Guidance Document: Emergency and Risk …dp.ccalac.org/Policies/planning policies procedures... ·...

Guidance Document: Emergency and Risk CommunicationJuly 16, 2013

Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3

I. Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................3

II. Purpose............................................................................................................................................4

III. Definitions/Acronyms......................................................................................................................4

BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................................................5

IV. Healthcare Sector: Clinics................................................................................................................5

V. Emergency and Disaster Communication........................................................................................5

VI. Clinic Communication Pathways.......................................................................................................7

VII. Communication Tools.......................................................................................................................8

Landline telephones...................................................................................................................8

Cellular telephones....................................................................................................................8

HAM Radios...............................................................................................................................9

Two-way Radios.........................................................................................................................9

E-mail.........................................................................................................................................9

Fax...........................................................................................................................................10

Mass Notification System.........................................................................................................10

Website....................................................................................................................................10

Social Media.............................................................................................................................10

VIII. Communication Tool Matrix..........................................................................................................12

IX. Triggers..........................................................................................................................................14

X. Communication Activation Based on Facility Impact.....................................................................14

CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS........................................................................................................................16

XI. Roles, Responsibilities and Activation............................................................................................16

Crisis Communication Team.....................................................................................................16

XII. Internal Communication...............................................................................................................17

XIII. Communication with Patients.......................................................................................................18

XIV. Communication with External Agencies.......................................................................................18

Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS) & CCALAC...........................................................19

XV. Communication with Community................................................................................................20


Special Populations................................................................................................................20

XVI. Communications with Media.......................................................................................................21

Message Development...........................................................................................................22

MAINTENANACE AND TESTING.................................................................................................................23


INTRODUCTION

I. Executive Summary

Communication during the lifecycle of a disaster or emergency situation is always identified as a challenge. Countless disasters have shown us how our everyday communication efforts can fail and that there is need for alternate communication methods and plans in the aftermath of a disaster or emergency. During a disaster, it is imperative that information is communicated to those who need it. . There also need to be redundant pathways and multiple tools for communication. Communication is essential in emergencies and disasters and should be a main component in every emergency plan.

Information is a commodity during the initial stages of disaster and is as important as food, water and shelter. The process of gathering, interpreting, and disseminating information is essential to effective communication in an emergency and disaster situation and should be incorporated in your clinic’s emergency and risk communication plan. Effective communication in disaster and emergency response can help:

Reduce and/or eliminate mistakes and ineffectiveness in response and recovery efforts. Enhance trust and faith in an organization with its staff, stakeholders and the community it

serves. Ensure recovery and continuity of operations. Protect an organization’s reputation Save time and money in the recovery phase.

Communicating before, during and after a crisis is important – not only when working with the media, but also with employees, family members and company stakeholders. Clinics are often important conduits of health information for the communities they serve. Patients, staff, and community members may look to the clinic for answers to their questions about an emergency situation.

An effective emergency and risk communications plan should provide the following: (1) Capability to support essential functions of the clinic and maintain operation requirements; (2) Ability to communicate with other organizations, emergency personnel, the public; (3) Ability to communicate with staff, management and patients; (4) Redundant communication methods and pathways when receiving and disseminating information; (5) Vertical and horizontal communication - gathering information and disseminating information.


II. Purpose

The Emergency and Risk Communication Guidance Document provides a framework that strengthens the ability of Los Angeles Community Clinics to provide timely and accurate emergency-related information. Effective communication will facilitate coordination, response and preserve business continuity and sustainability of patient care in the face of disaster. Communications during an emergency are crucial. Natural and human-made disasters have demonstrated the need for an effective communication plan that encompasses internal (staff, clinicians etc.), external (agencies, CCALAC, vendors etc.) and patient/community communication pathways. The development of an emergency and risk communication plan will increase the ability of clinics to provide information in a timely manner to staff, patients, external organizations, media and the community.

III. Definitions/Acronyms

Communication The effective sending and receiving of information. Ideally, the information received should match the information sent. It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure this takes place.

