Disaster Readiness for Emergency Telecommunicators

Disaster Readiness for Emergency Telecommunicators

Examples of Recent Disasters

  • Examples of Significant Disasters Since the Year 2000.

Natural Disasters

  • Avalanches

  • Blizzards/Ice Storms

  • Earthquakes

  • Floods

  • Hurricanes

  • Mudslides

  • Tsunamis

  • Tornados

  • Volcanoes

  • Wildfires

Man-Made Disasters

  • Engineering failures

  • Explosions

  • Human stampedes

  • Industrial accidents

  • Massacres

  • Military accidents

  • Pandemics

  • Power grid failures

  • Riots & uprisings

  • Terrorist incidents (may involve WMDs)

  • Transportation disasters

Emergency Telecommunications & Disasters

  • Catastrophic events can completely overwhelm the capabilities of individual calltakers and entire communication centers.

  • Discussion points:

    • What would it take to overwhelm an agency based on day to day staffing?

    • What can ETCs, PSAPs, and public safety organizations (police, fire/rescue, and EMS services) do to help each other prepare for and respond to catastrophic events?

Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs)

  • EMAs are not typically response agencies, but are established to assist local authorities with disaster planning, damage assessment, response management, and recovery efforts.

  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in charge of disaster relief and management on a national level in the United States.

  • FEMA is under the Department of Homeland Security.

  • Other countries have emergency management agencies (EMAs) with similar responsibilities.

Local Government Emergency Management Agencies

  • Local emergency management agencies (EMAs) usually have emergency managers who are responsible for the following:

    • Mitigating/reducing the risk of local disasters

    • Preparing for local disasters & educating

    • Responding to and managing local disasters

    • Recovering from local disasters their communities about how to prepare

National Incident Management System (NIMS)

  • Developed in 2003 by U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Office of Domestic Preparedness

  • Provides a U.S. national framework that enables emergency responders and telecommunicators to work together to prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from disasters

  • Basic premise: all incidents begin & end locally, so state and local authorities maintain command

National Incident Management System (NIMS) - Main Goals

The main goals of NIMS include:

  • Preparedness

  • Communications & information management

  • Resource management

  • Command & management

  • Ongoing management & maintenance

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Accomplishments

NIMS goals are accomplished through:

  • Training & education

  • Models & recommendations for disaster responses

  • Formal structure: Incident Command System (ICS)

  • Formal planning: incident action plans (IAPs)

Incident Command System (ICS)

  • Developed in the 1970’s

  • Adopted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 1987

  • Provides a standardized organizational framework during emergencies:

    • Incident action plans (IAPs)

    • Organizational structure:

      • Incident Commander (IC)

      • Officers

      • Section Chiefs

      • Span of control

Incident Action Plans (IAPs)

  • All incidents to which FEMA responds require an ICS incident action plan (IAP).

  • An IAP formally documents incident goals, operational objectives, and response strategies.

  • Typically includes the following:

    • Plans to prevent responder injury/illness

    • Task assignments list

    • Communications plan

    • Logistics plan

    • Incident map

ICS Standardized Organizational Structure Basics

  • The ICS structure includes a standardized network of functional roles, each with specifically defined responsibilities.

  • Individuals from different agencies, departments, or services may assume different roles at various incidents or at various times as a single incident progresses.

  • Multiple agencies are able to work together seamlessly during an emergency.

ICS Standardized Organizational Structure Span of Control

  • Span of control refers to the number of immediate individuals or groups a supervisor is over.

  • In ICS, span of control is 3 to 7 (depending on incident type, nature of tasks, and safety factors).

  • Span of control allows ICS to grow and contract without compromising control & accountability.

ICS Standardized Organizational Structure Incident Commander (IC)

  • The IC is responsible for directing/controlling resources & managing all incident operations at the scene of the incident.

