Terms of Reference

A capabilities-based approach for prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery that addresses a full range of threats and hazards, including natural, human-caused, and technology-caused disasters.

The ability to recognize hazardous scenarios or disruptions and respond accordingly.

Examples of creating such awareness include distribution of posters and flyers targeted at campus-wide audience or conducting specific business continuity, emergency management briefings for operational staff and executive management. Awareness is less formal than training and is generally targeted at all students, faculty, and staff.

A documented collection of procedures and information that is developed, compiled and maintained in readiness for use in an incident that will enable campus to continue delivering its critical products and services at an acceptable predefined level.

The process of developing prior arrangements and procedures that enable an organization to respond to an event in such a manner that critical business functions can continue within planned levels of disruption.

The process of analyzing business functions and the effect that a business interruption might have upon them.

A lifeline enables the continuous operation of critical government and business functions and is essential to human health and safety or economic security. Lifelines are the most fundamental services in the community that, when stabilized, enable all other aspects of society to function.

Faculty and/or staff who are responsible for the development and continued maintenance of their COOP.

A document that contains management policy and procedures used to guide response to a major loss of capabilities or damage to facilities. It defines the activities of individual departments and units and their subcomponents to ensure their essential functions are performed.

A documented collection of procedures and information that is used to manage all official communication from the University, including internal messages to students, faculty, staff, media and external communication other than operational coordination.

The overall coordination of an organization’s response to a crisis in an effective, timely manner, with the goal of avoiding or minimizing damage to the organization’s profitability, reputation and ability to operate.

A situation where widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses have occurred which exceeded the ability of the affected organization, community, or society to respond and recover using its own resources.

The strategies and plans for recovering and restoring the organization’s technological infrastructure and capabilities after a serious interruption.

A University developed, or redeveloped, to minimize the human, environmental and property losses as well as the social and economic disruption caused by disasters. A resilient community understands natural systems and realizes that appropriate siting, design and construction of the built environment are essential to advances in disaster prevention.

The capability that enables an organization or community to respond to an emergency in a coordinated, timely and effective manner following the Incident Command System / National Incident Management System model to prevent the loss of life and minimize injury and property damage.

An emergency alert that is disseminated within seconds of confirmation of and intended to warn persons about an imminent threat (shooter, severe weather, gas leak) on/to campus using as few characters as possible. For campus emergencies, a NinerAlert will serve as an emergency notification.

The facility used by emergency response teams to support emergency response operations on the scene of an incident or disaster. 

A plan maintained by the Office of Emergency Management intended to be used by UNC Charlotte employees and agencies that assist the University in preventing, mitigating, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from a crisis, emergency, or disaster. 

A physical event which interrupts business processes sufficiently to threaten the viability of the organization.

A capabilities and performance-based exercise program that provides a standardized methodology and terminology for exercise design, development, conduct, evaluation and improvement planning. UNC Charlotte utilizes HSEEP to successfully exercise and train emergency personnel during simulated emergencies. HSEEP constitutes a national standard for all exercises. Through exercises, the National Exercise Program supports organizations to achieve objective assessments of their capabilities so that strengths and areas for improvement are identified, corrected and shared as appropriate prior to a real incident.

A condition under which deadly force or probable harm may occur to persons on campus.

An occurrence that threatens to disrupt University operations.

A standardized, on scene, all-hazards incident management approach. ICS allows for the integration of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications operating within a common organizational structure. It enables a coordinated response among various response teams, jurisdictions and functional agencies, both public and private. ICS establishes common processes for planning and managing resources, and is a subcomponent of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), as released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2004.

The Office of Emergency Management supports training and exercises to teach and evaluate readiness capabilities campus wide. The use of staff and students to support exercise design, development, conduct and evaluation is an important method for generating greater awareness campus wide while eliciting support from the campus community. The Integrated Preparedness Plan (IPP) fulfills the University’s need to practice emergency plans.

An interagency entity established to coordinate and disseminate information for the public and media concerning an incident. JICs may be established locally, regionally or nationally depending on the size and magnitude of the incident.

Sustainable actions that reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. 

A technique that identifies threats, vulnerabilities and impacts. Based on the results of the risk assessment, mitigation and risk treatment measures will be identified such as decreases to disruption likelihoods, shortening the period of disruption and limiting the impact of a disruption.

Finding a safe location indoors and staying there until you are given an “all clear” or told to evacuate.