Emergency and Risk Communication

The process of providing concise, comprehensive, credible information, as needed to make effective decision regarding risks and during an emergency situation.

Interoperable Able to communicate with and across agencies and jurisdictions.

Redundant Pathways

Able to use alternate communication methods when primary systems go out.

Situational Intelligence

The process of gathering information, interpreting data and informing others.

Vertical Communication

Horizontal Communication

Information is communicated between equals in an organization and equal external organizations (ex. Other community clinics).

Advisory Warnings/advice for potential or future events such as heat wave, pandemic, or drought.

Alert Provide knowledge and awareness regarding an event that has occurred or is in the process of occurring. Examples: active shooter, earthquake, or explosion.

Update Further information about the emergency or disaster situation that has occurred.

LA EMS Agency: Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency

CCALAC: Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County

MAC: Medical Alert Center

Gathering Information

Interpreting Information

Informing Others


BACKGROUND

IV. Healthcare Sector: Clinics

Clinics represent a mix of public and private entities that provide necessary services for the uninsured and medically underserved populations. These clinics provide services to a specific population that will be the most vulnerable during an emergency or disaster setting. Clinics are often important conduits of health information for the communities they serve. Patients, staff, and community members may look the clinic for answers to their questions about an emergency situation.

V. Emergency and Disaster Communication

During an emergency or disaster situation, information is crucial in response and recovery; ineffective communication can cause rumors and irrational fears for staff, patients, and stakeholders. Communication is needed to provide situational intelligence, resource requests, patient tracking, information to the staff, and information to patients and the community. The success of operations during a disaster or emergency situation depends on the availability and redundancy of critical communications systems to support connectivity to internal and external organizations, other departments, and the public.

Effective communication during an emergency or disaster situation is dependent on receiving and disseminating information to impacted audiences. This process includes the gathering of information, which can be from CCALAC, EMS Agency, local news, social media and much more. When faced with a disaster having a complete set or credible information is essential in the decision making process. Without a clear picture, misinformation and misunderstand can arise and create a gap in understanding and resulting in confusion that can hinder initial response and decision making.

Once information is gathered it needs to be interpreted so that you can understand how the information directly affects your organization and the patients and community it serves. Interpretation of information is essential in the decision-making process for an organization. Once decisions about actions to be taken have been made, then it is vital to inform others, which can include but are not limited to staff and patients. This process of information


gathering, interpretation and dissemination is essential to effective communication in an emergency and disaster situation and should be incorporated in your clinic’s emergency and risk communication plan.

An effective emergency and risk communication plan should provide the following:

1. Capability to support essential functions of the clinic and maintain operation requirements. 2. Ability to communicate with other organizations, emergency personnel, the public, staff,

management and patients. 3. Redundant communication tools and pathways when receiving and disseminating

information. 4. Vertical and horizontal communication - gathering information and disseminating

information.


VI. Clinic Communication Pathways

An emergency and risk communication plan should delineate the pathways and audiences that the clinics will receive information from and disseminate information to during an emergency or disaster situation. During a disaster or emergency there will be need to communicate with several different audiences, which will vary depending upon the situation.

Primary communication should be with those that are most affected by the event or are involved in response and will need information that enables them to take immediate action. Primary communication audiences might be staff and/or patients. Individuals and organizations that are not immediately affected by the event but will need information about the event to help with response efforts; examples include: local police and fire department, vendors, EMS. Finally, you will want to communicate with individuals that may or may not be affected by the event but will still need information that will reassure and enable them to plan their own safety and make informed decisions; examples include: local community and media.

Achieving effective communication with all of your audiences during the lifecycle of a disaster depends on selecting the best methods of communication that will reach them. Remember that not every emergency or disaster will require the same level of communication or need of resources.

