Sept. 17, 2002
Levels of Alert
Four Levels Identified
By Greg
Licamele
Four levels of alert have been established for the University. The current
level is established by the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management
and will be posted online. These levels are meant to prepare the University
for an anticipated or ongoing incident.
• Normal (Alert Level IV): A level IV status indicates normal
operations of the University. The local, national, and international
news and other available information warrant neither increased concern
nor actions beyond normal security efforts.
• Incident Watch (Alert Level III): A level III alert is
a transition point and a departure from normal operations. It will be
established in response to: an incident that disrupts some aspect of
University operations, but can be controlled by on-duty police and others
in authority present, or in anticipation of a possible incident of that
scope that is not yet assessed as credible or imminent. Examples include
weather presenting a risk of damage, initial recognition of vandalism
in laboratory facilities, unsecured sensitive facilities, a suspicious
package, an identifiable group of trespassers, or a pattern of recent
incidents in the area or at other campuses.
• Incident Warning (Alert Level II): A level II alert is
a transition point and exceeds GW’s capacity to respond. A level
II alert will be established in response to an incident that cannot
be controlled by on-duty police and others in positions of authority
present or in some other manner exceeds the University’s capacity
to respond or recover without outside assistance, or in anticipation
of an incident of that scope assessed as credible and imminent. During
a level II alert, the University Command Center will be set-up. Examples
of incidents requiring the establishment of a level II alert include
outbreaks of violence, or credible threats to specific personnel, laboratories,
research facilities or records, critical systems or infrastructure,
other campus resources, significant or uncontrolled fire damage, severe
weather presenting a threat to life, or presumptive identification of
threatening personnel, objects, or substances.
• Crisis Imminent or Crisis Response (Level I Alert): A
level I alert is reaching a crisis or worse. A level I alert will be
established in response to an incident meeting or exceeding the criteria
for a crisis either by the level of damage resulting or through its
importance to the fulfillment of goals, the protection of vital interests,
or the adherence to values, or the duration, disruption, or fiscal impact.
The event meets the criteria for a disaster or catastrophe, or the likelihood
that such an incident is imminent. The University may need to make modifications
to academic and business operations and schedules to manage an incident
at this level in a manner that ensures, as much as possible, the protection
of life and property.
There also is a recovery stage, at which time a level of alert will
be established and communicated.
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
