Bryant University

Official Crisis Plan

 2

Table of Contents
Purpose of Plan 3
Record and Process of Revisions 4
Levels and Types of Crisis 5
Procedure for Declaring an Emergency 6
Emergency Operations Center 7
Obtaining Resources 7
Evacuation and Relocation Procedures 8
Leadership / Response Framework 9
Procedure to Report an Emergency 10
Communication Channels 11 - 12
Spokesperson 13
Management of Specific Threats / Crises 14
Essential Services 15
Training 16
Stakeholders 17
Student Emergency Contacts 18
BICS Emergency Contacts 18
 3

Purpose

The crisis plan is designed to protect life and property using the resources of the University, and to

protect the emotional and physical well-being of our campus during and following an emergency.

The plan intends to provide accurate information to students, faculty, staff, and all other internal

personnel, as well as any external groups who may be concerned. The purpose of this plan is to

provide general procedures on assignments and responsibilities for university faculty and staff

during a crisis.

The goal of this plan is to:

● Protect human life and well-being

● Minimize damage to the environment and university facilities and resources

● Manage communication during and following a crisis as effectively as possible

● Provide essential services

● Analyze crisis information to make educated decisions

 4

Record of Revisions

Date Pages Revised Website Hardcopy

12/13/19 Annual Review Updated Distributed

Procedural Revision Process

This plan should be reviewed on an annual basis to make any changes and updates necessary. Also,

this plan should be reviewed every time that it is used so that necessary changes can be made. It is

important that changes are made to the plan following actual events so that the plan can reflect the

best working procedures for the university. Every time the crisis plan is updated, the website should

also be updated, and a hard copy should be distributed to the Bryant Incident Command Staff and

placed in the Emergency Operation Center. Following the revisions, the revision chart above should

be updated so it is known that the plan being viewed is the most recent version available.

Additionally, a letter of approval from university leadership should be included as the first page of

the plan to let any readers of the plan know that the top leadership at Bryant University has read the

plan and approves of it.

 5

Levels and Types of Crisis

Level 1 - Limited Crisis:

A level 1 limited crisis is any incident, alleged or actual, that affects a smaller scope of the university

but still needs attention and some degree of action. Limited crisis may be solved within one

department of the university or may require assistance of DPS (Department of Public Safety).

Examples of a limited crisis are not limited to: water leak, or plumbing failure.

Level 2 - Issue Driven Crisis:

Issue driven crises are situations that negatively impact Bryant University. The crisis may cause

severe damage and/or interruptions to Bryant University’s daily operations. Partial or full activation

of the EOC is needed.

Examples of an issue driven crisis are not limited to: civil disturbances, sexual assault, or hate

crimes.

Level 3 - Major Crisis

A major crisis is a crisis posing major risk to the university faculty and staff, students, and/or

visitors. During this crisis the university should be in a ‘campus state of emergency’ and is expected

to activate the Bryant University EOC and Bryant Incident Command Staff in order to provide

immediate response to the crisis. Bryant University may require assistance from the Smithfield

Police Department. A level 3 crisis may arise from incidents beginning in levels 1 or 2.

Examples of a major crisis are not limited to: active shooter, infectious disease, fire, explosion,

severe weather conditions, building collapse, flood, wind, chemical release, major civil disturbance,

bomb threat, aircraft emergency, barricade or hostage situation, or other acts of terrorism.
 6

Procedure for Declaring an Emergency

An emergency is any unforeseen circumstance that calls for immediate action. A

circumstance may threaten life, have the potential to inflict bodily injury, cause environmental

damage, or damage infrastructure. Emergency officials should assess each situation according to the

previous page titled ​Levels and Types of Crisis ​(page 5)​. I​ n the event of a level 3 crisis, the

University may need to declare a campus state of emergency. The authority to declare a campus state

of emergency is designated to the President of the University. In the event that the President is

unavailable to make a decision, the authority rests on the Director of Public Safety.

A campus state of emergency should be declared when there is a major risk being posed to

the university, or the function of the university is severely hindered to a point that people are in

danger. When a circumstance is beyond the capabilities of the University and it needs assistance

from outside organizations, a formal declaration should be made. When a campus state of emergency

is declared, all students, faculty and staff, and appropriate personnel should be notified. When a

campus state of emergency has been declared, the security booth at the entrance of the University

should assume one lane entry and all vehicles should be stopped unless they are approved personnel

needed to support the emergency operations. This practice should be maintained until the President

or designee lifts the campus state of emergency.

 7

Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a designated location for the Bryant Incident

Command Staff (BICS) to meet during a crisis. It is a safe, quiet, and private room where decisions

and discussions can be had. There are two alternate locations listed incase one of the locations is

impacted by the crisis.

The EOC is at the Atrium Conference Room, located in the Admissions Office. The first

alternate location if the Atrium Conference Room is unavailable, meet on the second floor of the

Fisher Student Center. If necessary, the second alternate location is the Bello Grand Hall, in the

Krupp Library.

Obtaining Resources
It is crucial that the BICS has all of the necessary resources available prior to the start of a

crisis.

