1. Essential Personnel Emergency Preparedness
May 2019

2. Webinar
This presentation was recorded. To view the webinar recording, please click here.

3. Why Are We Here? Provide an overview on essential personnel
Clarify who is essential personnel and what their responsibilities are
Discuss frequently asked questions
Share preparedness resources and training information

4. 2019 Hurricane Season is Upon Us!
From June 1, 2019 – November 30, 2019
2019 Prediction (as of December 2018)
Slightly below average
Named storms: 12
Hurricanes: 5
Major hurricanes: 2
And is it important to talk about essential personnel now? Because hurricane season is up us! Let’s not get to comfortable with this predication – Andrew!
1 Forecast released on December 11, 2018 by the Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) Consortium of the University College London

5. Am I essential personnel
How many of you know if you are essential personnel or not? Let’s do a quick poll to see
Poll 1:
Are you essential personnel?
Yes. I am essential personnel.
No. I am not essential personnel.
I am not sure.

6. What is the definition of essential personnel?
Have participants answer via the chat box.

7. Employees that will, in the event of severe weather conditions, utilities/technology issues, or major emergency situations be required to work before, during and/or immediately after an incident occurs.

8. Before, During, and After
Essential personnel may be required to work:
Before an incident to prepare for a potential emergency situations
During the emergency to ensure that critical functions continue during the emergency event
Immediately following a natural or human-caused disaster to assess situations and quickly restore critical University functions.

9. Employees Expected to Work During an Emergency Situation
Are those needed to:
Ensure critical functions continue during the emergency event (e.g. Department of Emergency Management, Police, Facilities Management)
Provide services that relate directly to the health, safety, and welfare of the University
Maintain and protect University assets

10. I’m Essential – Is this Documented?
After your supervisor/department head deems your position is essential
Your HR Liaison updates your position description
A report of roles currently deemed essential can be found at:
myhrreporting.fiu.edu and the report name is FIUHR_ESSENTIAL_PERSONNEL
Employees will able to check through self-service

11. Check if You are Essential Personnel
We may want to say that this is being reviewed and updated. New list will be available June 1st.

12. HR Liaisons To add a new individual/position as essential personnel
Update verbiage to the position description via an ePRF request:
Performs essential duties in any emergencies such as hurricanes, storms, and/or any other university emergency closing.  The employee is expected to be available to report to work as needed during university emergency closing with appropriate notification of a department administrator. Additionally, please check the “Essential Personnel” flag in PantherSoft when updating the position description.
The next couple of slides are specific to HR Liaisons.

13. HR Liaisons To remove an individual/position from this delegation:
Submit the ePRF, uncheck the “Essential Personnel” flag, and inactivate the duty in the position description.
Should you have any questions about the process to update position descriptions, do not hesitate to contact Compensation Administration at
The next couple of slides are specific to HR Liaisons.

14. HR Liaisons Before you update position description:
Review position description with department head
Discuss if this position really is essential?
Push back if it doesn’t meet the definition above
If you are unsure, contact Compensation Administration for assistance and guidance
What we need from you….

15. Frequently Asked Questions
Essential Personnel
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on that definition of Essential Personnel lets go over some frequently asked questions and get you to weigh in on what you think?

16. True or False: What Do You Think?
Q. The Vice President or department head of my area makes the determination whether I am essential personnel or not. TRUE Q. I am considered essential personnel based on my years of service and supervisory status. FALSE Correct Answer: The determination is based on your position which has been deemed critically necessary before, during, or immediately after an emergency.
Allow participants to give their answer through the Poll. Once everyone has weighed in give the correct answer by clicking forward. Expand of the answer if necessary.
*Q. 2 – make the point that this determination is not “personal” it’s solely based on their job function and role.
Poll 2: use the same poll for each question.
TRUE
FALSE

17. How Will I Be Contacted? Emergency Operations Activation
Example: Preparation for hurricane impact or major event
University Community
Essential Personnel
Communication/messaging may come in the form of , phone, and/or text prior to the incident
May come from Division of Human Resources, Division of External Relations, Office of the President, incident commander, area Vice President, or department head
Department head or supervisor will communicate to those deemed essential

18. How Will I Be Contacted? No-notice Incident
Example: Following a major utilities failure or tornado event
Communication/messaging may come in the form of , phone, text, news media, FIU social media, etc.
Pay close attention to all communication sources
Messaging will come from Division of Human Resources, Division of External Relations, Office of the President, incident commander, area Vice President, or department head
Follow the directions from your area Vice President/ department head

19. How Will I Be Compensated?
If you are a non-exempt employee, you will be compensated for all hours worked
If you are an exempt employee, a flexible schedule may be considered with approval of your respective supervisor

20. Scenario
A hurricane is projected to hit Miami in the next two days. Due to the severity of the storm, it has been determined that the University will be closed to allow time for the university community to prepare and be safe. You are a non-exempt employee working in Facilities Management. As essential personnel, you will be working during university closures. You’re supervisor has already reached out to you and a COOP is in place for this emergency situation.

