TEXAS CLIPPER EMERGENCY

Texas Clipper Emergency – At Sea

In the event of and emergency or accident involving the students and crew aboard the USTS Texas Clipper while at sea or in port, the campus will immediately enact the following procedures:

ü      Securing Campus

o       If the situation warrants, the order to secure the campus will be given by the Office of the Vice President and CEO.  This order will be given only if there is a perceived threat to the campus associated with the emergency or accident on the Clipper (i.e. terrorist attack/threat).

o       No student, faculty or staff member will be allowed to leave campus until released by the Vice President and CEO or designee.

o       The Incident Command Team will report to the Incident Command Center in the Office of the Vice President’s suite to coordinate campus operations and campus response.

§         College Station will be notified of the incident and the campus’ actions.

§         All Campus Police Officers will be called to duty immediately.

o       Campus Police will be dispatched to the main entrance of campus and to the intersection of Seawolf Parkway and Texas Clipper Road.

§         Campus Police will remain in radio contact with the Police Chief and Incident Command Center.

ü      Communications

o        Coast Guard and Galveston Emergency Management

§        The campus response to the emergency will be coordinated by the Incident Command Team with the U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement officials.

 

o        Parent Notification of On-Campus Students

§        Parents of students on campus will be notified following a report from Campus Police that the campus is secured and all occupants are accounted for.

§        Notification will be conducted by the Office of Student Affairs.

§        Parents will be instructed to contact their child in their residence hall rooms or through the main Incident Command Center number.

§        If necessary, evacuation of the campus will commence according to campus shelter in place and evacuation procedures following an assessment of the situation by the Incident Command Team. At which time the order to evacuate will be given by the Office of the Vice President and CEO.

o        Initial Notification Of Family Members of Students Aboard Clipper

§        Family members of students aboard the Texas Clipper will be notified by the Office of Student Affairs as soon as information is available.

·         A list of students and personnel on board will be obtained from the Maritime Program Office or Campus Police.

§        In the event of a death or hospitalization, notification will be made to the family/families affected, by the Vice President and CEO or designee.

§        Family members will be kept informed by the Incident Command Team as much as possible.

§        If the family/families of the individuals involved in the emergency reside out of town, notification is appropriate by law enforcement agency with jurisdiction. Simultaneous telephone contact by the Incident Command Team should coincide with the notification.

 

o        Family Notification of Employees Aboard Clipper

§        Family members of employees aboard the Clipper will be notified by the Office of Human Resources as soon as information is available.

·         A list of personnel on board will be obtained from the Maritime Program Office or Campus Police

§        Campus employees will be allowed to contact their families following a report from Campus Police that the campus is secured and all occupants are accounted for.

§        Information concerning the emergency will be posted on the TAMUG website and local media sources as information becomes available:

·         www.tamug.edu

·         Radio/Television Station Contacts:

o        KHOU -TV Channel 11

o        KTRK -TV  Channel 13

o        KTRH – Radio 740 AM

Clipper Emergency – In Port (Foreign or Domestic)

ü      Communications

o       The same procedures will be followed as outlined for an emergency or accident at sea for communicating with parents and family members of on-campus students, students and employees aboard the Clipper.

 

o        Contact with Foreign Port Authorities:

§        In the event of an emergency in a foreign port, the ship’s Master or designee will serve as the contact and communication link with the Incident Command Team.

§        If the ship’s master or designee is unavailable or cannot be reached, a contact list of the port authorities and ship’s agent can be obtained from the Maritime Program Office and/or Campus Police.

§        The contact list will have all necessary information for contacting the ship’s agent at the port in which the emergency occurred.

§        The ship’s agent will be able to provide information on the severity of the emergency, hospital contact numbers, flight information/arrangements any other information pertinent to the emergency.

§        Campus personnel are not to release this information to the general public or the media.

§        The Incident Command Team will coordinate all communications with the ship’s agent and ship personnel.

 

o        Contact with Domestic Port Authorities:

§        In the event of an emergency in a domestic port, the ship’s Master or designee will serve as the contact and communication link with the Incident Command Team.

§       The campus response to the emergency will be coordinated by the Incident Command Team with the U.S. Coast Guard.

§        The same procedures will be followed as outlined for an emergency or accident at sea for communicating with parents and family members of students and employees aboard the Texas Clipper.

§         All travel to the domestic location will be coordinated through the Incident Command Team.

o       Immediate Support Services

§        The second floor of the Classroom Laboratory Building 3007 will be used for a private area for families to gather following initial notification and upon arrival to campus.  Access to the second floor will be maintained by Campus Police.

§        Arrange for return transportation of family to their home if necessary. 

 

o        Campus Liaison:

§        The Campus Liaison should be a member of the Incident Command Team who will work with families from the  Texas Clipper as a facilitator (not as a decision maker) to present available options, information, and support.

§        Duties:

·         Ensure family/families are continuously informed

·         Be constantly available 24 hours daily

§         Arrangements for out of town parents and family members is very important.

 

ü      Crisis Counseling for Students, Faculty and Staff

o       In the event of an emergency involving the Texas Clipper, UTMB’s Employee Assistance Personnel will be asked to respond to campus.

o       A support group should be established for the families for food and household preparation, screening of telephone calls, childcare, etc.

o       The Office of Student Affairs will provide counseling to students.

ü      Media Management

o        A media center will be established in SAGC 601 or PE 107 to accommodate the electronic and data outlet needs of the responding media.

§        Refreshments will be provided by Food Services for media representatives throughout the duration of the emergency.

o       The Incident Command Team will coordinate all media interactions with campus members.  The Vice President and CEO or designee will serve as the chief spokesperson for the campus.

o       If employees are called by outsiders or members of the media, they should refrain from comment and refer the individual to Incident Command Center.

o       Employees should be wary of video cameras and their coverage of the incident at the scene.

o       Family members affected should be discouraged from agreeing to provide media with an interview, but, if not, questions should be prescreened.  A member of the Incident Command Team should be present during interviews with family members to ensure that ground rules are followed and inappropriate questions are not addressed.