Emergency management team is ready to serve the CHS community

Emergency management team is ready to serve the CHS community

Friday, September 19, 2025

Media Contact: Sara Plummer | Senior Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | [email protected]

Emergency management at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences continues to have strong support. Earlier this year, OSU-CHS Campus Security merged with the OSU Police Department based in Stillwater and is now part of the Tulsa Division.

This means OSU-CHS, OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation and OSU Medicine clinics are now covered by OSU's emergency management team.

Capt. Dan Ray is the captain of emergency services with the OSU Police Department and Harrison Hill is associate emergency manager for the Tulsa Division.

Ray has worked at the OSU Police Department for 25 years after working in law enforcement in the Yale Police Department, Payne County Sheriff's Office and Oklahoma Baptist University campus safety and security team.

Hill joined OSU in 2019 as part of the university's Department of Brand Management, where he served on the OSU crisis communications team. He will complete a Master in Fire and Emergency Management Administration degree this fall.

What drew you to your current position?

Ray: I was drawn to law enforcement and public safety because I have always wanted to help people during difficult times.

Hill: As emergency managers, our work is all about making sure our campuses are safer and more prepared. It is meaningful work that directly supports the people who live, learn and work here. It was a no-brainer. I love this community, and this role gave me the chance to give back in a way that really matters.

What do you see is your role in relation to the campuses here in Tulsa and Tahlequah?

Ray: I'm looking forward to helping support the emergency planning, response and preparedness of the Tulsa and Tahlequah campuses. We hope to accomplish this by providing the resources and training needed for the faculty, staff and students to feel comfortable during an emergency.

Hill: My role is to support emergency management efforts across our campuses. That is a continuous process that includes prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts - everything from helping plan for large events or daily operations to providing training and sharing resources. At the heart of it, my goal is to work alongside the faculty and staff on these campuses to identify needs and help find solutions that fit those needs. It's all about being a reliable partner in making sure we're ready for whatever comes our way.

What, if anything, will change for OSU-CHS, OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation, OSU-Tulsa and OSU Medicine clinics?

Ray: We are working on getting more campus community involvement through training and volunteer opportunities.

Hill: Hopefully the only changes people will notice are positive ones, like more training opportunities, better communication and stronger overall emergency preparedness. My goal is to support each campus and clinic by identifying what's working well and determining how we sustain that and then looking at where we can improve, so faculty, staff and students feel more confident and prepared.

What's your philosophy when it comes to public and campus safety?

Ray: My philosophy is to make sure that people get the training and information they need before an emergency to hopefully alleviate anxieties and stress when an emergency does happen. I think we all understand the feeling of stress that occurs when we don't know what to do. Our goal is to make the information available in a way that would relieve those stressors. We also want the campus community to know they have someone they can go to and ask questions about emergencies.

Hill: For me, public and campus safety is about creating a culture of preparedness. My personal philosophy is very people-first focused, meaning I am looking to build trust, be accessible and create strong relationships across our campus and our communities. I think when people feel informed and empowered to be leaders in their areas, they're more likely to engage in safety efforts and that makes all of us stronger.

What are some of your favorite things to do or places to go in Tulsa?

Ray: I enjoy taking my family to Drillers baseball games and my wife and I enjoy performances at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

Hill: I love food, so I'm excited to explore more of Tulsa's restaurant scene.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Ray: I enjoy outdoor activities, and I especially like going with my family. We enjoy camping, hiking, fishing and golfing.

Hill: Spending time with my wife and friends. I love biking, playing board games or just enjoying a good movie and cooking dinner.

What's a favorite book, movie or TV show?

Ray: My current favorite book is "One Man" by Andrew Gross. I am a big "Lord of the Rings" fan.

Hill: I like historical and nonfiction books. Things like Malcolm Gladwell's books. Anything that makes me think or presents something in a way I hadn't considered yet.

What's your proudest moment?

Ray: The birth or adoption of my five children.

Hill: Weirdly enough, one of my proudest moments was landing this new job. Being able to put the skills and knowledge I've built over the years into practice, and knowing my leaders have that kind of trust in me means a lot.

Who's a person that impacted you?

Ray: My mom was probably my biggest influence. She was a very wise and supportive person.

Hill: My grandfather has always been one of my biggest influences and supporters. He taught me that, at the end of the day, what really matters is caring about people. If you lead with that, everything else tends to fall into place.