About
Be Prepared. Stay Informed. Support One Another.
Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility across the Columbia community. Whether you are a student, researcher, faculty member, healthcare provider, staff member, or visitor, personal readiness helps protect you and those around you.
This website provides practical guidance, preparedness resources, and emergency information designed to help members of the Columbia community make informed decisions before, during, and after emergencies and disruptions.
A resilient campus starts with simple, everyday actions:
- Stay informed. Pay attention to official Columbia emergency alerts and communications.
- Know your resources. Become familiar with emergency procedures, campus services, and preparedness information.
- Report concerns. Notify Public Safety or appropriate campus staff if you spot a hazard or safety concern. Early reporting helps prevent minor issues from escalating.
- Support one another. Look out for peers, colleagues, and visitors. Campus safety and resilience are strengthened through mutual support.
Who We Are:
To effectively protect our university community and continue the operations the community relies on, Columbia’s preparedness and emergency management efforts are supported by both a dedicated Emergency Management unit and the Emergency Management Operations Team.
Emergency Management
Emergency Management is a unit within Columbia University Public Safety that supports the University’s preparedness, operational coordination, emergency response, continuity, recovery, and resilience efforts.
Emergency Management helps Columbia strengthen institutional resilience by preparing for emergencies, coordinating response efforts, supporting continuity, and helping the University recover from disruptions affecting our campuses, academic mission, research activities, healthcare operations, residential life, and community.
The unit supports emergency planning, training, exercises, preparedness education, operational readiness, emergency coordination, and continuous improvement using an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness and incident management.
Emergency Management Operations Team (EMOT)
The Emergency Management Operations Team (EMOT) brings together representatives from departments across the University to support preparedness, coordination, communication, and decision-making during emergencies and major events.
EMOT helps ensure that operational, academic, research, healthcare, residential, and administrative considerations are incorporated into planning and response efforts.
Through collaboration and information sharing, EMOT strengthens Columbia's ability to respond effectively to incidents, maintain critical operations, and support the University community.
Contact EMOT: [email protected]
What We Do:
Consistent with national preparedness principles, Columbia’s emergency management work supports five core areas:
- Prevention and Protection: Identify hazards, assess risks, and support protective actions before emergencies occur.
- Mitigation: Reduce vulnerabilities and lessen the impact of emergencies and disruptions before they occur.
- Preparedness: Build plans, conduct training and exercises, and provide resources that help the Columbia community prepare for emergencies and disruptions.
- Response: Establish incident management, emergency coordination, communication, and decision-making during emergencies and major events.
- Recovery, Continuity, and Resilience: Assist the University in restoring operations, maintaining critical functions, supporting the community, and applying lessons learned to strengthen future preparedness.