24/7 Response and Consultative Services
The national security and emergency management professionals at Oak Ridge Associated Universities are respected partners of many of their clients. In addition to readiness activities, our staff are often integrated members of our clients' response teams.
Examples include:
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Nuclear Incident Team
ORAU employees respond to nuclear or radiological emergencies as part of the Nuclear Incident Team. This team manages DOE's response to the incident by deploying assets and coordinating with other federal agencies involved in the response. Two of our personnel are on call 24 hours per day. They are required to respond to DOE Headquarters within two hours of notification.
DOE Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Joint Information Center (JIC)
ORAU staff provide 24/7 facilities management support to the ORO's JIC. They respond as part of the JIC cadre for emergency exercises and actual events. ORAU successfully operated the Oak Ridge JIC during back-to-back emergencies on May 8-9, 2004, and May 14-16, 2004.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
ORAU employees provide operational assistance for the Principle Federal Official (PFO) Cell Headquarters Reach-back and Support desk for emergency operations. This occurred during Hurricanes Katrina, Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma.
We also provide operational assistance to the DHS Integrated Incident Management Group and PFO Cell for readiness and National Security Special Events.
Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
An ORAU emergency public information expert helped to man the state's Joint Information Center during the two-week event.
Hurricane Response
In 2003, ORAU deployed subject matter experts to Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va., to assist in the response to Hurricane Isabel.
These experts worked to restore power to the Richmond area.
In 2005, ORAU's emergency management experts were called on to train local firefighters in the use of handheld and wireless technologies before their anticipated deployment as members of the Hurricane Katrina response team.