16.3 Definitions

(Amended 9/20/24)

1. "Emergency incident": Any situation to which the emergency services organization responds to deliver emergency services, including rescue, fire suppression, emergency medical care, special operations, law enforcement, and other forms of hazard control and mitigation.
2. "Emergency responders": A group of individuals who are properly trained and equipped to handle the emergency for which they are called. Emergency responders provide, on a 24-hour basis, immediate response to bring the emergency situation under control. Emergency responders are identified as, but not limited to, all public safety agencies that serve areas where university property exists.
3. "Resource unit": A unit which provides assistance to emergency units in the form of information, expertise, and/or procurement of materials and services. The unit may or may not respond immediately to an emergency site. Examples of resource units are:
   1. Business Services, 
   2. Facilities Management, 
   3. Environmental Health and Safety,
   4. Information Technology Services, and 
   5. Office of Strategic Communication. 
4. A "campus state of emergency": A situation that produces a substantial disruption of university operations. This situation may have long-term impacts, requiring the institution to modify/alter normal functions and established procedures and/or policies, without submitting to a formal process, to ensure continuity of normal operations and the well-being of the university community. During a campus state of emergency, certain policies and procedures may be authorized to occur differently.
5. "Emergency Operations Center (EOC)": The location where the coordination of information and resources to support incident management (on-scene operations) activities normally takes place. An EOC may be a physical or virtual location. Campus Safety's space, 880 University Capitol Centre, will serve as the university's designated EOC unless circumstances determine a more appropriate or practical location. 
6. "Incident commander": The individual in overall command of an emergency incident. Different individuals may take on the role of incident commander depending on the type of crisis and level of severity.
7. "Incident Command System (ICS)": A standardized on-scene emergency management construct specifically designed to provide an integrated organizational structure that reflects the complexity and demands of single or multiple incidents, without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries. The Incident Command System is the combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to aid in the management of resources during incidents. ICS is used for all kinds of emergencies and is applicable to small as well as large and complex incident. ICS is used by various jurisdictions and functional agencies/departments, both public and private, to organize field-level incident management operations.
8. "National Incident Management System (NIMS)": A set of principles that provides a systematic, proactive approach guiding agencies/departments at all levels, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life or property and harm to the environment. The EOP incorporates NIMS components, principles, and policies, including: planning, training, response, exercises, equipment, evaluation, and corrective actions into the plan where applicable. Designated individuals are expected to complete NIMS training.
9. "Unified command (UC)": In incidents involving multiple jurisdictions, a single jurisdiction with multiagency/multidepartmental involvement, or multiple jurisdictions with multiagency involvement, unified command allows agencies with different legal, geographic, and functional  authorities and responsibilities to work together effectively without affecting individual agency/departmental authority, responsibility, or accountability.