Mission Statement

The mission of the Office of Emergency Management is to provide an integrated, comprehensive emergency management program for James Madison University (JMU). The office is responsible for the preparedness, training, and coordination of emergency response and recovery efforts at JMU. Planning is conducted for natural, manmade, or technological hazards that could adversely affect all members and sustainable operations of the campus community 

The Office of Emergency Management supports the University in an effort to reduce loss of life and property, to protect the environment through collaboration, improve our capabilities to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.  We provide assistance coordinating resources, expertise, leadership, and advocacy through a comprehensive risk-based emergency preparedness program.

Sign Up for Alerts
Emergency Plans
Be Prepared
Contact Us

Hilary Cronin - Director of Emergency & Risk Management
croninha@jmu.edu 
540.568.7583

John Tennyson - Fire Safety & Emergency Management Coordinator
y8vsjz@jmu.edu 
540.568.6765

Frequently Asked Questions

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Safety and Disaster Awareness Training 2026

All JMU employees must follow Virginia Employee Training Requirements. Safety and disaster awareness training is an annual requirement. 

  • You can also search from the bar at the top of your COVLC home page. Just copy and paste the above title and click enter. Confirm that the training named above is the one you chose. 
The VDEM - IHEC - Virginia State Employee Safety and Disaster Awareness Training for Institutes of Higher Education  is a new training designed to better meet the needs of colleges and universities. It contains important information you don't want to miss - the safety of you or others around you may depend on it! 
See the COVLC Questions for instructions to log in and troubleshooting tips. If you continue to have issues, please email hrcompliance@jmu.edu for more assistance. 
  • The training is available through the Commonwealth of Virginia Learning Center (COVLC) and can be completed at your convenience. For technical questions regarding access and completion of the training in COVLC, please visit the JMU HR Compliance Trainings FAQ's page. If you have questions about the purpose of the training or Emergency Management's preparedness initiatives, please contact the Office of Emergency Management. 
General Emergency Management
  • Madison Alerts are the University’s mass notification system, which operates from the RAVE/Motorola Solutions Product. It is designed to provide rapid notifications and instructions to the campus community in the event of an emergency. 
  • Madison Alerts are distributed in several ways, depending on the situation and nature of the emergency. Distribution methods include:  
JMU Shield is the official mobile safety app at James Madison University. It is the only app that integrates James Madison University's safety and security systems. JMU Police Department has worked to develop this unique app to provide students, faculty and staff with added safety on the James Madison University campus. It is a two-way tool that allows you to interact with campus police, use safety features, and report tips. The app will send you important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources. 
James Madison University communicates operational changes regarding university closures, delays, or schedule changes on the JMU Status Updates page, the JMU Shield App, Madison Alert text or email notifications managed via MyMadison. 
James Madison University (JMU) has a comprehensive Emergency Plans to include campus wide response and recovery as well as Building Emergency Action Plans managed by the Office of Emergency Management.  
You can find specific emergency procedures at James Madison University through the Be Prepared page and individual Building Emergency Action Plans (BEAPs) in the drop-down section under emergency plans. 
Building Emergency Action Plans (BEAP)
A Building Emergency Action Plan, or BEAP, is a document that provides immediate actionable guidance for life safety during an incident/emergency/event for all buildings across campus. 
At James Madison University (JMU), Building Emergency Action Plans (BEAPs) provide actionable safety guidance for various potential campus emergencies and potential building incidents 
The building coordinator communicates pertinent information regarding emergency preparedness and plans. This plan serves as a guide for what to do and what actions to take if an emergency occurs in your designated building.  Building Coordinators are required to complete a building specific emergency action plan, using the provided template under Quick Links on the BEAP page, with procedures and include information specific to their needs. They must also ensure that all employees are familiar with BEAP. 
Complete the building-specific BEAP Template and submit it annually to Emergency Management by July 1 of each academic calendar year. 
You can find your specific Building Coordinator by checking the official JMU Building Coordinators List provided by James Madison University Facilities Management. 
You can find your building's Building Emergency Action Plan (BEAP) and evacuation routes by contacting your building coordinator or checking posted notices near main entrances. You can also request a copy directly through JMU Emergency Management. 
Buildings/departments are required to annually review and update their Building Specific – Building Emergency Action Plan. The following BEAP sections should be reviewed and updated: 
  • All information in the Building Specific - Building Emergency Action Plan. 
  • Any changes to the document other than minor grammatical/formatting edits should be logged in the Record of Changes found at the beginning of the plan. 

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Emergency Management
Anthony-Seeger Hall
821 South Main Street
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807