As the Office of Emergency Management and Business Continuity at the University of Maryland, our mission is to foster a culture of preparedness and resilience among our diverse community. We are dedicated to effectively managing incidents, ensuring that robust structures and plans are in place to maintain continuity for the university’s critical functions, and facilitating seamless communication among partners and university leadership during emergencies.

Individuals with access and functional needs are defined as anyone who, without the assistance of another person, would have difficulty evacuating or relocating to a safe location. UMD community members should feel empowered to self-disclose their need for assistance to a colleague, a peer, or a professor/advisor.

Here are some videos to help improve your preparedness and safety both on and off campus. Each of the videos vary in topic and length.

Looking for preparedness resources to review online or link to on your department's site? The following is a comprehensive list of helpful resources created by OEMBC, other UMD offices/departments, or links to external sites that all provide valuable emergency preparedness information.

To request hard copies of any of these materials, please contact prepare@umd.edu 

Emergency Operations Plan

Emergency preparedness is about being ready for what happens, learning from our experiences, and preparing better for the next event.

It takes ongoing effort from all of us to create and sustain an effective emergency preparedness program. You are your own best first responder—please use these resources to better understand your role in emergency preparedness at the University of Maryland, and how you can become part of and contribute to our preparedness community.

Here are some UMD apps you can use on campus to improve your preparedness and safety.

Continuity of Operations (COOP), also referred to as business continuity, is the ability to continue to perform critical activities when normal operating conditions are disrupted (e.g., key staff are ill, the office loses power). The University System of Maryland (USM) requires COOP plans to ensure its institutions can maintain their critical functions when faced with unexpected challenges.

In support of National Preparedness Month in September, OEMBC collaborated with UMD Police and the Office of the Fire Marshal to create a 45-minute session focused on individual preparedness. This learning opportunity was extended to students, faculty, and staff throughout September.