| Case Study: #113 |   |
Preparing a University to Author a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan
| Industry: | Higher Education |
| Client: | A University with Significant Exposure to Natural and Human Threats |
| Service: | Emergency Management Planning |
Client’s Challenge: It wasn’t surprising that this particular university had just been awarded an EMHE grant by the U.S. Department of Education to establish an all-hazards emergency management plan. It clearly faced a unique combination of challenges. These included: (1) vulnerability to wind damage and flooding from storms and hurricanes; (2) exposure to the risks posed by hazardous cargo carried by seagoing vessels in the adjacent waterway; (3) proximity to a nuclear power plant and the risk of fallout from an accident or terrorist attack at the facility; and (4) risks of infectious disease outbreak on campus.
The Hillard Heintze Solution: Hillard Heintze undertook a strategic assessment of these risks as well as others – such as the school’s vulnerability to on-campus violence. After conducting a site visit, multiple interviews with both internal and external stakeholders, and a thorough review of key documentation, the Hillard Heintze team developed a quantitative analysis and ranking of the risks, threats and vulnerabilities confronting the university as well as specific guidance on actions the school could take to mitigate these risks and their impacts on students, faculty, staff and visitors.
The team’s findings also addressed other critical issues – from the need to strengthen and enhance basic “block-and-tackle” security and emergency preparedness procedures to establishing behavioral threat assessment practices in order to counter the risks of on-campus violence.
Impact on the Client’s Business: Using these insights and recommendations as a base – and in robust compliance with the requirements of the EMHE grant – the university is proceeding rapidly toward the completion of its all-hazards emergency plan as the nexus of a broader, continuous and best practice-based approach to raising awareness about safety, security and emergency preparedness not just on campus but across the extended university neighborhood and community.
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UNPLUGGED:
A FRANK OPINION
The Project Manager’s Post-Engagement Perspective
“That’s right…in many respects, threat and vulnerability assessment is inherently a qualitative process.
But it doesn’t have to be – if you can leverage a well designed quantitative methodology, one that specifically addresses vulnerabilities, consequences and risks – in line with DHS’s guidance…
We did that on this project. On the one hand, the quantitative risk ratings and prioritized ranking we generated transformed a subjective process into a transparent one. It really forced experts with different disciplines to ‘take a stand’, apply a numerical rating to each vulnerability, consequence and risk – and to do so relative to many other specific threats of concern. At the same time, the resulting risk ranking will make it much easier later to apply these findings to specific investment priorities and schedules.”
