Director Crisis Management & Preparedness Department / University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
On July 25, 2025, UNM faced a tragic shooting claiming the life of a 14-year-old visitor. The incident tested every layer of the university's emergency management system. A deliberate, resilient recovery restored operations in under 48 hours while prioritizing human needs.
With leadership out of state, the team confronted unscripted challenges: hundreds of minors in overnight groups, early morning staff on campus, and a crime scene visible from dorm windows. A virtual EOC proved remarkably effective, enabling real-time coordination as law enforcement pursued suspects.
Mental health teams were deployed for minors before they left, counselors were added for Monday, and the crime scene was cleaned. The campus reopened Saturday morning - clean, safe, and symbolically resilient.
Planning paid off, virtual EOC excelled, and communication was key. Yet gaps emerged in unified command, perimeter management, and visitor policy. Monday-morning quarterbacks voiced predictable (sometimes unfair) criticisms, underscoring the need for transparent, proactive messaging.
This presentation shares how preparedness anchored resilience amid unimaginable loss. Lessons are global: universities worldwide face rising campus violence threats, and principles of rapid, compassionate, decisive recovery transcend borders. Attendees gain actionable strategies for stronger EOC activation, recovery frameworks, and interagency partnerships-charting preparedness anchored in resilience.
