PROGRAMS & SERVICES
EMERGENCIES: 911
Building Emergency Response Team (ERT)
Georgia State recognizes the importance of providing threat assessments, information, training and resources to promote the safety of students, faculty, staff, visitors and security of campus facilities. In order for the university to provide timely safety and security information and response, each organizational unit must designate a primary building coordinator for each occupied university building.
The building coordinators are responsible for:
- Serving as the emergency point of contact regarding safety and security issues affecting their building.
- Developing emergency action plans for their building (in conjunction with Georgia State’s emergency operations manager).
- Executing and evaluating emergency drills coordinated by the Georgia State’s emergency operations manager.
- Receiving and monitoring emergency communications from campus safety units and disseminating relevant information throughout the building.
- Providing appropriate training for students, faculty and staff in their building.
- Addressing and coordinating safety and security-related actions through the appropriate administrative authority.
- Ensuring building safety and health concerns are reported to the appropriate administrators.
- Serving on campus safety and security committees.
Email us if you are interested in becoming a member of the Building Emergency Response Team.
Building Safety & Security Assessment
A good physical security solution isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every space and building is unique, and security needs change over time. In today’s buildings, security systems need to protect the perimeter, as well as safeguard the sensitive data and information that’s constantly in motion. So even if you’ve installed security systems in the past, they may not meet the current standards for protection. Physical Security is an integral part of preventing crime on and around campus. In the law enforcement world, “physical security” refers to the physical measures designed to safeguard personnel, to prevent unauthorized access to Georgia State University’s buildings, prevention of thief and vandalism.
Don’t wait until after a breach has occurred to evaluate your buildings for security measures. A site assessment with a trained security professional can help you improve the safety of your building by uncovering weak points in your current system, and identifying the right technology to safeguard your space. Contact Georgia State University Emergency Management Department @ 404-413-3390 to discuss ways to mitigate potential threats to your building security. Below are some of the things, we look for during our Building Safety & Security Assessment:
- Analyze all entry points to detect vulnerabilities. Note how many doors need to be protected, and how many people will need access on a regular basis.
- Determine if different permission levels will be needed for certain zones. Make sure the access control system you install has the functionality to set granular permissions per user and location.
- Install door readers at places where you want to limit who has access.
- Use door schedules to automate your security. For example, set a lobby door to remain open during business hours when there’s a front desk person on duty, and set it to automatically lock and require users to credential in after-hours.
- Choose a cloud-managed access control solution to enable remote access to your security platform. Without the need to be on-site to unlock the door, issue credentials, or change the door schedules, cloud-based access control reduces headcount without compromising security.
- You should be able to clearly see entrances and exits from inside the building. Make sure there’s nothing blocking windows, such as displays, signage or landscaping.
- Install exterior lighting in all parking lots, near entrances, and around pathways. Well-lit grounds can help deter potential criminals.
- Make sure trees and bushes are well-maintained around the property.
- Ensure you have all necessary alarms per building codes, and that they are tested regularly.
- Create customized lockdown plans for different emergency scenarios. With an access control system like Open path, you can activate Lockdown plans remotely, directly in the app for a faster response time.
Operations Center
Planning
Besides writing, training and testing a university level plan, Georgia State’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) also assists appointed emergency coordinators to design college, school and departmental emergency action plans. The critical goals of each plan are:
- To synchronize efforts.
- To prevent fatalities and injuries.
- To reduce damage to buildings, documentation, stock and equipment.
- To accelerate the resumption of normal operations.
Each plan, regardless of hazard or threat category, will address the common duties, responsibilities, authority/chain of command and resources for emergency response. A plan template is provided for each building’s emergency coordinator (contact the Operations Manager for more information about becoming a building coordinator).
Among the responsibilities that will be addressed and assigned in each emergency plan are:
- Reporting the emergency and activating the emergency plan.
- Assuming overall command and alerting staff; coordinating activities of various groups.
- Establishing communication (for example, advising media, alerting external agencies or alerting the outside population of possible risk).
- Ordering evacuation and confirming evacuation completed.
- Requesting external aid.
- Providing medical aid or advising relatives of casualties.
- Ensuring emergency shut-offs are closed.
- Sounding the all-clear.
Completing a comprehensive plan for handling emergencies is a major step toward preventing disasters. However, it is difficult to predict all the problems that could occur unless the plan is tested. The OEM will assist in coordinating and conducting exercises and drills to practice all or critical portions of the plan (see Training Services section) with the goal to obtain a high level of proficiency and preparedness.