CLINICS

Internal

Patients

External AgenciesCommunity

Media


VII. Communication Tools The method of communication during an emergency or disaster situation will vary depending on:

Equipment Reliability and timeliness Severity of disaster Location What is being communicated

In face of an emergency or disaster, normal communication systems are likely to be unavailable and alternative communication systems may have to be used in initial hours of response. Information is a commodity during a disaster lifecycle and is as important as food, water and shelter. During a disaster or emergency situation people process and respond to information differently than they would during normal day-to-day life. Because of this message construction, and the communication tools are important to consider.

When we are deciding what communication tools to use we need to ask:

• Which tools are most appropriate for our message?

• Which tools will the target audience find credible AND accessible?

• Which tools and how many tools are feasible, considering schedule and budget?

This next section examines common communication tools and how they can be utilized in an emergency and risk communication plan.

Landline telephones

When functioning, the telephone system may be used to by the clinics to communicate with staff, CCALAC, patients, emergency response agencies, and the local media. The telephone system is used for voice communications, fax transmissions, and text pager activation. A call center or phone bank allows for two-way interaction with a variety of audiences, providing a mechanism that enables quick and effective answering of questions. If you decide to use a call center, phone bank or other landline method, remember to have staff and/or volunteers to take the calls and provide them with information that that you wish to communicate.

Cellular telephones

Making call can be unreliable in a large incident, but text messaging can be an efficient and effective way to receive and send information in an emergency or disaster situation. Mobile texting of SMS technology can be used for individual messages or group messages on mobile phones. Clinics can use text messages to send alerts and instructions to staff regarding emergencies affecting the clinic and/or surrounding areas. Keep in mind that a single text message is restricted to 160 characters. Text messaging can also be


used by clinics to check in on staff after a disaster or emergency. You can text R U OK? to staff and they can respond I AM OK . This simple text message can help organizations know the impact of the disaster on the staff members. If your clinic decides to use this as a

communication tool you will need to make sure that multiple copies of staff cell phone numbers are available. Your organization will need to inform the staff of this communication tool and have trainings to practice its use. As always, it is important to use other communication tools when in an emergency or

disaster situation.

HAM Radios

An Amateur Radio System or HAM Radio is an emergency supplement to primary telephone and radio communications. Amateur radio network currently provides emergency communications for public agencies and hospitals under situations when primary communication systems and infrastructure are diminished.

Two-way Radios

Two-way radio provides short range communication ability that can be used in the clinics for internal communications during emergency situations and the everyday work place. A two-way radio can be an alternative form of communication when your main communication tools are down and can be effective for internal communication with staff. For example, during a disaster or emergency situation a two-way radio can be utilized for triage efforts and for communication with your Clinic Operations Center. If you decide to incorporate two-way radios into your emergency and communication plan you will want to consider the following: (1) Channels: know which channel your clinic will be using, have the radios tuned to it, and have a backup channel; (2) Testing: know where the radios are located, how to use them and incorporate them into emergency drills and communication tests; and (3) Batteries: a radio is useless without batteries, so you will need to have extra batteries and/or rechargeable batteries.

E-mail

An e-mail provides a quick and easy way to send short messages and attach documents such as situation reports, resource requests, and other documents. The creation of a generic email address specifically for use during disaster response to send and receive emergency messages can be beneficial. This provides one place for information and does not crowd regular work email addresses. For example, CCALAC has created a generic email address([email protected] ) which will be its main email address during an emergency or disaster situation. If you decide to create a generic email address you will need to inform staff and agencies that you communicate with. Also, you will want to have the password and login information listed and updated on a regular basis.

Fax

Fax may be used to communicate information to external organizations, such as the Medical Alert Center, for emergency and non-emergency communications. This will be a good option if your internet is down but you still have landline service.

mailto:[email protected]


Mass Notification System Mass notification systems are a means of rapid notification over a variety of communication channels.. Everbridge is one of many mass notification systems which can be used to alert staff when a disaster or emergency situation occurs. For whatever mass notification system your organization uses, make sure that your staff knows about it and understands how to use it. Consider creating pre-recorded messages or written generic messages that just need to be filled in with the situation to save time. Also, you will want to have multiple individuals that know how to send messages on your mass notification system.