Any essentials such as:

● A copy of the plan

● Writing utensils

● Paper

● Additional power sources

● Access to internet/necessary communication channels

● Food/Water

All of these resources should be located prior to a crisis and should be on hand at all times so the

BICS does not have to locate them during a crisis. It is essential that the BICS have all the necessary

resources available so they can focus on decision making in the EOC and be prepared to take any

steps needed.
 8

Evacuation and Relocation Procedures

Building Evacuations
● Find closest exit
● Use stairs
● Stay at least 500 feet away from building

Campus Evacuations
● Be direct if students can or cannot take their own transportation
● Direct students to transportation that will take them off campus if needed
● Send detailed directions through the email/text system regarding future steps
● Identify a safe place off campus that students can relocate to temporarily

Residence Hall Relocation

● Identify housing/shelter off campus that students can stay for an extended period of time if
need be
● Determine if students are able to get their belongings
● Provide assistance if students’ belongings have been damaged
● Provide transportation to and from shelter for students that relocated off campus
● For a brief relocation, find a designed place on campus that holds the halls capacity
immediately following the incident
 9

Leadership / Response Framework

Bryant Incident Command Staff (BICS) is responsible for supporting and coordinating
emergency response. They should direct the various departments that need to be involved in the
crisis. BICS ultimately makes the decisions in crisis situations, while providing resources and
coordinating others actions appropriately.

The Director of Public Safety should be the first person notified, then the Director will contact the
remaining members of the BICS. The Director should contact BICS members by phone and email, to
make sure the message is successfully received.

All members of the BICS should have an updated hardcopy of the Bryant University Crisis Plan at
all times.

Bryant Incident Command Staff members include:

Director of Public Safety
The Director of Public Safety should always be the first person notified of a crisis of any kind on
campus. It is his/her job to then inform the rest of the BICS. The Director should always be involved
in the decision making as the Department of Public Safety is in charge of responding to all campus
emergencies.
Provost
Informs responders where the crisis occurred, and assigns tasks to the Deans and the faculty. The
Provost is responsible for overseeing campus activities, making them a crucial part of the crisis
team.
Director of University Relations/Communication
The Director of University Relations is responsible for external and internal communication at the
University. This is an essential role in the crisis team because they can keep everyone informed of
what is going on.
Dean of Students/Vice President of Student Affairs
The Dean of Students/Vice President of Student Affairs is responsible for assisting and supporting
students on campus. In the event of a crisis, they should make executive decisions relative to the
Code of Conduct and Student Handbook.

If additional information is needed ​the BICS should contact officials as needed depending on what
the crisis is and its severity. The President should always be informed about the crisis at hand,
should be updated about the decisions made at the BICS meeting periodically throughout the crisis.
 10

Procedure to Report an Emergency/Crises

Faculty & Staff

Faculty and Staff should report the crisis to the Department of Public Safety who can then
take the necessary actions to deescalate the crisis. All emergencies/crises should be handled in
accordance with training procedures.

Students
When students become aware of an emergency, they should immediately report to public
safety or residence life, specifically an RA. If it is a health emergency, the student should go to
health services. Students have the ability to fill out a Bias Report form online if they do not wish to
share their identity. The Department of Public Safety and Intercultural Center are also available to
report an emergency.

Visitors on Campus
In the event of a life threatening emergency, visitors on campus should immediately call 911.
In non emergency situations, visitors can stop at The Department of Public Safety in the
Unistructure, or the Security Booth at the entrance of the University.
 11

Communication Channels
Emergency Alert System

The University uses a campus alert system that students sign up for upon enrollment at the

University. Faculty and staff and on-site contractors/consultants can also sign up for these

emergency notifications. Users will receive a voice and/or text message if there is an emergency on

campus or a weather related delay or cancellation.

Emergency Website

The University utilizes ​emergency.bryant.edu​ to post announcements to communicate during

on-campus emergencies. The University should post updated information on this site as they receive

it.

Bryant Mobile App

Students can access emergency information through the Bryant Mobile App on their cell phones. A

list of emergency contact numbers are available for students to use to report emergencies. There is

also a section of the app that functions the same as the emergency website, where announcements

that are made that regard a crisis are posted on the app. There is also a section of the app where

students can report emergencies or incidents to university officials.

Campus Wide Email Alert

This email system distributes electronic emergency messages to all computers connected to the

University computer system and emails with the bryant domain.

Voice Over Internet Protocol

This system can send a message to the phone systems in all resident hall rooms and several

administrative offices.
 12

Telephone Voicemail

This system places a voicemail on all campus phones equipped with voicemail systems.

Public Address System

The public address system is operated by the Department of Public Safety and posts real time

emergency messages on the television screens in the Unistructure.

Office of University Relations

Media inquiries should be made to the Office of University Relations. All initial crisis information

should go through their office prior to becoming public. The BICS should approve all information

before release.

Social Media

Bryant’s Instagram and Twitter pages should be updated periodically to give updates to students and

faculty/staff, along with text updates and emails. This is a beneficial tool to reach stakeholders in the

crisis.

❖ All information​ ​should be consistent across communication channels. It is important that

students and faculty/staff can access the same information in any place that is most accessible

to them during the crisis.