Training Services
Emergency management is a dynamic process. Planning, though critical, is not the only component. Training, conducting exercises, testing equipment and coordinating activities with university faculty, staff and students, and the local community are other equally important functions.
The fundamental goal of our University Emergency Management Program (EMP) is to create and maintain an effective university organization to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from major threats to lives, critical operations and property. A principal assumption of our Emergency Management Program is that plans alone are not effective unless they are supported by people and a process brought together by good management skills. An established public-private partnership and inter- and intra-departmental collaboration in planning philosophy is equally important.
Our training program encompasses mandatory training events for members of the University Emergency Response Organization and optional events for students, faculty and staff. We offer numerous courses/classes throughout the year and are available to teach specialized classes or conduct exercises for groups.
For training videos, click here. For training requests, send an email to [email protected] that includes your contact information, topic and purpose of training and number of participants.
Training Courses
Emergency Preparedness Building Inspections – Mitigating emergencies prior to a disaster, prepares us for the unexpected and the outcome makes the seriousness of the event, less severe or it lessens the seriousness. Knowing your building and your unique department concerns, equips the Georgia State University staff members with lifesaving information. Contact the OEM Department for an inspection of your building.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training (CPR) – an emergency procedure that combines chest compressions often with artificial ventilation to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who is in cardiac arrest. Contact the OEM Department for this training.
Automated External Defibrillator Training (AED) – Life line device used when someone is in cardiac arrest. Contact the OEM Department for this training.
Active Shooter Training – Good practices for coping with these unexpected events can save your life, if ever faced with this threat. Contact the OEM Department for this training.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) online classes:
Course Length: varies 1-8hrs.
Fee: None
Description:
This is a distance learning program which offers training, online and free of charge, to the nation’s emergency management network and the general public. It serves as both an alternative means to deliver valuable training to the professional and volunteer emergency management community as well as an opportunity to improve public awareness and promote disaster preparedness nationally. The Independent Study Program currently offers over 200 training courses and you will receive a certificate after passing each course’s exam. To get a complete listing of courses, view the list of active courses.
Recommended courses:
- IS-100.c: Introduction to the Incident Command System
- IS-200.c: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
- IS-363: Introduction to Emergency Management for Higher Education
- IS-520: Introduction to Continuity of Operations Planning for Pandemic Influenzas
- IS-907: Active Shooter: What You Can Do
- Course Length: 2 hours
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
Individual preparedness is the responsibility of all faculty, staff and students on the Georgia State campuses. Everyone should know how to prepare, respond to and recover from an emergency or disaster at home and in the workplace. This class will help prepare members of the university community to respond to various building level emergencies and national emergencies.
- Course Length: 1 hour
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
The orientation program is a requirement for all Emergency Response Team members and is intended to provide an overview of the program. This class discusses the role of the members and resources, including training and templates, available to each member.
- Course Length: 1 to 2 hours (adjustable length because of interactive exercises and video)
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
An active shooter is defined as an armed person who has used deadly force on people and continues to do so while having unrestricted access to additional victims. Although active shooter incidents on college campuses are rare events, the shootings that occurred on the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University campuses demonstrate that faculty, staff and students should be ready for any type of emergency. This training program, which includes a 10-minute video and a training scenario, was developed to be a resource for all 35 University System of Georgia institutions. The goal of this program is to provide faculty, staff and students with emergency response options should they become involved in an active shooter situation on campus or in the community.
- Course Length: 1.5 hours
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
This class provides a basic overview on fire safety education and enhances individuals’ awareness of fire safety and prevention. After attending this class, participants will possess sound knowledge on fire safety and will be capable of making good and responsible choices when it comes to fire-related situations. Participants will also receive training on how to use a portable fire extinguisher. The audience for Fire Safety I – Basic Fire Safety is students, staff and other adults desiring to obtain basic fire safety knowledge.
- Course Length: 1.5 hours
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
This class prepares designated and or specified individuals to become aware of building safety features and evacuation procedures, and assist in formulating a foundation for executing duties in the event of fire or emergency evacuation. Participants will obtain an assessment on how to recognize various deficiencies that could have an effect on building operations and emergency evacuation in buildings on Georgia State campuses. The audience for this class is building managers and Building Emergency Response representatives.
The Basics of College Fire Safety
- Close the doors to stop the spread of fire.
- Pull the building’s fire alarm and alert others as you’re leaving.
- Get out of the building immediately. Do not stop to grab your things. Things can be replaced, lives cannot.
