Environment, Health and Safety Manual - Chapter 04.21: Building Emergency Coordinators

The University has designated an Emergency Coordinator(s) for all of its occupied buildings. This document describes what each Emergency Coordinator is responsible for before, during, and after an emergency.

Title

Environment, Health and Safety Manual - Chapter 04.21: Building Emergency Coordinators

General

The Building Emergency Coordinator (BEC) serves to assist first responders by developing a common, building-wide plan of action for emergencies that threaten life safety.  The BEC serves as an extension of the Office of Emergency Management and Planning (OEMP), Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) and UNC Police in the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of an emergency and serves as a central point of contact, in which information can be exchanged, within and external to the building. An additional role of the BEC is to serve as a single point of contact within each building and promoting better dissemination of pertinent emergency preparedness information and plans throughout campus buildings.

1. Before an emergency

Prepare a departmental emergency action plan. The Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a joint effort by Office of Emergency Management and Planning, Environment, Health & Safety, and UNC Police in an effort to increase the university's resiliency and improve the university's ability to respond to and recover from an incident. The purpose of the EAP is to protect the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill building occupants and visitors from serious injury, property loss, and/or loss of life in the event of an actual or potential emergency. An emergency may include, but is not limited to: fire, tornado, hurricane, active assailant, bomb threat, severe weather, or hazardous chemical spill. In the event of an emergency, this EAP describes the initial responsibilities and actions to be taken by all faculty and staff to protect all building occupants and/or visitors until the appropriate university or emergency responders take over.

The development of the EAP is an integral part of the campus safety mission at the university. Departments within a building, led by the BEC, are responsible for the creation of EAP Building Appendix. The EAP will be used as the basis for coordinated building and departmental preparedness, response, evacuation, secure-in-place, or shelter-in place actions. A well-developed EAP reduces the impact of incidents on people, property, and departmental functions.

2. During an emergency

Each BEC is responsible for the following in accordance with University emergency management procedures:

1. Sweep through assigned area to alert occupants that an evacuation is in process and/or notify occupants that evacuation is mandatory when the fire alarm is sounding.
2. Help building occupants needing assistance, and notify evacuation monitors, if any, to assist in the evacuation of all persons from the building or your department’s area if occupancy is shared with other departments.
3. If possible, assist Emergency Response Personnel in locating necessary areas in building to mitigate the problem.
4. Account for the employees designated in your area by meeting building occupants at the assembly area and taking a head count. This includes advising building occupants regarding the situation and notifying occupants when re-entry is permitted.

3. After an emergency

The BEC will often receive an all clear from either EHS Fire Safety or responders on the scene when the building can be re-occupied either after a drill or an emergency.

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