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Student Affairs

Emergency Management

Emergency Management Team

Helpful Faculty and Staff Information

Utilizing an all-hazards approach Texas A&M University-Kingsville established an Emergency Management Team (EMT) consisting of key professionals from throughout the university. These individuals meet regularly to plan operations during a campus crises utilizing the four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Primary EMT Contacts:

SafeZone

Texas A&M University-Kingsville is enhancing security and support for the university community by launching SafeZone, a unified safety, communications, and wellbeing service.

To activate SafeZone:

  1. Download the free SafeZone app from the Apple Store or Google Play store
  2. Register with your TAMUK email
    • Faculty/staff: UserID@tamuk.edu (kuabc123@tamuk.edu) and your JNET password.
    • Students: Email Address (first.lastname@students.tamuk.edu) and your password used to log into JNET. 
  3. You will be prompted to sign in with Microsoft 365.
  4. Once inside the app, follow the prompts to add your cell phone number, a photo, and accept the Terms of Service. You will also be prompted to give access to Bluetooth, Notifications and Location Services for the most accurate experiences with the app.

Building Emergency Managers

The Building Emergency Manager (BEM) program was established to coordinate the emergency preparedness and planning efforts among all TAMUK buildings.

Typically a campus building is occupied by multiple departments, making building-wide communications difficult during normal operations and even more so during an emergency. The Building Emergency Managers serves to assist first responders and Emergency Management by developing a common, building-wide plan of action for emergencies that threaten life safety.

Building Emergency Managers serve as an extension of Emergency Management in the mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of an emergency. They not only add value to the building community by serving in this position, but also to the overall campus community.

BEM Roles and Responsibilities

BEMs work with Emergency Management to disseminate pertinent emergency preparedness information and plans throughout their building. In addition, they provide emergency responders with a single, knowledgeable point of contact who can assist in contacting appropriate departmental personnel and officials in case of an emergency.

Building Lock-down

In the event of a police emergency it may become necessary to “lock-down” a building or buildings. If so your BEM will:

  1. Notify building occupants (do not pull alarm).
  2. Secure doors and accessible windows.
  3. If safe to do so post someone at each door; take turns.
  4. Get head count of occupants.
  5. Not allow sheltering in hallways or corridors – find rooms that can be locked or barricaded.
  6. Ask you to remain inside until given the all clear signal.

For additional training, you may view the “Shots Fired” training video through TrainTraq under course number 2111114.

Building Evacuation

Building evacuation is the result of a situation during which it is no longer safe to remain inside a building. The procedure is as follows:

  1. An evacuation will occur when the fire alarm sounds and/or notification is made by the University Police Department, the Building Emergency Manager, Emergency Management Team, or local first responders.
  2. All employees, faculty, staff, and students, should leave by the nearest marked exit and alert others to do the same.
  3. Disabled individuals should be assisted in exiting the building.
  4. Elevators must NOT be used to evacuate the building.
  5. Once outside the building, individuals should proceed to the designated assembly area. Streets, fire lanes, hydrants, and walkways must be kept clear for emergency vehicles and personnel.

Building evacuation routes and assembly areas are available in Section 7 p. 29 – 33 of the Emergency Management Plan.

Campus Evacuation

In case of a community-wide disaster or weather related incident, such as a hurricane, it may be necessary to evacuate all of the buildings at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

  1. Announcement of a campus-wide evacuation will come from the Office of the President and managed by the Emergency Management Team.
  2. Employees should leave their buildings by the nearest marked exit and alert others to do the same. Employees, other than the Emergency Management Team and other designated first responders (i.e. University Police Department and/or physical plant) must leave the campus at the time of closure and are not permitted to continue working on campus. UPD will be authorized to grant permission for individuals to remain on campus only to prepare their work spaces (research labs, animal care, etc.) for the emergency.
  3. After community and/or TAMUK officials have declared ALL CLEAR, employees shall follow the Personnel Recall procedures. Employees are advised to call the Recall Hotline at (361) 592-0131 to receive recorded recall information. In order to expedite recall of the Texas A&M University-Kingsville staff and faculty to the campus, all employees will be divided into three teams as follows:

RED TEAM - includes UPD employees; Physical Plant employees; Emergency Management Team and those employees who have responsibility to reinstate operational activities to the university.

                BEM’s– includes assigned faculty and staff (assist with operational assessment).

BLUE TEAM - includes all staff personnel who are not assigned to the Red Team.

WHITE TEAM - includes faculty and students.

Note: It is the responsibility of each departmental supervisor to ensure that all employees know his or her team association.