- Notify the fire department from outside the building.
- Do not go back inside the building to retrieve any belongings.
- You are in a home or workplace without a working sprinkler system and/or a working smoke alarm.
- You do not have a fire extinguisher and/or do not know how to use it.
- You are under the influence of alcohol.
- You leave candles unattended or burn them near flammable materials, such as posters, wall tapestries and bedding.
- You smoke cigarettes and throw them away carelessly.
- You overload electrical sockets by plugging too many appliances into a single outlet or extension cord.
- Smoke Alarms: Ensure your residence hall, apartment or house has working smoke alarms. Check the batteries regularly. Do not cover smoke alarms with posters, wall tapestries and furniture.
- Fire Extinguishers: Buy a fire extinguisher and learn how to use it BEFORE a fire breaks out. Regularly check your fire extinguisher to make sure it is fully charged.
- Sprinklers: Live in an apartment or residence hall that has a sprinkler system. Working sprinkler systems will significantly increase your chances of surviving a fire.
- Candles: Always extinguish candles before going to bed or leaving the room. Keep candles away from items that could easily catch fire.
- Extension Cords: Use UL-listed extension cords and do not plug too many appliances into a single outlet. This could cause them to overload, heat up and catch fire. Do not run extension cords under carpets.
- Cigarettes and Alcohol: Do not leave smoking materials burning; fully extinguish cigarettes when you are through with them. Do not throw cigarette butts in the trash. Search couch and chair cushions for smoldering cigarettes. Drink Responsibly. Studies show that more than half of all fire victims were under the influence of alcohol.
- Escape: Have a fire escape ladder as an alternate route from a second-or third-floor bedroom. Know two ways out of every building.
Business Continuity
Business Continuity is the advanced planning and preparation taken to help ensure GSU departments and employees have the ability to respond and recover from any emergencies or events that would disrupt our business operations.
Typical Business Disruptions: Personnel Unavailable, Facility Unavailable or Technology Failures
To help organizations plan for business disruptions, departments develop a Business Continuity Plan. The Business Continuity Plan is the documented procedures that guide organizations and individual departments to respond, recover, resume, and restore to a pre-defined level of operation following a disruption.
The GSU Business Continuity Manager will help departments develop business continuity plans for their respective areas. Planning is already underway for our mission critical business areas and will soon be done for all departments at GSU. However, all departments can start their own business continuity initiatives and can utilize the Continuity Planning Considerations Worksheet here for help in planning.
For more business continuity planning information and helpful tips, please feel free to reach out to Bradley Neal, GSU Business Continuity Manager at [email protected] or check out these recommended sites:
Physical Security
Georgia State University is committed to the enhancement of public safety, the quality of life, and the maintenance of an environment conducive to quality education, individual privacy, diversity, and freedom of expression.
Accordingly, the University is using closed circuit television (CCTV), which includes video surveillance cameras and digital video recorders, to monitor public areas in order to deter crime and assist the Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) in providing for the security and safety of the University community.
To request the installation or review for Security cameras for your department, please complete the forms and requests using following links:
https://technology.gsu.edu/technology-services/it-services/security/video-surveillance/
Please also complete a Facilities FMR Request at the following link:
https://facilities.gsu.edu/forms/
These two requests help GSU Facilities and II&T to assign a project manager and to ensure that University standards are met regarding requirements from both II&T and Facilities for installation on GSU campus.
To ensure that a request for CCTV cameras meets the universities guidelines for usage, purpose and camera location desired, please review the GSU CCTV Policy:
https://gsu.policystat.com/policy/7712001/latest/
Should you have any questions, please contact Fonda Johnson, Physical Security Systems Manager 404-413-0783.
Building Emergency Response Team (ERT)
Georgia State recognizes the importance of providing threat assessments, information, training and resources to promote the safety of students, faculty, staff, visitors and security of campus facilities. In order for the university to provide timely safety and security information and response, each organizational unit must designate a primary building coordinator for each occupied university building.
The building coordinators are responsible for:
- Serving as the emergency point of contact regarding safety and security issues affecting their building.
- Developing emergency action plans for their building (in conjunction with Georgia State’s emergency operations manager).
- Executing and evaluating emergency drills coordinated by the Georgia State’s emergency operations manager.
- Receiving and monitoring emergency communications from campus safety units and disseminating relevant information throughout the building.
- Providing appropriate training for students, faculty and staff in their building.
- Addressing and coordinating safety and security-related actions through the appropriate administrative authority.