21. Scenario Cont.
The hurricane came and went. Thankfully, Miami did not take a direct hit but the university remained closed for a total of five days. You were required to work three out of the five days.
As a non-exempt employee, how will you be compensated for the days the university was closed?

22. What is the Correct Answer?
You will be compensated for 40 hours of work (five days).
B. You will be compensated for 40 hours (five days) of straight pay plus 24 hours of “Emergency Hours” worked.
C. You will be paid for only the 24 hours (three days) of “Emergency Hours” worked during the storm.
D. You will be paid time and a half for all hours worked.

23. Correct Answer
You will be compensated for 40 hours of work (five days).
B. You will be compensated for 40 hours (five days) of straight pay plus 24 hours of “Emergency Hours” worked.
C. You will be paid for only the 24 hours (three days) of “Emergency Hours” worked during the storm.
D. You will be paid time and a half for all hours worked.

24. Preparedness
It’s important to be prepared and have a plan

25. Preparedness at Home and at Work
University Preparedness
Follow department’s emergency plan2
Follow department head’s directions
Personal Preparedness
Make a plan
Prepare a disaster kit
Stay informed
•Make a plan – develop a plan for an emergency. Include information on health and medication needs, backup/emergency contact information, family assembly sites, etc.
•Prepare an emergency kit – assemble an emergency kit with food, water, and other supplies to be more self-sufficient in an emergency
•Stay informed – stay informed about national and local hazards and threats and changing conditions and events in the surrounding community through a wide-array of information sources (e.g. registering for FIU Alerts, National Weather Service, FIU News, local media, etc.)
2 The FIU Ready program is a continuity planning tool used to maintain normal University operations in the face of disruptive events. For more information on FIU Ready, please visit the FIU Department of Emergency Management website at: dem.fiu.edu.

26. Continuing of Operation Plan (COOP)
Do you know your department’s COOP?
Do you know who to contact about your COOP?
Do you know the chain of communication in your department? (e.g. department phone tree, WhatsApp)
Do you know what your role is?

27. Make a Personal Plan Some factors to consider when
developing your own plan:
How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
What is my evacuation route?
How will I communicate to my family/household?
Where do I shelter?
What will I do with my pet?
What documents do I need to store and/or carry?
Do I have special needs (e.g. medical, dietary)?

28. Prepare a Disaster Kit Cash Water Food Flashlight w/ extra batteries
Crank or battery-powered radio
First aid kit
Important documents
Entertainment
Bug repellant
Hygiene products
Prescription medication
List of important telephone numbers
Disposal plates and utensils
Closed-toe shoes
For more information regarding disaster kits, please visit the FIU Department of Emergency Management website at: dem.fiu.edu.

29. Hurricane Preparedness with Roary

30. Stay Informed Register for FIU Alerts to receive
emergency phone calls and text
messages
Broadcasts emergency notifications on campus via office phone and loud speakers
FIU Hotline – FIU HELP (305)
Social media – and “Like” FIU Facebook Page
FIU website –
Electronic message boards throughout campus
Local media (e.g. television, radio, social media)

31. Helpful Resources & Training
FIU Division of Human Resources
hr.fiu.edu
FIU Department of Emergency Management
dem.fiu.edu
FIU Huracanes (Spanish)
huracanes.fiu.edu
FEMA IS-100.HE: Intro to Incident Command System for Higher Ed
FEMA IS-700.a: Intro to the National Incident Management System
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Ready Campaign
U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Ready Campaign (Spanish)

32. Questions/Concerns Contact the Department of Emergency Management
dem.fiu.edu; (305)
Contact your Department Head or area Vice President
Contact the Division of Human Resources:
Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC) - (305)
Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC) - (305)
hr.fiu.edu

33. Authorities and References
Florida Statues Chapter 252, Emergency Management
Florida Board of Governors Regulation Campus Emergency Management
FIU Bylaws of Board of Trustees
FIU Policy Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations
FIU Policy Severe Weather/Emergency Closing
We do what we do because of the following:
Authorities and References
Florida Statues Chapter 252, Emergency Management
Florida Board of Governors Regulation Campus Emergency Management
FIU Bylaws of Board of Trustees
FIU Policy Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations
FIU Policy Severe Weather/Emergency Closing

34. THANK YOU!