WebsiteIn an emergency, a website homepage can carry an appropriate, brief message on the status of the clinic (open/closed, hours, services available, hotline number etc.) that can provide information to the surrounding community. Using your home webpage is a low-cost, easy way to provide information to a large group of people. Though websites can be quick and easy to update, you will need to plan on having instructions on how to edit your clinic’s webpage. Another option is having a ‘dark page’ which you can create beforehand with a message template. Then, when a disaster or emergency situation occurs, you can then easily fill in the information about the incident and make the webpage available.

Social Media

Social media platforms have a growing role in emergency response and are an easy way to provide up-to-the-minute information to a large amount of people. It enables two-way communication with impacted groups and offers the opportunities to develop long-term relationships with the public. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, forums and wikis also help increase the quantity of information throughout the lifecycle of a crisis.

Social media can be an indispensable platform for communicating information before, during, and after an emergency or disaster situation, and provides organizations the ability to post real-time status updates. Social media is user friendly, searchable, a stable platform, and allows the easy dissemination of information to a wide variety of audiences. In an emergency or disaster situation, social media can be used to provide information and instructions to staff, patients and the community as well as direct those in search of information to other resources.

Facebook and Twitter are the most prominent social media platforms at this point in time and this following section will explore what these very different platforms are and how they can be used.

TwitterTwitter is considered a micro-blogging service that allows individuals to send and receive messages (140 character limit) from cell phone, email, SMS and the Twitter website. The use of key words or hash tags (# before a phrase or word) makes it possible for users to search for messages that relate to a specific topic. You can also ‘Follow’ an individual or organization, and have ‘Followers’, on Twitter which allows you to receive and post updates that are made in real time.

Tips for Twitter:


Follow partner agencies, organizations, and the media, as well as community influences and leaders; they may in turn follow you with can make it easier to disseminate information quickly.

Keep information short and to the point and post information that is relevant, timely and actionable.

Maintain awareness of what is being said by setting up searches to keep track of information shared about your agency.

Determine a schedule and frequency for posting and during an emergency or disaster, and be sure to include when the next update will be posted.

Include a link to your Twitter account on your website so community members and patients know about it and follow you.

FEMA Standard Operating Procedures for Twitter, found in Policies section of Appendix

Facebook Social networking sites like Facebook can be used as an additional resource to disseminate emergency information to the public. Facebook, as of March 31, 2013, has 1.11 billion monthly active users and caters to individual profiles and organizations that have designed special profile. Facebook offers more space than Twitter for posting and posts can be a maximum of 420 characters plus a link. Facebook also allows text chat, pictures, video and integration with other social media sites.

Tips for Facebook:

CDC recommends that Facebook posts be a maximum of 250 characters so they can be viewed completely in the newsfeed

Can be used to post links to resources that audiences may find helpful Determine a schedule and frequency for posting and during an emergency or disaster and be

sure to include when the next update will be posted “Like” and/or “Friend” individuals, organizations, media and community influences and leaders;

they may in turn “Like” and/or “Friend” you back, making it easier to disseminate information Include a link to your Facebook page on your website so community members and patients

know about it and “Like” your organization

FEMA Standard Operating Procedures for Facebook, found in Policies section of Appendix

Don’t wait for a disaster to develop a social media presence; start using social media platforms now to create a presence on the platform(s) you choose.

VIII. Communication Tool Matrix This Communication Tool Matrix shows a variety of communication tools and how they can be utilized during an emergency or disaster. Many of the tools can be used to communicate with multiple audiences.


INTERNAL PATIENTS EXTERNAL COMMUNITY MEDIALandline Phones

Cell Phones

HAM Radio

Two-Way Radio

Email

Fax

Mass Notification System

Website

Social Media


IX. Triggers

Pre-Planned Event: An event such as a sporting event, concert, marathon, or any event where there will be a large gathering of people; can also be at an event that is being put on by the facility or clinic (ex. Sidewalk CPR ).

Slow-Onset Event: An event that takes a long time to produce emergency conditions. Examples include: drought, heat wave, and novel influenza.

