Houston Daily

When severe weather or hurricanes threaten the University of Houston, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) becomes the central hub for coordinating campus response. The EOC is responsible for preparing for and managing emergencies, including natural disasters, major disruptions, and special events.

Ginger Walker, director of emergency management at UH, explained the EOC’s role: "The Emergency Operations Center is the location on campus where representatives from different areas of campus (depending on the type of emergency we are dealing with) can gather to coordinate information, resources, directives in order to efficiently respond to the incident."

The EOC is activated during significant emergencies or disruptions. According to Walker, "The Office of Emergency Management uses multiple platforms to activate the Emergency Operations Center. The primary departments with a significant response role can activate the EOC by a simple call to our office." She added that planning allows various groups—such as UH Police Department, Fire and Life Safety, Marketing and Communications, Facilities Management, and Student Affairs—to work together in advance when needed.

Preparation for hurricane season is ongoing. Walker said: "We never stop preparing for hurricane season, and many of our methods apply to other emergencies as well. The EOC is kept ready for use year-round, with trained liaisons who participate in annual exercises to ensure their skills stay sharp. We also update and train our Ride-Out Teams each year — these are the individuals who remain on campus during storms, prepared to stay three to five days if needed."

Staff readiness includes maintaining emergency kits and ensuring personal safety before taking on campus duties. Ahead of June 1—the official start of hurricane season—the team updates outreach materials such as preparedness guides and website resources.

When responding to a major weather event, Walker described their process: "We begin monitoring weather events days in advance... This involves assessing updates from the National Weather Service and our contract weather partner, and sharing information with university leadership, EOC liaisons and Ride-Out Teams through our virtual incident management system." If necessary, operations move online or close temporarily while communication continues between partners and university leadership.

After storm season ends or an event concludes, after-action reviews help improve processes. Walker said: "If we have had a storm or not, we reassess our processes, policies, equipment, resources and procedures to ensure we are maintaining the most efficient EOC possible for the University."

Walker noted that establishing the Office of Emergency Management has been key: "The biggest improvement has been the establishment of the OEM... From preparedness and continuity planning to EOC enhancements and information sharing, these efforts have made the campus more resilient."

Faculty members have access to dedicated resources like classroom posters and syllabus inserts through a Faculty Emergency Preparedness site. Students and staff are encouraged to review guidance available online about different types of emergencies.

Walker emphasized individual responsibility: "It’s important for everyone to understand that preparedness is everyone’s responsibility. Taking a few minutes to learn how to prepare for various types of emergencies goes a long way."

The EOC itself has expanded over time from makeshift setups in conference rooms into a dedicated facility equipped with modern technology such as video walls. According to Walker: "In recent years, we have outfitted the EOC with a new video wall and furniture to expand the number of representatives that we can fit in the center."

She credited university leadership’s support as essential for growth: "Without the support of our leadership and all the teams that collaborate with us, we would not have been able to expand and succeed."

For more information about emergency preparedness at UH—including tips on hurricanes or active shooter situations—students and faculty can visit dedicated sections on the Office of Emergency Management website.