Emergency Operation Plan: Glossary of Terms
Agency
A division of government with a specific function offering a particular kind of assistance. In ICS, agencies are defined either as jurisdictional (having statutory responsibility for incident management) or as assisting or cooperating (providing resources or other assistance).
Agency Representative
A person assigned by a primary, assisting, or cooperating federal, state, local, or tribal government agency or private entity that has been delegated authority to make decisions affecting that agency's or organization's participation in incident management activities following appropriate consultation with the leadership of that agency.
Area Command (Unified Area Command)
An organization established (1) to oversee the management of multiple incidents that are each being handled by an ICS organization or (2) to oversee the management of large or multiple incidents to which several Incident Management Teams have been assigned. Area Command has the responsibility to set overall strategy and priorities, allocate critical resources according to priorities, ensure that incidents are properly managed, and ensure that objectives are met and strategies followed. Area Command becomes a Unified Area Command when incidents are multi-jurisdictional. Area Command may be established at an EOC facility or at some location other than an ICP.
Chain of Command
A series of command, control, executive, or management positions in hierarchical order of authority.
Command Staff
In an incident management organization, the Command Staff consists of the Incident Command and the special staff positions of Public Information Officer, Safety Officer, Liaison Officer, and other positions as required, who report directly to the Incident Commander. They may have an assistant or assistants, as needed.
Credible Threat
A potential terrorist threat that, based on a threat assessment, is credible and likely to involve weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Crisis Management
Predominantly a law enforcement function and included measures to identify, acquire, and plan the use of resources needed to anticipate, prevent, and/or resolve a threat or act of terrorism.
Critical Operations Unit Plan
A Critical Operations Unit Plan identifies emergency preparation, coordination, and response activities for specific functional units.
Disaster
A disaster is defined as a university, citywide or more extensive emergency which seriously impairs or halts the operations of ETAMU.
Emergency
A situation or occurrence of a serious nature, developing suddenly and unexpectedly, and demanding immediate actions.
Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC)
The EMC is a member of the Emergency Operations Team and is responsible for the preplanning coordination of the Emergency Management Plan and its annexes. The EMC consults directly with the University Incident Commander during an actual emergency.
Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
The physical location at which the coordination of information and resources to support domestic incident management activities normally takes place. An EOC may be a temporary facility or may be located in a more central or permanently established facility, perhaps at a higher level of organization within a jurisdiction. EOCs may be organized by major functional disciplines (e.g., fire, law enforcement, and medical services), by jurisdiction (e.g., federal, state, regional, county, city, tribal), or by some combination thereof.
EOC Controller
The EOC controller is responsible for the equipment operations of the EOC when it is activated. The EOC controller is the university Safety Manager.
Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
The “steady-state” plan maintained by various jurisdictional levels for managing a wide variety of potential hazards.
Emergency Response Team (ERT)
The Emergency Response Team (ERT) is activated, based on the type and nature of the incident, to manage the operational aspects of the university's response to an emergency event. The university Incident Commander heads the Emergency Operations Team.
Emergency Response Provider
Includes federal, state, local, and tribal emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities) and related personnel, agencies, and authorities. Also known as “emergency responder.”
Emergency Support Function (ESF)
A grouping of government and certain private-sector capabilities into an organizational structure to provide the support, resources, program implementation, and services that are most likely to be needed to save lives, protect property and the environment, restore essential services and critical infrastructure, and help victims and communities return to normal, when feasible, following domestic incidents. The ESFs serve as the primary operational-level mechanism to provide assistance to state, local, and tribal governments or to federal departments and agencies conducting missions of primary federal responsibility.
Evacuation
Organized, phased and supervised withdrawal, dispersal, or removal of civilians from dangerous or potentially dangerous areas, and their reception and care in safe areas.
Executive Management Team (EMT)
The Executive Management Team (EMT) will evaluate information from various sources during the progress of the event and advise the President on appropriate actions requiring his/her decision. The EMT is also responsible for the review and approval of the Emergency Operation Plan. The EMTs role is that of policy and major decisions.
Field Command Post (FCP)
The Field Command Post is established as a remote area of operations. FCPs are structured similar to Incident Command Post. If an incident involves operations that are spread out, FCPs would support operations by establishing operations command at specified areas.
First Responder
Local and non-governmental police, fire, and emergency personnel who in the early stages of an incident are responsible for the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment. First responders may include personnel from federal, state, local, tribal, or nongovernmental organizations.
Incident
An occurrence or event, natural or human caused, that requires an emergency response to protect life or property. Incidents can, for example, include major disasters, emergencies, terrorist attacks, terrorist threats, wildland and urban fires, floods, hazardous materials spills, nuclear accidents, aircraft accidents, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical storms, war-related disasters, public health and medical emergencies, and other occurrences requiring an emergency response.
Incident Action Plan
An oral or written plan containing general objectives reflecting the overall strategy for managing an incident. It may include the identification of operational resources and assignments. It may also include attachments that provide direction and important information for management of the incident during one or more operational periods.
Incident Command Post (ICP)
The field location at which the primary tactical-level, on-scene incident command functions are performed.
Incident Command System (ICS)
A standardized on-scene emergency management construction, specifically designed to provide for the adoption of an integrated organizational structure that reflects the complexity and demands of single or multiple incidents without being hindered by jurisdictional boundaries. ICS is the combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating with 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 incidents. ICS is used by various jurisdictions and functional agencies, both public and private, or organized field-level incident management operations.
Incident Commander (IC)
The individual responsible for all incident activities, including the development of strategies and tactics and the ordering and release of resources. The IC has overall authority and responsibility for conducting incident operations and is responsible for the management of all incident operations at the incident site.
