LSU in the Eye of the Storm: A University Model for Disaster Response

1. LSU in the Eye of the Storm:A University Model for Disaster Response Mary G. Parker, Director Office of Student Aid and Scholarships Louisiana State University SWASFAA Annual Conference November 09, 2006

2. Purpose • Provide information to Financial Aid Administrators that will assist with the development of disaster preparedness plans for their institutions, financial aid offices and professional associations

3. LSU’s Katrina Experience • Setting the Scene • Katrina Comes Ashore • LSU Responds • Facilities, Volunteers & Partnerships, Communications, Housing & Dining, Security, Technology • Top Lessons Learned

4. “Even as we were scurrying around buying gallons of bottled water, in the back of my mind I thought Katrina would be like Hurricane Ivan was for New Orleans: much ado about nothing. If only.” LSU Art Professor 5 am, Sat., Aug 27, Katrina declared Cat 3 storm Low-lying areas evacuate Special Needs Shelter opens at LSU Announced cancellation of Monday (Aug 29) classes and public events Calm Concern Before the Storm

5. The Hurricane Grows • Preparations continue • LSU Leadership Team continues to meet twice a day on campus • New Orleans under mandatory evacuation • Katrina now a Cat 5 storm, max sustained winds, 175-mph, gusts to 216-mph

6. Katrina Comes Ashore • Mon., Aug. 29, makes landfall at Buras, LA • Worst natural disaster in U.S. history • Millions of people in 7 states affected • Tue, Aug 30, classes and public events cancelled until Tue, Sep 6 • Wed, Aug 31, began admitting and registering displaced students

9. Our Mission:Serve the Victims • Chancellor’s charge: Serve human needs first • Ask for help • Eliminate red tape • Break rules if necessary • Think creatively

11. Nothing Normal About Katrina: Challenges We Faced • No communication; phones down, no cell service • Extremely hot weather • Power out in most places • Constant struggle to maintain updated info • Stress & depression, little sleep • Huge demand for housing, ice, gasoline • Need to manage intense media interest while maintaining patient privacy

12. Support for Agencies • FEMA, National Guard, DHH, Red Cross, FBI, SBA, US Forestry Service, surgical teams, police, Homeland Security • Installed 200 additional phones, phone lines, network connections, computers, fax machines & printers • Housed & fed 950 relief personnel • Provided showers for 1,000 workers • Housed 1,287 pets

13. Conversion to Medical Facilities • Largest deployment of public health officials in U.S. history • Some agencies involved: DHH, FEMA, U.S. Public Health Service, CDC, LSUHSC, State emergency response teams, USAF, Army, Coast Guard, National Guard, Navy, Marines, LSU Athletic Department • Largest acute-care field hospital ever created in U.S. history

15. Conversion to Medical Facilities • Operated 800-bed field hospital, 250-bed SNS • Triaged 15,000 evacuees • Treated 6,000 patients • Filled 2,000 prescriptions • Utilized 1,700 volunteer medical personnel from 12 states • PMAC open 9 days

16. Volunteers & Partnerships • 3,000 faculty, students & staff volunteered • 800 mattresses donated, collected & delivered to area shelters • 100 laptops donated by IBM • Developed volunteer registry with Microsoft LSU Information Center – • 70 LSU volunteers manned 13-day, 24-hour hotline, received 6,495 calls

17. More Help Arrives • LSU Police Department • Provided site safety & security at PMAC, SNS & Animal Shelter • Escorted evacuee transports • Information & Technology Services • Provided telephone & data connectivity • Created Dr/pt/police/volunteer registry • Modified electronic admissions process • Created computer accts for visiting students • Restored mission critical apps for UNO & LSUHSC • Opened servers to certain displaced businesses

18. Managing Deluge of Media • Times Picayune sets up at Manship School of Mass Communication • WWL-TV broadcasts from Hodges Hall • Washington Post, NBC News, ESPN, Chronicle of Higher Education, BBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, New York Times, Good Morning America & dozens of others visit campus • Public Affairs • Operated 24-hour public info hotline • Managed media requests for experts and info from around the globe • Handled internal communication • Broadcast e-mails, Town Hall meetings • Maintained LSU.edu throughout crisis, beyond • Chronicled University’s activities

19. Flexibility 101(Breaking the Rules) • Moved/rescheduled football games • Modified academic calendar (three times) • Admitting students without records • No application fee • Paying tuition and fees?

20. Displaced Students, Families & Institutions • Housed 500 newly registered students • Reactivated 2 off-line residence halls • Matched displaced students & families with housing provided by LSU faculty, staff, alums & friends • 700 instructors offered teaching support • Added 80 new class sections • Increased class sizes to room capacities

21. Admission and Registration in 10 Days

22. Important Lessons Learned • Remember that Communication is key • Have an emergency and evacuation plan ready beforehand (pre and post disaster planning) • Develop a specific plan for the financial aid office • Know what resources you have & how they can be used • Maintain inventory of services/facilities, technology, materials & equipment, housing, experts & people trained as emergency responders • Look in unconventional places for experts.

23. Important Lessons Learned • Consider remote servers for key info • Develop a plan for data storage and retrieval plans • Know where your back up data is located and how it can be accessed • Have electronic access to P&P manuals and governmental reference materials • Monitor IFAP, State Agencies, NASFAA for news releases and announcements

24. Important Lessons Learned • Be a part of the institutional disaster planning (Need to be able to stress importance of FA regulations in regards to administrative capabilities • Make sure that you have a call plan for your staff in the event of a hurricane • Cross training is vital not only within your office but within your enrollment management unit • Think creative, be strategic and manage how your university is used

25. Important Lessons Learned Communication is Key! Be prepared to be creative and have alternate methods of communication • Constantly update info internally & externally • Use your Web site & don’t forget radio(KLSU) • Have a good communications assets that are functional and available (e.g., cell phones, Blackberries, etc.) • Each department needs an emergency list (know who to contact and who will contact you)

26. Important Lessons Learned • Be prepared to support students & families • Have a plan to evacuate students from your campus if that becomes necessary • Create necessary data bases ahead of time; update them periodically (LSU uses Microsoft Sharepoint) • Write an emergency academic response plan to admit/register new students • Be flexible with scheduling issues • Develop courses that could easily go online • Be willing to do any job – “It is not in my job description” does not work. • Get back to core business as quickly as you can.

27. Important Lessons Learned • Seize leadership opportunities • Communicate effectively • Practice self awareness and awareness of others • Be flexible and prepared to make decisions outside of the “rules” • Document, Document and Communicate

28. Emergency Operations Center • Forecast of 20+ years increased hurricane activity • Chancellor directed permanent 24/7 “all hazards” EOC be established • Equipment • Training • Exercises

29. The Calm After the Storm & Coping with Katrina • Continue to develop EOC (Plan, Train,Practice) • Road to recovery is long • We are grateful to those who came to our aid in time of need • We were humbled by outpouring of support from around the world • We are providing leadership to help rebuild Louisiana & the Gulf Coast Region

30. Thank you for your time and your interest. Mary Parker mgparke@lsu.edu www.lsu.edu www.lsustorm.com