About Us

The University of Arizona Campus Emergency Response Team (UA CERT) is an organization comprised of various campus officials that focuses primarily on the management of situations involving critical incidents on campus. Its involvement is central to the successful implementation of the Campus Emergency Response Plan (CERP).

The Chair of the UA CERT is Dr. Melissa Vito, Vice President for Student Affairs. The UA Manager of Emergency Preparedness is Commander Brian Seastone, UA Police Department.

Dr. Vito can be contacted at 520.621.3772 or mmvito@u.arizona.edu
Commander Seastone can be contacted at 520.621.3507 or seastone@uapd,arizona.edu

UACERT RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Monitors an emergency situation and directs University responses to resolve and respond to the emergency quickly and with as little adverse impact as possible at the direction of the Incident Commander.
  • Assists the Incident Commander by providing support and resources via the Incident Command System (ICS).
  • Gathers, confirms and evaluates incident information.
  • Defines and implements tactics/actions to resolve priority situations.
  • Identifies resource needs and shortfalls.
  • Reassigns/deploys individuals in support of critical needs.
  • Issues public information reports and instructions; serves as liaison to other emergency service providers.
  • Balances various needs and requests.
  • Provides technical, legal, and fiscal expertise as necessary.

When needed, the UACERT will coordinate University efforts with the Pima County Office of Emergency Management. The UACERT continues to monitor and coordinate events until the emergency situation is stabilized sufficiently to allow a return to regular organizational operation. At an appropriate time, the UACERT debriefs with each of the units involved in an emergency in an ongoing effort to improve the University response to crisis situations.

UACERT OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK

Priorities

  • The health, safety, and well-being of people are the University of Arizona’s highest priority.
  • After the University acts to protect the safety of individuals, University facilities, buildings and property are the next highest priority, followed by private property that may be affected by the situation.
  • In the acute stage of an emergency, the University’s lowest priority is the return to normal operations. However, after the situation has stabilized and the University has secured the safety of people and property, the University’s primary goal will be to return to normal operations.