Single Facility Event : A single facility event, normally an internal, such as a power outage, fire, or chemical exposure.

Regional/Jurisdictional Event (2+ facilities affected): City or multiple clinics within the same region are impacted by a disaster or emergency event. Ex. Hazardous materials/ chemical spill, power outage, fire, or small earthquake.

Operational Area: A disaster or emergency situation that impacts the Los Angeles County Operational Area, resources and support are needed from outside the operational area. Examples include: a large scale earthquake, terrorist attack, or hazardous materials/chemical spill.

Catastrophic Event: Any natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster that results in extraordinary levels of casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale or government functions in an area. Examples include: a large scale earthquake, terrorist attack, or hazardous materials/chemical spill

X. Communication Activation Based on Facility ImpactThe following matrix incorporates the status of the clinic as identified in the situation report and how it relates to the triggers, communication characteristics, procedures, and audiences you may communicate with during an emergency or disaster. The triggers, which are listed above, will be different for every organization as will the procedures that are used to communicate. Whom you communicate with will vary depending on the incident. This matrix provides you with guidance in developing your organization’s activation. There is a blank matrix which can be found in the Appendix and should be used while you develop your Emergency and Risk Communication Plan.


Normal Operation Under Control Modified Service Limited Service No ServiceTr

igge

rs Pre-Planned Event Slow-Onset

Single Facility Event Pre-Planned Event Slow-Onset

Single Facility Event Regional/ Jurisdictional

Event

Regional/Jurisdictional Event

Operational Area Event

Catastrophic Event

Char

acte

ristic

s Normal day-to-day communication

Incident attracts little or no attention

Public and/or media are virtually unaware of crisis

Growing demand for more information

Public is aware of the situation but it is attracting little attention

Incident causes growing need for information to partners, staff, and patients

Immediate and urgent need for information to be disseminated to all audiences

Broadcast and print media may appear on site for live coverage

Proc

edur

es

Arrange testing and practice of communication plan and equipment

Provide advisory messages to identified audiences

Monitor media and incoming information

Provide advisory and/or alert messages to identified audiences

Contact needed external organizations

Provide alert and update messages to patients & staff

Contact external organizations as needed

Talk with media if needed

Provide alert and update messages to identified audiences

Contact external organizations


Provide alert and update messages to identified audiences

Contact external organizations


Communicate with local community

Audi

ence

s

Staff, Patients, External Organizations/Partners, Community, Media*

*Every incident will require communication with different audiences

Normal Operations: Day-to-day operations. Modified Service: Requires assistance from external agencies and partners regarding resources.

No Service: Clinic is currently not open or providing services.

Under Control: Incident is being managed using local resources, no assistance required.

Limited Service: Requires assistance, clinic is operating but providing services as resources allow.


CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

The concept of operations describes strategy behind developing an emergency and risk communication plan for a clinic facility.

XI. Roles, Responsibilities and Activation

To start off the planning process, review existing communication policies your clinic has developed. These include, but are not limited to, internal communication policies, media and social media usage policies, and any existing emergency communication plans. Everyday communication policies can be tailored to fit emergency and risk communication planning.

Examples of communication polices can be found in the Policies section of the Appendix

Identify communication tools you use on a daily basis, such as phone and email, and incorporate them into your communication plan. Also, you will want to identify which communication tools you will use in your emergency and communication plan, the audiences you will target with them, and list the communication tools in descending order. For example, if you plan on using email as a main means of communicating your staff, have a redundant communication tool available (such as text messaging) in case email is unavailable during the disaster. While identifying the communication tools your organization uses, include information on service providers or maintenance and who you should contact if the tool stops working.

Crisis Communication Team Your organization may want to establish a Crisis Communication Team which will be composed of a variety of individuals involved in the Emergency and Risk Communication Plan. The Crisis Communication Team Worksheet, found in the Appendix, can be used to when setting up your team. Lists roles, who will fill those roles, and how to contact them if the team needs to be activated. You can use what you like from the worksheet and scale it to your organization. In some cases a Public Information Officer may be doing much of this work but it is good to have others involved if the PIO is unavailable or the incident requires more individuals to be involved in the communication process.

