Publication Date

2018

Degree Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Department

Public Administration

First Advisor

Frances Edwards

Keywords

Campus Community Emergency Response Team, Emergency response

Abstract

San Jose State University would benefit from the implementation of the Campus Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT), a program that many higher education institutions use to train community members in disaster preparedness. With a C-CERT program, trained people are empowered to know how to conduct themselves during an emergency, and learn how to keep themselves, their friends and colleagues safe. This research surveyed and interviewed emergency management professionals in other higher education institutions to determine best practices for C-CERT implementation. The goal of this research was to analyze other higher education institutions’ C-CERT success, identify what characteristics make their C-CERT successful, and assess whether the information could apply to SJSU. The goal is to include these best practices when building the SJSU C-CERT implementation plan. Research also sought the FEMA guideline documents on how to start up C-CERT and evaluate which are the most suitable templates for SJSU’s needs. The gap in campus disaster response knowledge should be addressed by C-CERT, and implementation efforts should be based on relevant information from other higher education sources, giving SJSU the best chance for success. Government documents offer useful guidelines and templates to begin the program, and other Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) offer their experience and insight regarding CCERT. All of these elements offer SJSU a fully informed platform to start up and continue the program. Research gleaned whether the best practices could also provide ideas to support a more enduring presence of C-CERT on campus.

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