Incident Management Team (IMT)
The Incident Commander and appropriate Command and General Staff personnel assigned to an incident. At ETAMU, this team is comprised of the Executive Management Team and the Emergency Response Team.
Isolated Critical Incident
An Isolated Critical Incident is defined as an occurrence impacting only a small part of the university community or university physical property, which does not affect the overall functioning capacity of ETAMU.
Jurisdiction
A range or sphere of authority. Public agencies have jurisdiction at an incident related to their legal responsibilities and authorities. Jurisdictional authority at an incident can be political or geographical (e.g., city, county, tribal, state, or federal boundary lines) or functional (e.g., law enforcement, public health).
Liaison Officer
A member of the Command Staff responsible for coordinating with representatives from cooperating and assisting agencies.
Local Government
A county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government.
Major Critical Incident
A Major Critical Incident is defined as a serious emergency, which completely disrupts one or more operations of ETAMU.
Major Disaster
As defined by the Stafford Act, any natural catastrophe (including any hurricane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, or drought) or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any part of the United States, which in the determination of the President causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under this act to supplement the efforts and available resources of states, local governments, and disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or suffering caused thereby.
Mitigation
Activities designed to reduce or eliminate risks to persons or property or to lessen the actual or potential effects or consequences of an incident. Mitigation measures may be implemented prior to, during, or after an incident.
Mobilization
The process and procedures used by all organizations—federal, state, local, and tribal—for activating, assembling, and transporting all resources that have been requested to respond to or support an incident.
Mobilization Center
An off-site temporary facility at which response personnel and equipment are received from the Point of Arrival and are pre-positioned for deployment to an incident logistics base, to a local Staging Area, or directly to an incident site, as required. A mobilization center also provides temporary support services, such as food and billeting for response personnel prior to their assignment, release, or reassignment and serves as a place to out-process following demobilization.
Multiagency Command Center (MACC)
An interagency coordination center that serves as the focal point for interagency security planning and coordination.
Multijurisdictional Incident
An incident requiring action from multiple agencies that each have jurisdiction to manage certain aspects of an incident. In ICS, these incidents will be managed under Unified Command.
Mutual Aid Agreement
Written agreement between agencies, organizations, and/or jurisdictions that they will assist one another on request by furnishing personnel, equipment, and/or expertise in a specified manner.
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
A system that provides a consistent, nationwide approach for federal, state, local, and tribal governments. NIMS is a modular emergency management system designed for all hazards and levels of emergency response.
Preparedness
The range of deliberate, critical tasks, and activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the operational capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents.
Prevention
Actions taken to avoid an incident or to intervene to stop an incident from occurring. Prevention involves actions taken to protect lives and property.
Public Information Officer (PIO)
A member of the Command Staff responsible for interfacing with the public and media or with other agencies with incident related information requirements.
Public Works
Work, construction, physical facilities, and services provided by governments for the benefit and use of the public.
Recovery
The development, coordination, and execution of service and site-restoration plans for impacted communities and the reconstitution of operations and services through individual, private- sector, nongovernmental, and public assistance.
Resources
Personnel and major items of equipment, supplies, and facilities available or potentially available for assignment to incident operations and for which status is maintained. Resources are described by kind and type and may be used in operational support or supervisory capacities at an incident or at an EOC.
Response
Activities that address the short-term, direct effects of an incident. Response includes immediate actions to save lives, protect property, and meet basic human needs.
Shelter in Place
Finding a safe location indoors and staying there until you are given an “all clear” or told to evacuate. You may be asked to shelter in place because of an active shooter; tornado; or chemical, radiological, or other hazard.
Span of Control
Pertains to the number of individuals or resources that one supervisor can manage effectively during emergency response incidents or special events.
Terrorism
Any activity that (1) involves an act that (a) is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and (b) is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State or other subdivision of the United States; and (2) appears to be intended (a) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (b) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (c) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.
Threat
An indication of possible violence, harm, or danger.
Unified Command
An application of ICS used when there is more than one agency with incident jurisdiction or when incidents cross political jurisdictions. Agencies work together through the designated members of the Unified Command to establish their designated Incident Commanders at a single ICP and to establish a common set of objectives and strategies and a single Incident Action Plan.
Unit
A unit is a department, shop, or other defined entity of the university.
Unit Control Centers
Unit Control Centers support operational groups of the EOP. They provide a focal point within an organization to monitor unit resources and response capability and coordinate their activities during disasters.
Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD)
As defined in Title 18, U.S.C. § 2332a: (1) any explosive, incendiary, or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket having a propellant charge of more than 4 ounces, or missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce, or mine or similar device; (2) any weapon that is designed or intended to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release, dissemination, or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors; (3) any weapon involving a disease organism; or (4) any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life.
Abbreviations
- BEC — Building Emergency Coordinator
- DPS — Department of Public Safety
- ECC — Emergency Control Center
- EMC — Emergency Management Coordinator
- EMT — Executive Management Team
- EOC — Emergency Operations Center
- EOP — Emergency Operation Plan
- EOT — Emergency Operation Team
- ERT — Emergency Response Team
- FEMA — Federal Emergency Management Agency
- FCP — Field Command Post
- IC — Incident Commander
- ICP — Incident Command Post
- ICS — Incident Command System
- NIMS — National Incident Management System
- NOAA — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- NWS — National Warning System
- PIO — Public Information Officer
- ETAMU — East Texas A&M University
- TDEM — Texas Division of Emergency Management
- UPD — University Police Department