ESF 2 - Communications

Emergency Support Function (ESF) #2

Communications

Primary Agencies

Emergency Management

Emergency Communications Center

Information Technology Department(s)

Public Information Officer(s)

Secondary/Support Agencies

Law Enforcement

Local Telephone Service Provider(s)

Amateur Radio

Introduction

Purpose:

The purpose of Emergency Support Function #2 – (Communication) is to support public safety and other City/County agencies by maintaining continuity of information and telecommunication equipment and other technical resources. ESF #2 is responsible for keeping the public and City/County employees informed during an emergency situation, providing guidance when appropriate to help save lives and protect property, and supporting City agencies with the restoration and reconstruction of telecommunications equipment, computers, and other technical resources. This section describes the locality’s emergency communications/notification and warning system. The locality will coordinate with the VEOC should outside assistance be required.

Scope:

ESF #2 works to transfer information accurately and efficiently during an incident. This ESF is also responsible for the technology associated with the representation, transfer, interpretation, and processing of data among people, places, and machines. Communication includes transmission, emission, or reception of signs, signals, writing, images, and sounds or intelligence of any natures by wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems.

Policies:

The Emergency Communications Center (ECC) operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It serves as the 911 center and the locality warning point.

The ECC is accessible to authorized personnel only.

The ECC will initiate notification and warning of appropriate personnel.

Concept of Operations

General:

The Emergency Operations Plan provides guidance for managing emergency communications resources.

The primary EOC for the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County is located in the Harrisonburg Public Safety Building, 101 North Main Street, next to the Emergency Communications Center (ECC). The ECC serves as the communications center for both the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. The ECC is responsible for the receipt of all 911 calls and the dispatch of emergency services (fire, law enforcement, and EMS) for the city and the county. This facility is operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and will house the VCIN and NCIC Teletype system, as well as the NAWAS radio system for receiving weather information from the National Weather Service.

The ECC is accessible to authorized personnel only. The ECC is most often the first point of contact for the general public. The ECC has the capability to access the Emergency Alert System to deliver warnings to the public. The Director of Emergency Management, Coordinator of Emergency Management, Chief of Police, Sheriff, or their designees are allowed to authorize an emergency alert notification.

The telephone companies will ensure that communications essential to emergency services are maintained. During a major disaster, additional telephone lines may be installed in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate emergency operations. At least one phone with a special publicized number will be reserved for “rumor control” to handle citizen inquiries. The Coordinator of Emergency Management will coordinate with the telephone company to provide for these services.

Radio resources include the Harrisonburg/Rockingham radio system; Police Department, Fire Department, EMS, and mobile units operating on a UHF Conventional Paging System, and an 800 MHz trunked radio system with the capability to communicate with the other jurisdictions through national interoperability channels.

Amateur radio operators may provide emergency backup radio communications between the EOC/ECC and VEOC, should normal communications be disrupted. They may also provide communications with some in-field operations.

It is important that while communicating, standard or common terminology is used so that multiple agencies are better able to interact and understand each other.

Should an evacuation become necessary, warning and evacuation instructions will be distributed via radio, television, and social media. The Public Information Officer will develop and provide public information announcements and publications regarding evacuation procedures to include recommended primary and alternate evacuation routes, designated assembly points for those without transportation, rest areas and service facilities along evacuation routes, as well as potential health hazards associated with the incident.

The ECC has a local emergency alert system. Eastern Mennonite University uses HEARO FM as their warning system, as well as a mass e-mail and text message system. JMU uses a campus siren system, mass text messages and e-mail, and text-to-voice for their warning systems. Bridgewater College has a siren system in addition to a campus wide alerting system using e-mail and texting to notify students, faculty, and employees.

Organization:

The City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County emergency communications are heavily dependent on the commercial telephone network. The telephone system is vulnerable to the effects of emergencies and disasters and to possible system overload due to increased usage. Technical failure or damage of telecommunications equipment could hamper communications or the ability to communicate with emergency personnel and the public throughout the locality. Mutual aid repeaters in contiguous jurisdictions may not be available or may not be able to provide sufficient coverage or channel loading to compensate for technical failure or damage to telecommunications resources in the locality during an emergency.

Amateur radio operators and other nongovernmental volunteer groups used to assist with emergency radio communications support will be under the authority of the Director of Emergency Management/Coordinator of Emergency Management. The amateur radio or other nongovernmental volunteer operators will be required to actively participate in regular training and exercises established by the Office of Emergency Management and the Information Technology Department.

Actions:

ESF #2 requires a working arrangement between the local Primary Agency, the local EOC, and local news media, and coordination with External Affairs (ESF-15).

The ECC will initiate notification and warning of appropriate personnel. Landline telephones, voice or data, 2-way radio, and wireless telecommunications devices may be utilized to notify officials, EOC staff, emergency personnel and others.

Emergency Service vehicles equipped with public address systems may be used to warn the general public.

The Coordinator of Emergency Management or his/her designee must authorize the use of the Emergency Alert System; and

• Emergency warning may originate at the federal, state, or local level of government. Timely warning requires dissemination to the public by all available means:

  • Emergency Communications Center

  • Emergency Alert System

  • Local radio and television stations

  • NOAA Weather Radio – National Weather Service

  • Mobile public address system

  • Telephone

  • General broadcast over all available radio frequencies

  • Newspaper

  • Amateur Radio Volunteers

Responsibilities:

Develop and maintain primary and alternate communications systems for contact with local jurisdictions, state agencies, and nongovernmental and private sector agencies required for mission support.

Ensure the ability to provide continued service as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for incoming emergency calls.

Ensure communication lines and equipment essential to emergency services are maintained by the appropriate vendor.

Provide additional staffing in the EOC/ECC to assist with communication.

Develop and maintain an emergency communications program and plan.

Provide telephone service providers with a restoration priority list for telephone service prior to and/or soon after a major disaster; and

Maintain records of cost and expenditures and forward them to the Finance Section Chief.

Emergency Support Function #2 – Attachment 1

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During emergencies, it is especially important that the public be kept informed of available resources, dangerous conditions, and the response that emergency personnel are making to the situation. In addition to using other media outlets, cable television should be used to disseminate this type of information as follows:

All of the above resources are to be used in conjunction with cable company personnel and the Public Information Officer.

Emergency Support Function #2 – Attachment 2

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Until the EOC is activated, the ECC dispatcher will notify the following officials upon receipt of a severe weather watch or warning, or when directed by an on-scene incident commander:

• Director of Emergency Management (City/County)

• Deputy Director of Emergency Management (City/County)

• Coordinator of Emergency Management (City/County)

• Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management (City/County)

• Chief of Police/Sheriff

• Director of Public Utilities

• Director of Public Works (City/County)

• Superintendent of Schools (City/County)

• Director of Social Services

• Director Central Shenandoah Health District

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