the University of Maryland campus. ESSR's primary function at a campus emergency is to assist the legally responsible agency when requested, and to provide information and advice regarding campus processes, chemicals, special hazards, structures, utilities, etc. ESSR has legal enforcement authority for certain radiation emergencies and fire investigations.

Applicable University Policy

  • UMD Environmental Services Facility and Auxiliary Storage Facility Contingency and Emergency Plan
  • MUTR Emergency Plan (Maryland University Training Reactor)

Applicable Regulations

Federal and State regulations require that the University of Maryland have a Contingency and Emergency Plan for the Nuclear Reactor located in the Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Building, and for the Environmental Services Facility and Auxiliary Storage Facility located on the north end of campus. Additionally, OSHA and the State Fire Prevention Code require the development of emergency procedures.

Summary of Requirements

ESSR functions at emergencies according to an established emergency chain of command. The emergency chain of command should in no way inhibit any ESSR employee from acting as a reasonable and prudent person when an emergency is reported to, or discovered by, that employee. All emergency reporting and action procedures which apply to other University employees, also apply to ESSR employees. The Prince George's County Fire Department is legally in charge of all fires, hazardous materials incidents, and emergency medical incidents to which they have been dispatched. The University of Maryland Police Department is legally in charge at all crime scenes. ESSR Fire Marshals are legally authorized and responsible for performing fire investigations. Primarily, ESSR assists the legally responsible agency by providing information and advice. ESSR has administrative authority to mitigate imminent hazards. After a campus emergency has been determined by the legal authority to be over, it is the responsibility of ESSR to conduct an investigation of the incident to determine the cause, evaluate the response to enable the University to prevent similar situations, and to provide mitigation, decontamination, and supervision of clean up operations after hazardous materials incidents. Emergency Response may require the mobilization of one or more ESSR units and/or one or more representatives from other departments, depending on the type of emergency and information required.

Training

Cross-functional drills are reviewed and practiced by all pertinent ESSR units to respond to all emergencies in the event that personnel from a specialized ESSR unit are not immediately available.

Reporting

Reports of emergencies received by ESSR will be processed to 911 (UMPD) to initiate emergency response personnel and to the appropriate ESSR unit for assistance. As soon as possible during or after an incident, the Director, Assistant Vice President - Division of Administration, the Director of Public Information, and the appropriate Dean, Director or Department Chair responsible for effected facilities will be notified by an electronic mail incident summary report or by telephone depending on the magnitude of the incident.

For incidents involving injury, death, environmental release or property damage, notification must be made to the appropriate regulating agency as soon as possible.

Recordkeeping

An incident report will be completed by ESSR response personnel following all incidents. An E-mail summary report of the incident will be forwarded to the Director, Associate Vice President-Division of Administration, Director of Public Information, and the Dean, Director, or Department Chair of the affected facility.

Written Procedures

Written procedures exist for the following emergencies:

  • MUTR Emergency and Contingency Plan
  • ESF& Aux Storage Facility Emergency & Contingency Plan
  • Accident-Injury Involving Employees/Students/Visitors
  • Asbestos Fiber Release
  • Blood Spill
  • Building Structure-Dangerous Condition/Collapse
  • Chemical Spill
  • Civil Disturbance
  • Construction Accident
  • Environmental Hazard/Spill
  • Fire/Fire Involving Chemicals
  • Gas Leak/Odors
  • Handling of Detonable Chemicals
  • Natural Disasters
  • Radioactive Material Spill

University Resources

Campus Emergency 9-1-1
Department of Environmental Safety, Sustainability and Risk (301) 405-3960
ESSR Fax No.    (301) 314-9294
ESSR Website: https://essr.umd.edu
Emergency Response Wall Chart

Written 5/98
Revised 4/05

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