Establishing a Crisis Communication Team focuses on:

1. Who is the Public Information Officer? And who are the authorized spokespersons? 2. Authorization of Messages: Who will authorize messages that are being given to media, social

media, patients, community etc.?3. Subject Matter Experts: Do you have or need subject matter experts regarding utilities, public

health, water quality? These could be vendors/other agencies that you contact to help you in these specific areas.


4. Specific responsibilities: Who will be responsible for Everbridge, Reddinet, media, rumor control etc.?

Crisis Communication Team Worksheet- Appendix: Staff Coordination

Your organization will want to consider the different accounts you may have, who has access to them, and access information. During an emergency or disaster your organization may need the access information (ie. Username and login) for Pay Pal, Dropbox, remote login for Outlook, Facebook, and your clinic’s website. You can use the Administrator Access Information Worksheet found in the Appendix to get you started on listing your organizations important accounts. Record all Administrative Access Information to important accounts and store them in hard and electronic copies.

Administrative Access Information- Appendix: Staff Coordination

Finally, you will want to integrate your Emergency and Risk Communication plan into existing emergency plans. All emergency plans have a communications component and you can use this guidance document to guide you in improving the communication processes in other emergency plans.

XII. Internal Communication

Communication with staff after a disaster or emergency is essential to business continuity and sustainable patient care. Your organization’s emergency and risk communication plan should include redundant communication tools for contacting staff and administrators during the lifecycle of a disaster. Communication should be a main priority after a disaster or emergency. Messages and multiple forms of communication should be used to communicative vital information about the disaster to the staff.

A Staff Contact List (template included in the Appendix), including name, email address, office, home, and cell phone numbers, pager, and emergency contact can be used to contact staff during the emergency or disaster. This list will provide you with multiple ways to contact staff and you can decide the order of priority that works best for your organization. There should be multiple copies of the Staff Contact List in hard and electronic copies. More than one person should know where the copies are and they should be updated at least once a year.

Staff Contact List can be found in the Staff Coordination section of the Appendix Emergency Phone/Text Tree can be found in the Staff Coordination section of the Appendix

Internal communication can occur in a variety of ways including, but not limited to: phone, email, and mass notification system such as Everbridge. As an organization you will need to identify the primary communication tool you will use when contacting staff during an emergency or disaster situation. Redundant communication tools should also be used to contact staff such as using Everbridge and starting a text or phone tree. This redundancy will ensure that staff will be contacted during disaster and can provide administration the ability to know the status of their staff.


During or after an emergency your staff will want to know:

1. What is happening: Include the information you know (who, what, when, where)2. Instructions: Do they need to come into the clinic? When the clinic will be open, hours, services

etc. 3. Time of next communication: Schedule regular updates and inform staff of changes

You will want to consider the factors listed above when constructing messages for your staff. Generic messages can be created ahead of time which can save time when sending out messages. The Rapid Messaging Tool, which can be found in the Appendix: Draft Messages, has messages developed for over 35 different hazards which can be tailored to fit the organization.

Rapid Messaging Tool- Appendix: Draft Messages

XIII. Communication with Patients

During the lifecycle of a disaster or emergency you will want to inform patients of the situation, actions the clinic is taking and actions that patients should take. First, identify the communication tools you currently use with patients and how they can be utilized during a disaster or emergency. If you use landline phones as your main method of communication, you could send out automated messages to patients that inform them of the incident and the services the clinic is able to provide. The organization website or social media could be used to inform patients of the information about the incident, actions patients can take, and services the clinic is providing. If your organization lacks the staff to make phone calls or you have to close the clinic after a disaster or emergency, you might consider a pre-recorded message on the phone line as a way to provide patients with information.

The Rapid Messaging Tool can be used to provide patients with pre-drafted messages for 35 different hazards you can use these messages with a variety of communication tools such as recorded phone message, website, email, social media etc.