- Ensuring building safety and health concerns are reported to the appropriate administrators.
- Serving on campus safety and security committees.
Email us if you are interested in becoming a member of the Building Emergency Response Team.
Operations Center
Planning
Besides writing, training and testing a university level plan, Georgia State’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) also assists appointed emergency coordinators to design college, school and departmental emergency action plans. The critical goals of each plan are:
- To synchronize efforts.
- To prevent fatalities and injuries.
- To reduce damage to buildings, documentation, stock and equipment.
- To accelerate the resumption of normal operations.
Each plan, regardless of hazard or threat category, will address the common duties, responsibilities, authority/chain of command and resources for emergency response. A plan template is provided for each building’s emergency coordinator (contact the Operations Manager for more information about becoming a building coordinator).
Among the responsibilities that will be addressed and assigned in each emergency plan are:
- Reporting the emergency and activating the emergency plan.
- Assuming overall command and alerting staff; coordinating activities of various groups.
-
Establishing communication (for example, advising media, alerting external agencies or alerting the outside population of possible risk).
-
Ordering evacuation and confirming evacuation completed.
-
Requesting external aid.
- Providing medical aid or advising relatives of casualties.
- Ensuring emergency shut-offs are closed.
- Sounding the all-clear.
Completing a comprehensive plan for handling emergencies is a major step toward preventing disasters. However, it is difficult to predict all the problems that could occur unless the plan is tested. The OEM will assist in coordinating and conducting exercises and drills to practice all or critical portions of the plan (see Training Services section) with the goal to obtain a high level of proficiency and preparedness.
Training Services
Emergency management is a dynamic process. Planning, though critical, is not the only component. Training, conducting exercises, testing equipment and coordinating activities with university faculty, staff and students, and the local community are other equally important functions.
The fundamental goal of our University Emergency Management Program (EMP) is to create and maintain an effective university organization to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from major threats to lives, critical operations and property. A principal assumption of our Emergency Management Program is that plans alone are not effective unless they are supported by people and a process brought together by good management skills. An established public-private partnership and inter- and intra-departmental collaboration in planning philosophy is equally important.
Our training program encompasses mandatory training events for members of the University Emergency Response Organization and optional events for students, faculty and staff. We offer numerous courses/classes throughout the year and are available to teach specialized classes or conduct exercises for groups.
For training requests, send an email to [email protected] that includes your contact information, topic and purpose of training and number of participants.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) online classes:
Course Length: varies 1-8hrs.
Fee: None
Description:
This is a distance learning program which offers training, online and free of charge, to the nation’s emergency management network and the general public. It serves as both an alternative means to deliver valuable training to the professional and volunteer emergency management community as well as an opportunity to improve public awareness and promote disaster preparedness nationally. The Independent Study Program currently offers over 200 training courses and you will receive a certificate after passing each course’s exam. To get a complete listing of courses, view the list of active courses.
Recommended courses:
- IS-100.c: Introduction to the Incident Command System
- IS-200.c: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
- IS-363: Introduction to Emergency Management for Higher Education
- IS-520: Introduction to Continuity of Operations Planning for Pandemic Influenzas
- IS-907: Active Shooter: What You Can Do
- Course Length: 2 hours
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
Individual preparedness is the responsibility of all faculty, staff and students on the Georgia State campuses. Everyone should know how to prepare, respond to and recover from an emergency or disaster at home and in the workplace. This class will help prepare members of the university community to respond to various building level emergencies and national emergencies.
- Course Length: 1 hour
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
The orientation program is a requirement for all Emergency Response Team members and is intended to provide an overview of the program. This class discusses the role of the members and resources, including training and templates, available to each member.
- Course Length: 1 to 2 hours (adjustable length because of interactive exercises and video)
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
An active shooter is defined as an armed person who has used deadly force on people and continues to do so while having unrestricted access to additional victims. Although active shooter incidents on college campuses are rare events, the shootings that occurred on the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University campuses demonstrate that faculty, staff and students should be ready for any type of emergency. This training program, which includes a 10-minute video and a training scenario, was developed to be a resource for all 35 University System of Georgia institutions. The goal of this program is to provide faculty, staff and students with emergency response options should they become involved in an active shooter situation on campus or in the community.
- Course Length: 1.5 hours
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
This class provides a basic overview on fire safety education and enhances individuals’ awareness of fire safety and prevention. After attending this class, participants will possess sound knowledge on fire safety and will be capable of making good and responsible choices when it comes to fire-related situations. Participants will also receive training on how to use a portable fire extinguisher. The audience for Fire Safety I – Basic Fire Safety is students, staff and other adults desiring to obtain basic fire safety knowledge.
