Emergency Management and Continuity Planning

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) supports and protects UTRGV’s mission by preparing the university to withstand, respond to, and recover from emergencies of any scale. OEM serves as the campus anchor for readiness—coordinating planning, communication, and partnerships that keep our community safe before, during, and after critical events.

When students and employees receive alerts about heavy police presence, hurricanes, or shelter‑in‑place situations, OEM is the team working behind the scenes to ensure the university is informed, protected, and ready to act. Office of Emergency Management

Emergency Management & Planning

OEM maintains the university’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) and ensures compliance with federal and state emergency management regulations, including the National Incident Management System.

Key responsibilities include:

• Coordinating mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts across departments.
• Providing situational awareness during emerging incidents.
• Conducting annual exercises to strengthen decision‑making and readiness.
• Supporting continuity of operations planning.
• Building partnerships with local, county, state, and federal agencies to enhance regional preparedness.

Emergency Preparedness Programs
OEM promotes a transparent culture of preparedness by offering programs that help students and employees understand how to respond to emergencies.

Ready UTRGV

• Interactive events that connect the campus community with emergency professionals, offering practical insights into preparedness and safety.

CampusShield Mobile App

• A University Police initiative that provides quick access to safety tools, emergency reporting, and protective features directly from your mobile device.

Emergency Communications

• OEM oversees multiple notification methods: email, text, and phone calls. This is to ensure timely and accurate information reaches the UTRGV community when seconds matter.

OEM’s outreach efforts empower students, faculty, and staff to take an active role in campus safety. Through training, events, communication tools, and partnerships, OEM ensures the entire UTRGV community is ready to face challenges with confidence and resilience.

A prepared campus is a stronger campus, OEM works every day to uphold that promise.

The Office of Emergency Management and Continuity Planning (OEM) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is a key department dedicated to protecting the university's mission, its communities, facilities, and intellectual property from all major emergencies and disasters.

Office of Emergency Management