Appendix F

MSU Capability Assessment 

General 

MSU’s in-house capabilities to implement mitigation projects include planners, engineers, scientists, emergency managers, GIS personnel, and financial and administrative professionals. Available resources and expertise within the City of Bozeman, Gallatin County and the State of Montana enhance MSU’s capabilities for resiliency. These resources collectively have the responsibility to maintain MSU as a disaster-resistant university. The goals and objectives used to mitigate natural and technological hazards builds on the campus’ existing capabilities.

MSU’s Emergency Management Coordinator will provide overall coordination of hazard mitigation on campus. In-house capabilities to implement mitigation projects are generally within the departments of Facilities Services, Facilities Planning Design & Construction and Emergency Management, as described below.

Facilities Services 

Facilities Services employs approximately 170 full time employees and a varying number of seasonal and student employees. Facilities Services maintains MSU’s academic, research, housing and auxiliaries facilities, which house classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, student residences, athletic events venues, food service operations, etc. Facilities Services consists of the following service management areas: Environmental Services (Landscape, Grounds & Irrigation; Custodial; Solid Waste Disposal; and Recycling); Engineering & Utilities (Utility Infrastructure; Heat Plant Operations; Energy Management; and Engineering Services); Business Management (Budget & Accounting; Information Systems; and Real Estate); General Operations (Work Control; Preventive Maintenance; Stores/ Purchasing; Facilities Safety; and, Mail Services) and Campus Maintenance (Maintenance Trades).

Facilities Services functions that pertain to emergency response and pre-disaster mitigation include: landscape and grounds maintenance; repair, maintenance and renovation of campus facilities; repair, maintenance and upgrades of campus utilities; central heating plant operations; preventive maintenance; and excavation and waste management.

Facilities Planning Design and Construction 

Facilities Planning Design & Construction (FPDC) employs approximately 17 full time employees. FPDC manages the planning, design and construction efforts for new structures, renovations, major maintenance projects and infrastructure projects. FPDC includes architectural services, campus master planning, space management, capital construction planning, and historic preservation. FPDC functions that pertain to emergency response and pre-disaster mitigation include: managing structural analysis and design; campus ADA planning; building plans records and archives; and liaison with the external design community, contractors and other state agencies.

Emergency Management 

In 2013, MSU established the Office of Emergency Management, within the Administrative & Finance Division. The office is directed by the Emergency Management Coordinator. The duties of this position include:

  • Coordinate and implement plans for emergency preparedness, disaster mitigation, emergency response, recovery, and continuity of operations efforts for the MSU-Bozeman campus.
  • Plan, coordinate and conduct emergency management exercises on an annual basis, including at least one live exercise and one table top exercise each year.
  • Conduct training in emergency management, planning and preparedness for key University administrators and departmental directors at the University and across all campuses in the MSU system.
  • Assist university departments with identifying key indicators that influence potential business impacts and help identify processes and procedures to improve response plans and business resilience.
  • Research opportunities and apply for federal funding for emergency management related needs and administer and report on the progress of such grants.

State of Montana, Department of Administration, Architecture & Engineering Division 

 

The state Architecture & Engineering Division (A&E) serves and assists the Montana University System in the design and construction of facilities, repairs and alterations of existing facilities, and planning for their needs. The State of Montana has adopted High Performance Design Standards for the construction, renovation, and maintenance of public buildings in the state. These standards have been developed to improve the capacity of the state to design, build, and operate high-performance and resilient buildings. The resiliency factor includes design to mitigate the effect of natural hazards and man-made disasters. The A&E Division functions in partnership with the universities to procure and execute design and construction projects related to state owned facilities.

Gallatin County All Hazard All Discipline Group 

The All Hazard All Discipline Group (AHAD) in Gallatin County is responsible for providing a forum for coordinated planning between agencies throughout the county. AHAD is Gallatin County’s version of a Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). This group not only fulfills the hazardous materials requirements of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, but goes beyond the average LEPC to encompass All Hazards and All the Disciplines that become involved in a large incident. Monthly meetings are held.

In 2003, MSU-Bozeman increased its participation with Gallatin County when the role and scope was expanded to an all-hazards/ all-discipline group (AHAD). Long having a seat on what was formerly the Gallatin County LEPC when the focus was hazardous materials and fire response, MSU currently fills a seat to coordinate disaster and emergency planning response with Gallatin County Emergency Services.

Gallatin City-County Public Health Department 

MSU Student Health Service participates in and hosts various planning sessions and tabletop exercises with the Gallatin City-County Health Department. The result of the cooperation was the formation of a county Unified Health Command with MSU Student Health Service as one leg of a triangular organization including the Public Health Department and the Department of Public Health and Human Services.