  • The IC does the following:

    • Develops incident objectives & priorities

    • Defines the ICS organization for the particular incident & communicates with Command Staff

    • Approves the use of trainees, volunteers, & auxiliary personnel and agencies

    • Authorizes release of information to the media

    • Orders the demobilization of the incident when appropriate

ICS Standardized Organizational Structure Common ICS Leadership Roles

  • Incident Commander (IC)

  • Safety Officer (SO)

  • Liaison Officer (LNO)

  • Staging Area Manager

  • Public Information Officer (PIO)

  • Planning Section Chief

  • Logistics Section Chief

  • Finance Section Chief

  • Operations Section Chief

ICS Standardized Organizational Structure Example Command Chart

  • Incident Commander (IC)

    • Operations

      • Branch

        • Division/Group

          • Resource

    • Planning

      • Branch

        • Division/Group

          • Resource

    • Logistics

    • Finance

    • PIO

    • Safety

    • Staging

ICS Practice: The First IC

  • ICS practice typically begins with the initial dispatch of the incident.

  • The ETC is the first Incident Commander (IC):

    • Dispatches resources to the incident

    • Prepares responders for what they will find

ICS Standardized Organizational Structure The ETC: The First Incident Commander

  • ETC

    • Incident Commander

      • Operations

        • Branch

          • Division/Group

            • Resource

      • Planning

        • Branch

          • Division/Group

            • Resource

      • Logistics

      • Finance

      • PIO

      • Safety

      • Staging

ICS Practice

  • As responders arrive, incident command is assumed by the highest-ranking on-scene official.

  • The role of Incident Commander may transfer to higher-ranking officials as they enter the scene and/or as the incident escalates.

  • An incident action plan (IAP) is developed and followed until the incident is resolved.

ICS Incident Management Locations: Incident Command Post (ICP)

  • Location from which the Incident Commander operates during response operations

  • Positioned outside of the hazard zone, but close enough to the incident to maintain command

ICS Incident Management Locations: Incident Base

  • Location where logistics & primary administrative functions are coordinated & administered

  • Established & managed by the Logistics Section

  • May be co-located with the command post

ICS Incident Management Locations: Staging Area

  • Area assigned for the location & deployment of resources to minimize congestion at the scene

  • May be collocated with the command post & incident base

  • May be more than one staging area per incident

ICS Incident Management Locations: Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

  • The EOC is usually located near the emergency management office (away from the incident).

  • Communications, police, fire, EMS, transportation, public works, public health, and government officials come together at the EOC.

  • The EOC communicates with Incident Command to help support the efforts of the responders.

  • May contact PSAPs to get a better understanding of what’s happening.

ICS Unified Command

May be needed for incidents involving:

  • Multiple jurisdictions

  • A single jurisdiction with multiple agencies sharing responsibility

  • Multiple jurisdictions with multiple agency involvement

ICS Unified Command Cont.

Under the ICS, Unified Command allows agencies with different legal, geographic, and functional responsibilities to work together effectively and efficiently.

If a Unified Command is needed:

  • Incident Commanders representing different involved agencies or jurisdictions share responsibility for the incident from a single incident command post.

ICS Unified Command Cont. 2

A single coordinated incident action plan (IAP) directs all activities.

  • The Incident Commanders supervise a single command and general staff and speak with one voice.

  • Jurisdictions and agencies must be ready to respond and work together locally, nationally, and internationally.

The Red Cross

During and after a disaster, the Red Cross may provide the following:

  • Food

  • Water

  • Shelter

  • Clothing

  • Blood services

  • Training/Education/Information

  • Family reunification assistance

  • Mental health counseling

When the PSAP is Directly Affected or Involved

  • The communication center’s facility may be damaged, or even completely destroyed.

  • Damage could include power outages and even generator failure.

  • Phone lines may be severed and cell towers may be damaged or destroyed.

  • Computer and radio systems may stop functioning.

  • Personnel may be injured.

  • The surrounding community will likely be affected in similar ways, and will require assistance.

  • Personnel may be unable to get to or leave the communication center.

When the PSAP is Involved, but Not Directly Affected

  • PSAP personnel may be directly affected and be unable to get to work.

  • PSAPs may quickly become overwhelmed.

  • Calls will be received from those directly affected and from those concerned about loved ones.

When the PSAP is Indirectly Involved

  • Your center may be involved because of a disaster in another jurisdiction, especially if it’s in close proximity.

