Building Emergency Plans (BEPs)

Building Emergency Plans (BEPs) are an important resource to ensure that the UT campus community remains safe and informed. BEPs are designed to provide key information regarding what individuals and departments should do when an emergency occurs in their building. Furthermore, it allows building managers to maintain updated logs of the Building Emergency Management Team (click here to learn more) and other helpful resources such as building assembly points and accountability lists. With the help of the Office of Emergency Management, building managers can keep their BEPs up-to-date and keep their building occupants informed. 

Elements of a BEP 

While BEPs contain a wide range of information regarding building emergencies, there are a select few sections that need to be updated by building managers on a yearly basis. These sections are: 

  1. The Building Emergency Management Team (BEMT) 
  2. The Building Accountability List 
  3. Basic Building Information 
    1. List of Primary Occupants 
    2. Primary and Secondary Assembly Points 
    3. Emergency Infrastructure

Building Emergency Management Team (BEMT)

The building emergency management team is composed of volunteers from a given building that are trained regarding certain emergencies. For more information regarding the BEMT, visit our BEMT page. 

Accountability List

Building accountability lists are lists of individuals with accessibility needs that may need additional support in an emergency. The accountability list allows the building manager, OEM, and first responders to know the location of these individuals within a given building so that first responders can assist them in an emergency. 

Assembly Points

Every building at UT should have two designated assembly points: a primary and a secondary. The primary assembly point is a large, outdoor space where building occupants can centrally gather in case of an evacuation. By gathering at a common point, building managers and first responders can ensure that everyone has been evacuated from the building. Secondary assembly points are designated in case there is another set of circumstances that make meeting outside unsafe (i.e. inclement weather). Secondary assembly points typically indoors or in covered areas such as garages and should only be used if there is a hazard making the primary point unsafe. 

Guide to Updating your BEP

All building plans can be updated within the Building Emergency Plan portal. If you are not currently designated as a building manager in this portal and need to be, please reach out to emergencymanagement@austin.utexas.edu .