What is a DRU, or Disaster Resistant University program?
A DRU program is a mitigation planning effort sponsored by U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. The program falls under the Mitigation Planning section of FEMA and encourages universities to join cities, counties and states by developing a hazard mitigation plan.
How is the DRU program funded?
The mitigation plan is sponsored by a grant of $75,000 from Homeland Security/FEMA and the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. UCO is providing 25 percent of the funds or $25,000 for a total project of $100,000.
In 2004, UCO was among 30 colleges nationwide to receive grant funding to develop a disaster plan. These universities competed among all applicants for grants. When the mitigation plan is complete, the university will then seek up to $3 million for each "Mitigation Project" funds to implement the plan, seeking “Mitigation Project” funding.
What do you mean by Mitigation?
 Mitigation is a process of identifying a hazard and the likelihood that hazard has for actually occurring and causing damage and the extent of that damage. After identification, analysts research steps to reduce vulnerability to the hazard, and that becomes the “mitigation plan.” For example, there is likely to be a tornado in Edmond. To reduce vulnerability to a tornado, steps might include: improving notification, communication, sheltering capability and capacity, and signage as to the location of shelters. These are all mitigation efforts that would reduce the vulnerability our university community has to a tornado.
How will information be utilized from the numerous university, community and citizen participants?
The information provided through the , research, and through the different advisory groups will be used to develop the DRU “Mitigation Plan.” The planners will take this information and develop plans of action in making the campus and community a safer and more secure environment to prevent disaster or to lessen the destruction from a disaster. For example, that could mean building additional storm shelters on campus to protect against tornadoes, or installing fire sprinkler systems in all university buildings. It could mean installing a communication system for traffic routing in case of a manmade hazard, such as a hazardous chemical spill from the nearby railroad or intersteate highway transportation system.
The survey is not an attempt to collect private or personal information, but will be used to determine how UCO can better respond and mitigate a disaster.
If you already know most of your hazards, why do you need a formal “Mitigation Plan”?
 The formal planning process required by FEMA under the DRU program ensures that planning does not take place in a vacuum. It requires that all impacted constituents participate at one of several levels. The University of Central Oklahoma and Edmond work hand-in-hand to develop the UCO plan so that it will fit with city, county and state plans.
Who will prepare the Mitigation Plan?
The DRU plan is coordinated by Dr. Don Powers, UCO’s Manager of Bids and Contracts and DRU Grant Program Coordinator. He has organized a Technical Work Group made up of city and university personnel who would work with each other in the event of an actual disaster. This group will perform most of the hazard identification and analysis and chart initial mitigation efforts and a strategy. Another group involved in the Planning Group. The Planning Group primarily consists of UCO personnel who will develop how all the information produced by the technical group impacts UCO. The final group is the Advisory Group which will oversee the entire project and refine portions of the plan to integrate it with Edmond’s plans and other plans. The UCO plan will be a model plan that can be made available to other universities, communities, and tribal governments in Oklahoma.
What is “Mitigation Project” Funding?
 When the UCO DRU mitigation plan is completed, it will demonstrate a critical need for project funding. UCO will then seek up to $3 million in “Mitigation Project” funding from FEMA to implement improved mitigation efforts from the plan. FEMA awards these grant funds to the universities that do the best job of planning and writing the application for the mitigation funds. These funds are provided by FEMA through the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program.
How many universities have a DRU Plan?
Today there are approximately nine institutions of higher education that are eligible for “Mitigation Project” funding as a Disaster Resistant University. There are 30 more universities, including UCO, that have approved projects to develop a mitigation plan. UCO is the only DRU University in Oklahoma.
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