Mar. 31, 2023
In case of emergency: CWU faculty and staff needed for Central Response training
Are you cool under pressure? Do you work well with others during emergency situations? Then you might have what it takes to join Central Washington University’s Emergency Coordinator Center (ECC).
Any CWU faculty, staff, and administrators interested in helping the university respond to potential safety incidents and natural disasters are invited to attend an upcoming ECC training exercise called “Central Response.” The half-hour lunchtime training courses will be held April 12 and April 26 from 11:30 to noon via Microsoft Teams. Join the meeting with this link.
During large-scale emergencies, organizations often activate an ECC—a centralized, secure location to coordinate emergency response and recovery activities. The last time CWU activated an ECC was in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and many of the same people would likely be involved in a future response.
Additional help is always needed, so even if you haven’t ever participated in a coordinated emergency response, you may have the skills and knowledge the university needs to respond effectively to a safety incident, natural disaster, or unforeseen public health emergency like COVID-19.
The two upcoming Central Response training sessions will talk about:
- What the ECC’s role is to support coordination during an incident or event;
- processes and procedures for activating Central Response;
- factors involved in staffing and organizing Central Response;
- how to run an effective ECC;
- considerations for deactivating Central Response within the context of recovery; and
- training recommendations.
In the event of an emergency, Central Response would likely be staffed both in-person and virtually by employees from across campus. Participation is on a volunteer basis.
If you have questions about the ECC or what it may entail, email CWU’s Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Cepeda.