Emergency Operations Center

The SFSU Emergency Operations Center (EOC) serves as the central coordination point for emergency response. The EOC collects and disseminates information to provide a university-wide "common operating picture" of SFSU's response activities with internal and external agencies and organizations. 

The EOC

  • Provides space and facilities for the centralized coordination of emergency functions (e.g., emergency operations, communications and warning, damage assessment and public information).
  • Is staffed with designated SFSU personnel who are offered specialized training and development.
  • Is equipped with a variety of systems and tools that aid in data collection and sharing, resource allocation and other critical functions.

Primary functions

  • Exchanges disaster information with campus departments, the City and County of San Francisco and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies in order to develop a comprehensive situational analysis and action plan.
  • Prepares SFSU Situation Reports
  • Coordinates and communicates with the President’s office and the Policy Group
  • Implements event management by objective:
    • Reconcile competing objectives
    • Coordinate resource allocation priorities
  • Serves as a coordination and communication center for all SFSU stakeholders and auxiliaries, including:
    • Associated Students Inc. (ASI)
    • SF State Foundation
    • University Corporation (UCorp)
    • SF State contracted providers
    • Other facilities owned or leased by the university, including the Sierra Nevada Field Campus
  • May also send a liaison to serve in City and County of San Francisco's Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC) as described in the National Incident Management System (NIMS), thereby ensuring that all response systems are interconnected and complementary rather than duplicative.

Training requirements

SFSU follows the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) guidelines. All members of the EOC are required to complete appropriate Incident Command System (ICS) and SEMS training relevant to their respective roles. 

Decision making

Every emergency situation requires unique response activities to meet the needs of the SFSU community. Response activities are a combination of prior experience and subject matter expertise. The EOC must be flexible and adaptable in order to provide the most appropriate response activities.

Our response priorities:

  1. Life Safety
  2. Incident Stabilization
  3. Continuity of Learning
  4. Preservation of the Environment and Property

The Policy Group

EOC advises and assists the Policy Group in making emergency-related decisions. In an emergency, the EOC consults with the Policy Group Liaison.

The Policy Group is comprised of the President and Cabinet. They function as a strategic policy and recovery planning team, setting general policy regarding overall SFSU emergency operations and recovery plans. The Policy Group advises the President on large funding expenditures, capital improvement and reconstruction projects. They may also authorize recovery plans and priorities.