Emergency Operations Centers&

Incident Action Planning Process

John Lindsay and Ann Stangby

Session Objectives

• Explain the purpose and major functions of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

• Describe the process of information flow within the EOC.

• Discuss the operational hierarchy within the emergency management system.

• Explain the Incident Action Planning process.

Types of events

• Immediate threats to life and property.

• Loss of facility operating status.

• Facility support to other facilities or national problems.

EOC Required?

Definition of an EOC

“An unfamiliar place

where leaders of an organization go

to make decisions

in little or no time

based on little or no information”Snowshoe Thompson, 1856

Why Is an EOC Needed?

• Centralized direction and control

• Single point for collection, evaluation, display and dissemination of information

• Facilitates verification of information

• Provides a repository of data

• Makes maximum use of existing communications

Why an EOC is Needed (con’t)

• Facilitates coordination

• Provides continuity and facilitates shift changes

• Provides for the identification of all available resources

• Provides a ready reference on the current situation

Major Functions of an EOC

• Information gathering and management– collection, evaluation, display, documentation

• Emergency policy-making• Operations management / action planning

– Communications and warning

• Coordination / support of resources• Public information• Hosting Visitors

• After: Perry, R. in T. Drabek, and G. Hoetmer (eds.) 1991. Emergency Management: Principles and Practice for Local Government. Washington: ICMA

Basic EOC Capabilities

• Activated quickly (within an hour ?).

• Remain operational.

• Afford space for other agencies.

• Offer communications per work space.

• Perform information processing, coordination and documentation functions.

EOC Staffing &Management

EOC Staff

• Agency administrator• EOC Director

– Public Information Officer, Liaison Officer

• General staff sections from ICS– Operations, Plans, Logistics, Finance

• Support (security, communications, etc.)• Clerical

Management Principles

• Management by objectives.

• Clear management responsibilities (“unity of command”) and delegation of authority.

• Span of Control.

• Action Planning.

EOC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

• Use of information processing systems.

• Communications with external entities.

• Managing resource requests.

• Preparing coordinated public information.

• Activation and establishing the EOC.

General EOCActivation Criteria

• Resources required beyond local capabilities

• The emergency is of long duration

• Multiple agency/jurisdictional involvement

• Unique or emerging problem(s) may require policy decisions

• A local state of emergency declared

Situation Reports

Travel Orders

Resource Activation

Mission Assignments

Computer Problems

Work Environment

Shift Schedules

Conference Calls

Inter-agency Liaison

Incident Status

Resource Status

Office Supplies

Briefings

Shift Action Plan

Parking/Bldg. Access

Procurement/Budget

OperationsSectionActivities

ICS Management Functions

PlansSection

LogisticsSection

FinanceSection

Managing Time

• Establishing the operational period• Cycle of activities

– First operational period– Remaining operational periods

• Shift change meetings

• Situation briefing

• Action planning meeting

• Brief supervisors on plan

• Track, coordinate incident progress

• Situation updates

Set Priorities•Status briefing•Establish/modify priorities

Develop objectives•Support priorities•Resolve conflicts

Develop plansBased on prioritiesand assigned objectives

Implement plans•Coordinate & execute•Report accomplishments

EOC Communications

• Purpose:– Communication / Coordination / Direction– Information sharing– Decision making – Emergency activities

• Demands– High volume of information– Requirement for good communication between

all parties

Communication Considerations

• Flexibility - able to fit different situations

• Redundancy - works when you need it

• Universality - in common with others

• Capacity - able to handle the volume

• Distribution of loads between alternatives– Speed - how long will it take to get there?– Priority - how long will it take to be acted on?

Types of Messages

4 types of messages:

• Inquiries asking for information

• Advisories providing information

• Requests asking for resources or decisions

• Orders directing resources or activities

Information Management

Source(s)

Telephone

Radio

FAX

E-Mail

Mass Media

Rumor

Verify

Analyze

Log

Synthesize

VisualDisplays

SituationBriefings

ActionPlans

SituationReports

HistoricalRecords

Distribute

Displays

• Situation Status (SITSTAT)• Incident history• Current status

– Patients, facilities, weather

• Current objectives and assignments• Resource Status

– Assigned resources– Available (staged) resources

Common Mistakes

• Unworkable Emergency Operations Plan

• No knowledge of disaster resources

• Lack of visible leadership

• Not controlling information flow

• Untrained staff

• Key people leave

• Not focusing on what happens next !

Operational Hierarchy

ESF Lead Agency EOC(s)

HCF EOC(s)

Network EOC(s)

Local Gov’t / County EOC(s)

State EOC(s)

DHS’s Regional EOC

DHS’s National EOC

Incident Site(s)

DHS’s Disaster Field

Office

Incident Action PlanningProcess

Action Planning Process

MgmtPlans

LogisticsFinance

BusinessContinuity

Safety &Security

Equip,Plant & Util

Health &Medical

Operations

Overall Objectives& Priorities

Situation

Tactical Objectives,Resource Needs

Capability &Capacity

Cost

Plans

FinalizeAction Plan Mgmt

Approve,ImplementAction Plan

Operational Period

• The period of time scheduled for execution of a given set of actions specified in an IAP.

• Can be of any length, although rarely longer than 24 hours.

• Not necessarily related to shift length.

Briefing Topics

• Date/time of start of incident• Type of incident• Services involved• Current incident status• Current resource status• Current strategy/objectives• Communications systems being used• Special problems/issues

Incident Action Planning Steps...

• Brief on current situation and resource status

• Set incident objectives

• Determine areas of operation

• Specify objectives and tactics for each group

• Specify resources needed by each group

IAP Steps (con’t)

• Specify operating facilities and reporting locations

• Place resource and personnel orders

• Consider communications, medical, safety and traffic requirements

• Finalize, approve and implement

IAP Responsibilities:Management

• Provide general control objectives and strategy

• Establish policy for resource orders

• Approve completed IAP

IAP Responsibilities:Planning Chief

• Prepare for the Planning Meeting

• Conduct the Planning Meeting

• Coordinate preparation of the IAP

IAP Responsibilities:Operations Chief

• Determine area(s) of operation

• Determine tactics

• Determine work assignments

• Determine resource requirements

IAP Responsibilities:Logistics Chief

• Ensure resource ordering procedures are developed

• Ensure the IAP can be supported

IAP Responsibilities:Finance Chief

• Provide cost implications of control

objectives, as required

• Ensure the IAP is within the cost

limitations established by Management.

Elements of an IAP

• Name of event and operational period.

• Summary of the current situation.

• Statement of policy(s), overall objectives and priorities.

• Statements of operational period objectives for each major section.

• Action items to carry out the objectives.

• Current organizational chart/listing.

Questions?

For more info see SEMS @ www.oes.ca.gov