The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) has announced August 2025 as the inaugural National Emergency Management Awareness Month. The month aims to promote the capabilities of emergency management and the role of the emergency managers.
At Clemson University, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) serves a number of critical functions, while focusing on its mission of fostering a secure and resilient Clemson University.
OEM assists its Public Safety partners with on-scene response and management, as well as planning and documentation for both pre-planned events, like home football games, and no-notice emergencies. Additionally, OEM conducts training for both Public Safety and campus partners and organizes and facilitates both large and small-scale exercises to ensure the University is prepared for a variety of emergency situations.
OEM also oversees the University’s emergency notifications, known as CU Alerts, and distributes information on emergency procedures for different hazards faced by the University, which can be found in the purple flipbooks located throughout campus and online.
The department manages the University’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which brings together representatives from key campus entities to respond to and recover from incidents that impact Clemson University. For example, the potential impacts of hurricanes and winter weather on University locations throughout the state often result in the activation of the EOC.
OEM organizes Clemson’s Emergency Management Council (EMC). This group is comprised of representatives throughout the University and meets monthly to share information on key topics in the areas of prevention, preparedness, protection and mitigation to ensure the university is prepared for potential emergencies it may face.
OEM also leads the Building Security Coordinator (BSC) program. BSCs serve as the main point of contact for their building for all matters related to safety and security, in addition to other related responsibilities.
Working with members of these groups, as well as local, county, state and federal partners, OEM is responsible for organizing, managing and, if needed, activating the Family and Friends Assistance Center (FFAC). The FFAC would provide resources and support to members of the University community, their families and loved ones in the event of a large-scale emergency at Clemson University. OEM and a large group of partners conducted an exercise to test capabilities for an FFAC activation earlier this year.
The department distributes preparedness information throughout the year, encouraging students, faculty and staff to Be Informed, Make a Plan and Build a Kit to ensure everyone is ready for emergencies.
OEM also provides mutual aid assistance to other local agencies when needed during large-scale incidents, such as the Table Rock Wildfire earlier this year.
For more information on OEM, visit the Emergency Management website.
