UC takes a comprehensive approach to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from any adverse event or disruption, including all types of emergencies and disasters. Facilities should be aware of and trained in their location’s Emergency Operations Plan and other response plans and procedures. See Systemwide Emergency Management and Business Continuity | UCOP; UCOP “Policy on Safeguards, Security, and Emergency Management,” 2006; California Office of Emergency Services (OES) SEMS/NIMS Integration; and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Incident Management System Guidelines.
The University has voluntarily adopted the National Standard for Emergency, Continuity and Crisis Management: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (NFPA 1660. 2024 Ed) as its systemwide programmatic guidance and benchmarking standard for campus-based emergency management programs. This collaboratively developed and widely adopted National Standard encompasses mitigation, preparedness, response, continuity, and recovery. It also covers criteria related to mass evacuation, sheltering and re-entry.
State law requires all state and local agencies, including the UC to use the Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS). SEMS is used by emergency response agencies statewide to coordinate response to multi-jurisdictional or multi-agency incidents, and to facilitate the flow of information and the rapid mobilization, deployment, and tracking of state and local resources. State disaster assistance programs require the use of SEMS for a campus to be eligible for full reimbursement of costs related to response. Facility planning shall incorporate the major elements of SEMS into their emergency plans and operations. By incorporating SEMS, each Facility will use the same basic emergency response organizational structure and terminology as all other city, county, and state agencies.
The University's facilities and operations are highly specialized and therefore require highly skilled and trained personnel to deal with emergency response and recovery operations. For this reason, it may be preferable to call upon internal University resources for assistance, rather than outside agencies or contractors.
The UC Systemwide Emergency Management Mutual Aid Memorandum of Understanding is a systemwide document that establishes a formal process for UC locations to request temporary assistance — personnel, equipment, technology or other resources — from other UC locations during an emergency. The MOU is designed to augment (not replace) local or regional mutual-aid frameworks, ensuring UC-internal coordination and resource-sharing during emergencies or major events.
After an earthquake, post-earthquake building inspections are critical for determining whether structures are safe to reoccupy and for identifying hazards that could lead to secondary injuries or damage. While licensed engineers or trained inspectors typically perform the formal structural evaluations, facilities staff play an essential frontline role in this process. facilities staff may be the first to assess non-structural conditions—such as utility disruptions, water intrusion, fallen ceiling tiles, chemical spills, or damaged mechanical and electrical systems—and to communicate urgent findings to the Emergency Operations Center. Facilities personnel help implement immediate controls like shutting off utilities, securing unsafe areas, coordinating access for inspectors, and supporting documentation efforts.
A systemwide guideline and checklist has been developed to aid locations in incorporating the needs of individuals with disabilities (see RD - UC Emergency Preparedness and Evacuation Checklist). The designated facility representative is responsible for informing UCOP of their campus’s status by submitting a completed checklist. The verification of campus programs will take place every quarter to ensure conformance with the checklist elements. Once conformance is achieved, this verification will occur annually. Questions regarding this system-wide guidance should be directed to UCOP Capital Programs Executive Director, Lauren Friedman at lauren.friedman@ucop.edu Questions on local evacuation procedures should be directed to your location's Emergency Management Office.