Rapid Messaging Tool- Appendix: Draft Messages

XIV. Communication with External Agencies

Communication and collaboration will need to occur with a number of partners, agencies and organizations including CCALAC, local hospitals, Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS), and local Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Other response partners may include local fire/police agencies, American Red Cross, utility companies, and neighboring Public Health Departments. Relationship with partner organization should be developed in advance of an emergency or disaster and be included in your communication plan and should represent a strategic means for how your organization would respond in an emergency.


Creating a Contact Phone Book, such as the one found in the Appendix, is beneficial because it provides all your organization’s important contacts. The phone book includes contact information for primary contacts like CCALAC, EMS Agency, and Medical Alert Center, health and emergency organizations, community organizations, and also a utilities and vendors section which can be filled in by your organization. Your organization can include contacts that are specific to your location and other partners and/or vendors you may have.

An already filled in Contact Phone Book can be found in the Appendix

Your organization will want to create policies and procedures for communicating with external agencies and partners during a disaster or emergency. Some organizations may already have policies developed regarding “just in time” resource requests which you will want to incorporate into your emergency and risk communication plan.

The Liaison Officer will have an important role in the contact of external agencies and will have the responsibility of coordinating with local government and requesting assistance from other organizations.

Liaison Job Action Sheet- Appendix: Job Action Sheets

Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS) & CCALACEMS and CCALAC will be your main contacts during disaster response and should be written into your plan, incorporating: when and how you will communicate and what forms are needed to ensure effective communication and request of resources. CCALAC acts as a redundant communication pathway during the disaster response and recovery phase of the disaster or emergency.

The Rapid Emergency Digital Data Information Network, commonly known as ReddiNet, facilitates information exchange from capacity for mass casualty incidents, Assessment Polls to obtain critical information, and messaging. Clinics can utilize ReddiNet through a weekly test at 9:30am on Wednesday as well as sending Resource Requests and Situation Reports when an incident occurs.

ReddiNet Quick Start Guide- Appendix: Staff Coordination

Situation Reports should be sent to EMS and CCALAC when a disaster or emergency occurs; this increases the situational awareness and informs EMS and CCALAC of the situation. External agencies cannot help if they do not know there is a problem; sending a situation report is the first step in the communication process. On the situation report you will also need to list your four letter code: starting with C(XXX), this code is organization specific and will be a way for EMS to identify your organization.

Situation Report – Appendix- Forms

Important Contacts:

Emergency Medical Services Agency

Fax: (526) 944-5248 Email:

[email protected]

Medical Alert Center (MAC)

Phone: (866) 940-4401 Fax: (562) 906-4300

CCALAC

Phone: (213) 201-6500 Fax: (213) 553-9324 Email: [email protected]




Once you have exhausted your organization’s normal vendors you will send a Resource Request to LA EMS Agency through email, fax or ReddiNet. You will also send this resource request to CCALAC at [email protected] . CCALAC is a redundant process in the resource requesting process. You must list your clinic organization’s four letter code (C(XXX)) on this form as well.

Resource Request From and Instructions can be found in Appendix: Forms Specific Organization Clinic Codes can be found in Appendix- Forms

XV. Communication with Community

During a disaster or emergency incident, the local community has the right to know what is happening, the risks they may face, measures they can take to protect themselves, and where they can receive assistance.

Messages to the local community should include:

1. Actions that should be taken 2. Actions that should not be taken 3. Details about the incident 4. Actions taken by the clinic: Operating Hours, Services Available etc.

A pre-recorded message, Hotline, or Call Bank can be used to inform the surrounding community of the status of the clinic (open/closed), hours, and services available. Message templates can be created ahead of time so that when a disaster or emergency happens information can be sent to community. Local media such as radio stations, television can also be used to provide information to the community.

Special Populations Communication methods must be adapted to physical and/or mental handicaps, language barriers, income gaps and other factors. The following information focuses on special populations that may need to be reached during an emergency or disaster and what you should consider when communicating with them.

