Office of Emergency Preparedness

Introduction

The mission of the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) is to provide a comprehensive homeland security and emergency management program for UGA to save lives, protect property, promote continuity of operations, and reduce the overall effects of large-scale disasters.

Programs and Services

OEP provides a full range of programs and services to help the University community prepare for emergencies:

Manages the campus automated external defibrillator (AED) program, evacuation chair program, and the Stop the Bleed: Bleeding Control program.

• Manages the University’s emergency mass notification systems.
• Oversees the campus Building Safety and Security Representative (BSSR) and building emergency action plan (BEAP) programs.
• Coordinates the Campus Emergency Operations Plan and large-scale university event safety plans.
• Oversees the UGA Campus Emergency Response Team (UGA CERT) and UGA Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteer training programs.
• Provides training on emergency preparedness, conflict de-escalation, planning for emergencies in the classroom, bleeding control, business continuity, active threat response options and travel safety.

OEP manages the University’s Emergency Notification System, UGAAlert. Members of the campus community are urged to verify their information in UGAAlert annually at ugaalert.uga.edu. More information on UGA’s overall emergency notification methods and the UGAAlert activation policy may be found in the UGA Emergency Notification Plan at prepare.uga.edu/campus-emergency-plans/#ENP.

OEP, in collaboration with the UGA Police Department, provides all students, faculty, and staff with the UGA Safe mobile safety app. The free UGA Safe app provides a quick, convenient, and discreet way to communicate directly with University safety officials to report safety issues, suspicious activities, and criminal incidents. Additional features include a SafeWalk feature, access to campus emergency plans, and maps of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), bleeding control kits and evacuation chairs. To download the app and for more information, go to prepare.uga.edu/uga-safe.

Each year, the University of Georgia conducts scheduled tests of its emergency response and ensure institutional readiness and community awareness. The University publicizes information about UGA’s Emergency Management Plan in conjunction with two annual tests and on an ongoing basis throughout the year including through orientation sessions, social media posts, and tests of the emergency notification system.

Severe Weather Drill (Spring)

Every Spring, the main and extended campuses participate in a severe weather preparedness drill. This drill is conducted in conjunction with a UGA Alert emergency notification test and is announced via ARCH News email to all students, faculty, and staff. The message includes instructions encouraging recipients to actively practice the campus severe weather response plan.

Building Evacuation Drill (Fall)

Each fall, the university conducts a building evacuation drill, also paired with a UGA Alert test. This drill is similarly announced through ARCH News and prompts the campus community to practice evacuation procedures.

Annual Campus Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) Exercise

The Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) conducts an annual test of the Campus Emergency Management Plan through a tabletop, functional, or full-scale exercise. These exercises involve campus and community emergency responders and are designed to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency protocols and interagency coordination.

Contact Information

Office of Emergency Preparedness
Hodgson Oil Building
Suite 200 South, 286 Oconee St.
Athens, Georgia,30602-1977

Phone: 706-542-5845
FAX: 706-542-4664
Email: prepare@uga.edu
Website: http://prepare.uga.edu/

UGA Stay Safe App

The UGA Safe App is the University’s mobile safety app that offers important emergency information and resources. Install it on iPhone or Android.