Emergency response at UBC

UBC has established response structures and processes to manage all types of emergencies. Built by the principles of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, UBC’s emergency management program follows the British Columbia Emergency Management System (BCEMS), a recognized standard system for emergency response across British Columbia to ensure a coordinated and organized approach to emergency response and recovery. 

Our goal is a fully integrated emergency management system from leadership to individual community members, focused on minimizing risk and ensuring a rapid, effective response.

What this means

• Preparedness: Training and planning so everyone knows what to do in an emergency.
• Coordinated Response: Activation of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to lead an efficient and collaborative campus-wide response.
• Recovery: Enabling the university to resume operations as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Under the  Metro Vancouver’s Electoral Area A Emergency Response Plan, UBC has developed its own comprehensive Emergency Plan for the campus to address the unique needs of our community. 

UBC’s response structure

UBC’s response structure is a three-tiered system:

1. Incident Command / Incident Response at the scene or Departmental Operations Centers (DOC) to manage the incident locally 

2. Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate at an organizational level

3. Crisis Management Team (CMT) comprised of UBC’s President and UBC Executives to make policy-level decisions. 

When an incident happens on campus, UBC departments will respond in coordination with first responders like police, fire and ambulance.

Emergency Operations Centre

An Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is a group of experienced and trained campus leaders and subject matter experts that come together to manage the response to an event that has significantly strained or overwhelmed regular operations. An EOC involves responders from the site of the incident (i.e. UBC) but may also require coordination with multiple external responders or agencies.  

UBC regularly holds emergency training exercises to better position individuals and the institution for real emergencies. These sessions are aligned with recognized campus hazards and are meant to allow responders to practice, and problem solve coordination issues and challenges. UBC also participates in regional emergency management planning initiatives to make sure UBC is aligned with emergency plans across the region. 

Learn more about emergency training