Hurricane season starts on June 1, but emergencies can come in many forms and in any location year-round—2016 floods and the John Sealy Hospital fire are just two reminders of that fact. Take the following actions now, before an emergency affects your work site or home, to ensure you are prepared.
- Know your role. Become familiar with your department’s emergency plan and your UTMB role before, during and after an emergency.
- Complete the Emergency Classification and Acknowledgment Form by June 30, available in a new online format at https://utmb.us/84 (login required).
- Ask questions now. Consult your supervisor or faculty advisor if you have any questions about your responsibilities or reporting to work/school during an emergency.
- Become familiar with UTMB’s Institutional Emergency Operations Plan, available at www.utmb.edu/emergency_plan.
- Enroll in Direct Deposit to ensure your paycheck can get to your bank account even if UTMB is unable to issue paper checks.
- Update your UTMB Alerts emergency notification system information. Go to iUTMB and click on the internal directory tab. Search your own name, and in the resulting entry, click the “Edit My Alert Info” button. To ensure you can be reached in the event of an emergency, enter at least two contact methods, including your cell phone number, personal email, text message or home phone.
- Update your general UTMB Directory information. Log in to Peoplesoft HCM and navigate to Self-Service/Personal Information/UTMB Directory Self-Service. Updating your work location (L-code) and departmental mail routing number will support institutional efforts to update location data, and could improve the accuracy of targeted emergency-related messages in the future.
- Keep computer security in mind. Never reveal your UTMB login information to anyone, and be suspicious of emails asking you to enter your login information.
- WEAR your ID badge every day at all UTMB locations, so emergency responders will know you belong. If classified “Essential,” locate orange placards and cards for parking to regain entry. If you are an E-1 employee, the orange card ensures entry for authorized personnel to UTMB parking areas during emergency status and may help facilitate passage through mainland/island checkpoints for re-entry immediately after a storm.
- Develop personal, family emergency plans. Talk with family and make plans based on your assigned role. Make a plan for your dependents, including children, seniors and pets. Notify your supervisor ahead of time if your personal situation changes.
- Sign up for MyChart to ensure ongoing access to your UTMB medical records and prescription information.
Visit www.utmb.edu/emergency_plan to view materials from the annual UTMB Emergency Preparedness Meeting, preparedness checklists, related forms and emergency-related policies. You can also learn more about the business continuity planning process for ensuring our ability to fulfill our mission, no matter the challenge.