 13

Spokesperson

A spokesperson should be able to confidently talk about the crisis to gain trust from the

audience. The designated person should be credible, honest, empowering, and sympathetic towards

the affected group. There should be no jargon or humor in the response. It is important that the

spokesperson is not overly reassuring and that they acknowledge any level of uncertainty. This

person should be regretful and not defensive of the organization, which comes with being

sympathetic towards the audience.

In the event of a crisis, the spokesperson should be someone from The Office of University

Relations, or an expert in the field of the occuring crisis. The Office of University Relations is able

to print, broadcast, and control online media. An expert will be able to thoroughly explain why

something specific happened during a crisis, as well as the next steps to overcome the issue.

Whoever the designated spokesperson is should receive training once a year to sharpen their

speaking abilities and remind them of what is expected of them should they have to fulfill their role.
 14

Management of Specific Threats/Crises

Natural Disaster
● Hurricane
● Snow Storm/Blizzard
● Earthquake
● Flooding
● Power Outage
● Fire
Natural disaster emergencies can range anywhere from a level 1 crisis to a level 3 crisis, depending
entirely on the severity. Please refer to page 5 to determine the level of the crisis. Assess the
situation and keep up with weather updates. Look at surrounding schools and universities to see what
they are doing. Make the best decision that will ensure the safety of students and faculty/staff.

Biological / Bio-Hazardous
● Infectious Disease
● Biohazard/Chemical Spill
Biological/bio-hazardous crises can range anywhere from a level 1 crisis to a level 3 crisis. Please
refer to page 5 to determine the level of the crisis. Assess the situation and speak to health services
about the potential danger that any diseases or biohazards may pose to people on campus. Make a
decision accordingly.

Violent
● Active Shooter
● Bomb Threat
● Personal Bias/Hate Crime
● Civil Disturbance
Violent crises can range anywhere from a level 1 crisis to a level 3 crisis. Please refer to page 5 to
determine the level of the crisis. Assess the situation and speak to public safety regarding the state of
the crisis and determine the actions to follow.

Public Relations
● Academic Scandals
● Issues with Faculty/Staff
● Bias Incident
Public relations crises can range anywhere from a level 1 crisis to a level 3 crisis. Please refer to
page 5 to determine the level of the crisis. Assess the situation and speak to university relations to
determine the best course of action. It is essential in these crises that the University be open and
honest about the events taking place.
 15

Essential Services

Should the campus close down due to an emergency, the following departments services should
remain open to provide essential services:
● Department of Public Safety (DPS)
○ Secure the campus
○ Emergency communications
○ Control any dangerous areas on campus
○ Emergency transportation of students
○ Coordinate with local, state, and federal emergency management resources
● Office of University of Relations
○ Internal communication
○ External communication
● Residential Life and Dining Services
○ Maintain dormitories
○ Provide student shelter
○ Deliver food and water
● Student Health Services
○ Coordinate with emergency medical services
○ Provide emergency health services
● Information Technology
○ Maintain communication and technological infrastructure
● President’s Office
○ Leadership
● Bryant Incident Command Staff
○ Be available to assess emergencies and crises and make decisions
 16

Training

Faculty and Staff

Training sessions should be mandatory for all faculty and staff. All faculty and staff should

receive an extensive training when they are first hired. Training sessions should be held annually and

go over procedures on how to report and handle different levels of crises to serve as a refresher

course.

Students
It is critical that in an emergency situation students know how to respond. All students should

be put through an extensive training upon their orientation. Students should have mandatory hall

meetings with their RAs throughout the semester to remind them of safety procedures and to discuss

any on campus incidents that occur.

BICS
BICS must have a yearly training to go over procedures and how to handle certain crises.

During this training the BICS should run through a scenario of some kind that could affect Bryant to

practice quick decision making and to test the crisis plan. It is also essential that the BICS have

regular meetings with one another so they feel comfortable working together and can trust each other

in a time of crisis.
 17

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are real or perceived people who have been affected in the event of a crisis.
Stakeholders are categorized in three groups, depending on their level of engagement. The three
groups are advocates, adversaries, and ambivalents. Advocates support how the crisis is being
managed, adversaries present alternative perspectives on how they think it should be managed, and
ambivalents stay neutral in the event of a crisis.

Potential stakeholders that could be affected in a crisis include:

● Current Students

● Faculty

● Deans

● Admissions

● Alumni

● Board of Trustees

● Surrounding Colleges and Schools

● NCAA Division I Athletics

● Town of Smithfield

● Nearby Businesses
 18

Student Emergency Contacts

To Report an Emergency: 401-232-6911

Public Safety: 401-232-6001

Health Services: 401-232-6220

Information on Delays/Cancellations: 401-232-6002

Media Inquiries (Office of University Relations) : 401-232-6120

BICS Emergency Contacts

Rhode Island State Police: 401-444-1000

Smithfield Fire Department: 401-949-1330

Smithfield Police Department: 401-231-2500

Governor of Rhode Island’s Office: 401-222-2080

American Red Cross: 401-831-7700

Local Hospital Phone Number

Phone Number of Local Media Outlets