Language. In the United States, more that 25 million adults speak a primary langue other than English. In California, approximately 40% of adults speak a language other than English at home. When communicating with non-English speakers be sure to:

Identify the primary languages spoken within your community Include non-English messages on emergency hotlines, print, TV and radio media Be sure that materials used to target non-English speakers take into consideration

cultural sensitivity, including tone, words and phrases used.



The “Show Me” Tool which can be used for communication with community and patients can be found in Appendix: Additional Resources

Limited Literacy. Approximately 45% of the American adult population is functionally illiterate, meaning that they are unable to comprehend printed information. When communicating with individuals with limited literary consider the following:

Oral or written information must be presented at a low literacy level (i.e. 5th grade) If working with local TV new outlets ensure that important phone numbers are read

slowly and not just posted on the screen.

Hearing Impaired. There are varying degrees of hearing impairment that can range from an inability to hear specific sounds to being completely deaf. Approximately one in ten Americans is affected by hearing loss or deafness. When communicating with individuals that are hearing impaired, consider the following:

Encourage local TV station to broadcast news and emergency information in a way that enables the hearing impaired to read captions

Visually Impaired. There are approximately 10 million blind or visually impaired people living in the United States and 1.3 million of these 10 million are legally blind. When communicating with visually impaired individuals consider the following:

If working with local TV new outlets ensure that important phone numbers are read slowly and not just posted on the screen.

Homeless. When communicating with a homeless population, consider the following information:

Identify strategic locations where information can be posted in an emergency or disaster Notify local homeless shelters about the emergency or disaster, what can be done to

ensure safety, and services they can access Consider posting emergency information flyers or public notices in public areas around

the clinic

XVI. Communications with Media

A good working relationship with members of the local media before an emergency should be a priority; the media will play a vital role in reporting a disaster and can also help in providing public education and risk communication information to the public. Not every situation will require communication with the media but having that relationship in place with local media outlets can help disseminate important information to targeted audiences (patients, staff, community) in a timely, accurate manner.


When working with the media, one person should be the ‘spokesperson’ and be the main media contact. Within the ICS structure this responsibility would fall to the Public Information Officer (PIO). The PIO verifies information and develops and disseminates appropriate messages to the media. All communications should go through the PIO; if staff is questioned by the media they should direct the questions to the PIO, who will be the central point of information and communication in a disaster.

PIO Job Sheet- Appendix: Job Action Sheets

Message Development When creating a message regarding a current emergency or disaster the main goal is to provide information so that people can make informed decisions about what actions to take. Also, a message should help establish trust and build credibility of the organization with its audiences. Messages templates and generic messages can be developed ahead of time to decease the delay in providing information to the intended audiences. Messages can be developed based on the event that occurred, like a flood, wildfire, or earthquake; or you can develop the message based on the outcome of the event such as needing to evacuate, or experiencing a loss of power.

When developing a message, focus on creating clear, concise actionable messages by using the 3-3-30 rule. The 3-3-30 rule focuses on creating 3 short sentences that convey the 3 key messages you want your audience to know in a total of 30 words.

Message Planning Worksheet can be found in the Draft Messages section of the Appendix Electronic Mail Emergency Messaging Template can be found in the Draft Messages section of

the Appendix

The following are some tips you can follow when creating messages and communicating with the media:

1. Be direct and simple- no more than 3 key messages 2. Use clear, direct language- no jargon or technical language 3. Express empathy and caring4. Give people things to do5. Acknowledge uncertainty and fears6. Express wishes (“I wish I had answers”) 7. Explain the process in place to find answers- provide information and resources that your clinics

or partners may have available 8. Don’t over reassure

CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Pocket Guide can be found in the Media Relations section of the Appendix

3-3-30 Rule

3 Short Sentences 3 Key Messages 30 words


MAINTENANACE AND TESTING All components of your organization’s emergency and risk communication plan must be updated regularly. This includes staff contact information and contact information for external agencies, local media, etc. It is recommended that you schedule an annual review of at least the contact information rather than wait until a disaster or emergency.

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