  • Phone lines from the affected PSAP may be routed to your communication center.

  • Resources from your jurisdiction may be assigned to the affected jurisdiction, depleting equipment, and materials.

PSAP Involvement in Disaster Investigations

During and/or after a disaster, state, provincial, national, and/or international investigatory agencies may contact any involved PSAPs and request:

  • Details about the event

  • Communications recordings

  • CAD records

  • Other evidence

Disaster Preparation for Communication Centers: Hazard Analysis

Every communication center should do a hazard analysis to determine the following:

  • Equipment needs

  • Personnel needs (food, water, rest, special needs, medication)

  • Service/Power interruptions

  • Evacuation of the communication center

  • Contingency plan in case of a catastrophic communication center break-down

  • Don’t think if. Think when.

Disaster Preparation for Communication Centers: Specific Preparations

Agencies should prepare for disasters by having the following in place:

  • A disaster plan

  • Disaster kits

  • Ability to transfer phone lines to other PSAPs

  • A back-up dispatch center (may be mobile)

  • Notification systems for personnel reporting to work

PSAP Mutual Aid Programs

  • PSAPs may become overwhelmed, understaffed, and outstripped of resources in times of disaster.

  • Historically, police, fire, and EMS agencies have received and provided mutual aid when needed, but communication centers have not.

  • In 2015, NENA recommended that, in times of disaster, PSAP Authorities should consider using mutual aid from other PSAPs using the Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT).

Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT)

  • 2001: TERT was initially created in North Carolina (U.S.) by a group of PSAPs to provide structured resource sharing between communication centers (mutual aid) during times of disaster.

  • 2005: The concept was adopted by National NENA.

  • 2006: NENA and APCO worked together to create the National Joint TERT Initiative (NJTI) to help states develop their own TERT programs.

  • Now: TERT is supported by the Office of the NIMS and the National Emergency Managers Association (NEMA).

Establishing an Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (TERT)

  • PSAPs must formalize accurate and detailed classifications/descriptions of ETC duties.

  • There must be initial and ongoing training and credentialing for PSAP personnel and “Team Leaders” who desire to be deployed to assist other PSAPs.

  • A TERT database and website need to be created and maintained.

  • There must be a reimbursement plan in place (to ensure personnel compensation).

The ETC Incident Management Role

  • The ETC as the Hub of Communications involving all parties.

    • Police/Law Enforcement

    • Fire/Rescue

    • EMS

    • The Community

    • Other PSAPs

    • ETC’s Loved Ones

Preparing for Disaster as an ETC Personally

  • Discuss your responsibilities as an ETC with your family.

  • If a disaster occurs you may not be able to leave work.

  • Establish a family emergency plan. For ideas, check out: www.ready.gov

Preparing for Disaster as an ETC Professionally

  • Educate yourself about your communication center’s disaster plans and policies and your role in them.

  • If your coworkers cannot get to work, you may not be able to leave.

  • If you are unable to leave work, there may not be a way to get food, water, or clothing for a while. Be prepared to be self-sufficient at work for at least 72 hours.

Preparing for Disaster as an ETC - 72 Hour Kit

Prepare a 72 hour kit (go bag) containing:

  • Battery-operated radio

  • Blanket/sleeping bag

  • Pillow

  • Towel and washcloth

  • Personal hygiene items

  • Chocolate?

  • Non-perishable food

  • Drinking water

  • Clothing

  • Medicine

  • Flashlight

  • Batteries

Chapter 8 Review Question

The phrase “span of control” refers to:

  • a network of functional roles.

  • the systematic on-site management of resources.

  • the number of immediate individuals or groups each supervisor is accountable for.

  • a network of functional roles.

  • the systematic on-site management of resources.

  • the number of immediate individuals or groups each supervisor is accountable for.

Chapter 8 Review Discussion

What are some challenges or hurdles a communication center might encounter as they attempt to prepare for future disasters?

  • Communication centers must deciding what types of disasters should be prepared for. Is it possible to prepare for all contingencies?

  • Get buy-in from stakeholders to make disaster preparations a priority.

  • Consider financial restrictions.