Preparedness

Preparedness activities occur before an emergency. Unlike mitigation, preparedness activities involve informing the Kennesaw State campuses of all hazards that could potentially impact our community, how to be ready to respond if an emergency were to occur, and planning on what actions and resources are needed to pull from in the event of an emergency.

  • The Office of Emergency Management is responsible for the development and update of the University’s Emergency Operations Plan. This plan outlines how the University population will respond to major events that could potentially occur on our campuses. This plan incorporates the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the National Response Framework, local and state emergency management recommendations, and best practices in emergency management in institutes of higher education.

    Click here for a copy of the 2023-2024 Kennesaw State University Emergency Operations Plan.

  • The Office of Emergency Management conducts numerous tabletop exercises and drills annually.  These include facility-level exercises, monthly emergency notification deployment drills, and hazard-specific exercises.  Every two years, the Office of Emergency Management will conduct a full scale exercise on one of the Kennesaw State University campuses.  KSU conducts After Action Reviews of all drills, exercises, and real events to continuously improve our preparedness and response capabilities.

  • Personal Readiness is one of the most important steps you can take to prepare for a disaster.  This can include having a plan for multiple types of disasters, staying informed of situations that could lead to a disaster, and making a kit to keep in your car and/or home. 

    Some Items that could be included in the kits are:

    • Water and Food for at least 3 days
    • Can Opener
    • Radio
    • Flashlight with extra batteries
    • First aid kit
    • Whistle
    • Face Mask (N95)
    • Moist towelettes
    • Garbage Bags
    • Wrench/pliers
    • Local Maps
    • Medication
    • Cash
    • Pet food and water

    Visit ready.gov for more information.

  • The Office of Emergency Management offers training on a multitude of topics, including Bomb Threat Management, Weather Response, Active Shooter, Travel Abroad Safety, and more.  If you want any of our training classes taught in your office or department, just contact us and we will accommodate!

    The Office of Emergency Management also trains all the Crisis Coordinators on campus, which includes basic incident response training, active shooter training, fire safety training, incident command training, and CPR/AED training.

    The Office of Emergency Management also performs excises and drills across campus on a multitude of potential emergencies, including fires, active shooter events, bomb threats, chemical spills, and severe weather.  The exercises and drills are intended to increase the situational awareness and response readiness of our campus students, faculty, and staff.

    Click here for a list of our courses!

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