- Course Length: 1.5 hours
- Course Lead: Office of Emergency Management
- Fee: None
- Description:
This class prepares designated and or specified individuals to become aware of building safety features and evacuation procedures, and assist in formulating a foundation for executing duties in the event of fire or emergency evacuation. Participants will obtain an assessment on how to recognize various deficiencies that could have an effect on building operations and emergency evacuation in buildings on Georgia State campuses. The audience for this class is building managers and Building Emergency Response representatives.
The Basics of College Fire Safety
- Close the doors to stop the spread of fire.
- Pull the building’s fire alarm and alert others as you’re leaving.
- Get out of the building immediately. Do not stop to grab your things. Things can be replaced, lives cannot.
- Notify the fire department from outside the building.
- Do not go back inside the building to retrieve any belongings.
- You are in a home or workplace without a working sprinkler system and/or a working smoke alarm.
- You do not have a fire extinguisher and/or do not know how to use it.
- You are under the influence of alcohol.
- You leave candles unattended or burn them near flammable materials, such as posters, wall tapestries and bedding.
- You smoke cigarettes and throw them away carelessly.
- You overload electrical sockets by plugging too many appliances into a single outlet or extension cord.
- Smoke Alarms: Ensure your residence hall, apartment or house has working smoke alarms. Check the batteries regularly. Do not cover smoke alarms with posters, wall tapestries and furniture.
- Fire Extinguishers: Buy a fire extinguisher and learn how to use it BEFORE a fire breaks out. Regularly check your fire extinguisher to make sure it is fully charged.
- Sprinklers: Live in an apartment or residence hall that has a sprinkler system. Working sprinkler systems will significantly increase your chances of surviving a fire.
- Candles: Always extinguish candles before going to bed or leaving the room. Keep candles away from items that could easily catch fire.
- Extension Cords: Use UL-listed extension cords and do not plug too many appliances into a single outlet. This could cause them to overload, heat up and catch fire. Do not run extension cords under carpets.
- Cigarettes and Alcohol: Do not leave smoking materials burning; fully extinguish cigarettes when you are through with them. Do not throw cigarette butts in the trash. Search couch and chair cushions for smoldering cigarettes. Drink Responsibly. Studies show that more than half of all fire victims were under the influence of alcohol.
- Escape: Have a fire escape ladder as an alternate route from a second-or third-floor bedroom. Know two ways out of every building.
Business Continuity
Business Continuity is the advanced planning and preparation taken to help ensure GSU departments and employees have the ability to respond and recover from any emergencies or events that would disrupt our business operations.
Typical Business Disruptions: Personnel Unavailable, Facility Unavailable or Technology Failures
To help organizations plan for business disruptions, departments develop a Business Continuity Plan. The Business Continuity Plan is the documented procedures that guide organizations and individual departments to respond, recover, resume, and restore to a pre-defined level of operation following a disruption.
The GSU Business Continuity Manager will help departments develop business continuity plans for their respective areas. Planning is already underway for our mission critical business areas and will soon be done for all departments at GSU. However, all departments can start their own business continuity initiatives and can utilize the Continuity Planning Considerations Worksheet here for help in planning.
For more business continuity planning information and helpful tips, please feel free to reach out to Bradley Neal, GSU Business Continuity Manager at [email protected] or check out these recommended sites:
Physical Security
Georgia State University is committed to the enhancement of public safety, the quality of life, and the maintenance of an environment conducive to quality education, individual privacy, diversity, and freedom of expression.
Accordingly, the University is using closed circuit television (CCTV), which includes video surveillance cameras and digital video recorders, to monitor public areas in order to deter crime and assist the Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) in providing for the security and safety of the University community.
To request the installation or review for Security cameras for your department, please complete the forms and requests using following links:
https://technology.gsu.edu/technology-services/it-services/security/video-surveillance/
Please also complete a Facilities FMR Request at the following link:
https://facilities.gsu.edu/forms/
These two requests help GSU Facilities and II&T to assign a project manager and to ensure that University standards are met regarding requirements from both II&T and Facilities for installation on GSU campus.
To ensure that a request for CCTV cameras meets the universities guidelines for usage, purpose and camera location desired, please review the GSU CCTV Policy:
https://gsu.policystat.com/policy/7712001/latest/
Should you have any questions, please contact Fonda Johnson, Physical Security Systems Manager 404-413-0783.