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Emergency Management
Preparing for emergencies and disruptions
Western’s Emergency Management Program supports the university’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, major incidents, and operational disruptions. This work is coordinated with campus partners and external emergency services to support a timely, organized, and effective response when emergencies occur.
Need emergency help?
Call 911 immediately if there is an emergency, immediate danger, fire, medical emergency, crime in progress, or urgent threat to safety.
For non-emergency campus safety assistance, contact Western Special Constable Service at 519-661-3300.
What emergency management supports
Emergency management at Western supports planning, preparedness, response coordination, and recovery before, during, and after emergencies or significant disruptions.
Planning and preparedness
Emergency management includes planning, readiness activities, exercises, communication processes, and partnerships that support Western’s ability to respond effectively.
This work helps the university prepare for emergencies, major incidents, operational disruptions, and significant campus events.
Response coordination
Emergency management supports coordinated response during incidents that may require involvement from multiple university departments or external emergency services.
The goal is to support timely communication, resource coordination, decision support, and protection of the campus community.
Recovery and continuity
Recovery and continuity planning help Western restore critical services, resume teaching and research, and return to normal operations after an emergency or disruption.
This includes supporting departments and units as they prepare for interruptions to services, facilities, systems, staffing, or operations.
Western’s emergency management framework
Western’s emergency management work is organized around four connected areas: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Mitigation
Actions that help reduce risk to people, property, critical operations, and the campus environment before an emergency occurs.
Preparedness
Planning, training, communication systems, exercises, resources, and partnerships that support an effective emergency response.
Response
Coordinated actions taken before, during, or after an emergency to protect life safety, reduce damage, and support the campus community.
Recovery
Steps that help restore critical services, resume teaching and research, support affected people, and return operations to normal or improved levels.
Western’s priorities during an emergency
During an emergency or major disruption, Western’s response priorities focus on life safety, protection of critical resources, continuity of teaching and research, and recovery.
Life safety
Protecting the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff, visitors, responders, and the surrounding community is the first priority.
Critical resources
Emergency planning supports the protection of critical records, research materials, equipment, facilities, infrastructure, and other important university resources.
Teaching and research
Response and recovery planning supports Western’s ability to resume teaching, research, and other core university activities as safely and efficiently as possible.
Recovery
Recovery efforts help restore services, support affected people, assess impacts, and return operations to normal or improved levels after a disruption.
A coordinated response
Emergency response at Western may involve coordination across university departments, emergency services, and community partners depending on the nature and scale of the situation.
Campus response partners
Depending on the situation, response may involve Western Special Constable Service, Fire Safety, Facilities Management, Health, Safety and Well-being, Communications and Public Affairs, Western Technology Services, Housing and Ancillary Services, SERT, and other campus partners.
These partners support life safety, emergency communications, facilities response, resource coordination, technical support, and recovery activities.
External emergency services
Western’s emergency response may also involve coordination with external emergency services and community partners, including the London Fire Department, the London Police Service, emergency medical services, City of London Emergency Management, and other agencies as needed.
This coordination helps support a timely and organized response during significant emergencies or disruptions.
Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility
Western’s emergency management program depends on planning, coordination, and preparedness across the university.
Departments and units
Departments and units play an important role in emergency preparedness by understanding their people, spaces, services, equipment, records, research, and operational needs.
Preparedness planning helps teams identify critical functions, maintain contact information, support building-level response, and prepare for disruptions that may affect normal operations.
Western community members
Students, faculty, staff, and visitors can support emergency preparedness by knowing how to report emergencies, following official instructions, keeping contact information up to date, and paying attention to Alert WesternU messages.
During an emergency, follow instructions from Western University, emergency responders, Alert WesternU, and on-site officials.