Introduction to Emergency Communications

Topics for CERT Members

Mike DuffTelecom AdministratorRoswell Park Cancer Institute716-845-4194mike.duff@roswellpark.orgN2LFA

The Response Triangle

• A response to an incident requires three elements:– Management (ICS, NIMS, NRF)– Communications (Voice, Data, Image)– Resources (Personnel, Materiel)

• Like the Fire Triangle (fuel, heat and oxygen), remove any one of these and the response fails.

• Situational awareness must be communicated to management and command and control must be communicated to resources.

Incident Action Plans

• An Incident Action Plan has these elements:– What do we want to do? (MBOs)– Who is responsible for doing it? (Resources)– How do we communicate with each other?

(Communication Plan)– What is the procedure if someone is injured?

(Safety Plan)

How Important is Communication?

• Healthcare

• Military

• Search and Rescue

• Emergency Response (9/11)

• Personal Experience

Military Doctrine

• An old adage states that without communications a commander commands nothing. -- Marine Corps Electronic Warfare--A Combat Power Multiplier AUTHOR Major Stephen C. Robb, USMC

• Command and Control functions are useless without communications.

Mount Hood

• On December 7th, 2006 three climbers ascended Mt. Hood. On December 20th the search ended with one body recovered and two others still missing. (Holding Fast: The Untold Story of the Mount Hood Tragedy)

• On February 20th, 2007 three climbers fell while ascending the same mountain. 20 hours later they were rescued.

• The second group carried a Mountain Locator Unit radio beacon.

September 11th

• The Association of Public Safety Communications Officers began the P25 Radio Project in 1989 after a disastrous fire claimed the lives of first responders whose radios were incompatible.

• On September 11th, 343 Firefighters and Paramedics died in the collapse of the twin towers not because their radios were incompatible but because they were trying to share 6 radio channels.

• Interoperability is useless without capacity. Communications failed when needed most.

Personal Experience

• On Memorial Day, 2005, my son and I were trapped in the Genesee River gorge after a kayaking mishap. We faced a night of 50 degree temperatures in soaking wet clothing and possible hypothermia.

• We were rescued because we able to communicate with people on the gorge rim 600 feet up and ½ mile away via rescue whistles, an LED keychain light and a snack wrapper.

Criticality of Communications

• The ability to receive status information needed to understand and control events and to exert command and control over resources depends upon reliable and effective communications.

• Trained responders know how to create the structure to respond.

• Resources are seldom the problem.• Utilization of resources requires 2-way

communications.• Life or Death may hinge on the ability to

communicate with needed resources.

Being Prepared to Communicate

• Two types of Emergency Communications– “I’m here, rescue me!“– “Here is the information needed for the response.”

• Sullenberger (15:29:28): We're gonna be in the Hudson.

I’m here, rescue me!

• “...chance favors only the prepared mind.” -- Louis Pasteur

• Chance favors only the prepared and equipped.™* Equipped to Survive Website http://www.equipped.org/signal.htm

Rescue Me! Choices

• Autonomous, long term devices: ELTs (Electronic Locating Transmitters), EPIRBs (Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacons), strobe lights, radar reflectors and fixed ground signals.

• Manually operated, long term devices: signal mirrors, flashlights, lasers, whistles, flags and signal fires.

• Short duration devices: handheld flares, aerial flares and smoke signals. Sea marker dye and light sticks don't fit neatly into any of these groups, but are important signaling options, depending upon circumstances.

• Radio devices: Satellite phones, Handheld Comm Radios, cell phones

Information Communications

• If you want to communicate more than “I’m here, rescue me!” then you need a communication system that can carry more information.

• Radio is a key communications system for use in incident response and is invaluable in enabling the transmission of situational information up the chain of command and relaying command and control information down the chain of command.

Types of Radio Services

• Citizens Band

• Land Mobile Radio Service

• Family Radio Service

• General Mobile Radio Service

• Multi-Use Radio Service

• Medical Emergency Radio Service

• Amateur Radio Service

Amateur Radio Service

• The amateur and amateur-satellite services are for qualified persons of any age who are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest. These services present an opportunity for self-training, intercommunication, and technical investigations.

• FCC website

Amateur Radio and Katrina

The Call for Preparation

Incident communications are facilitated through:• The development and use of a common

communications plan.• The interoperability of communications

equipment, procedures and systems.• Before an incident, it is critical to develop an

integrated voice and data communications system (equipment, systems and protocols)

ICS-100 Course Material

Guiding Principles

• Effective – Rapid, Accurate Communications• Simple – Easy to Operate• Portable – Geographic Independence• Survivable – Distributed, Redundant, Hardened

Components• Infrastructure Independence – no Commercially

Dependent Components. Amateur radio is Infrastructure Independent and provides Independent Infrastructure.

• Self-Sufficient – Documented, User Maintainable

What is a Communications Emergency?

• A communications emergency exists when damage to a critical communication system puts the public at risk.

• Caused by failure of key components or system overload.

Definition & Goal ofEmergency Communications

• Emergency Communications is the transmission and delivery of messages in support of activities to prevent or minimize loss of life or damage to property and/or the environment caused by human actions or natural phenomena.

• The goal of Emergency Communications is to deliver messages quickly and accurately.

EmComm Tasks

• All Messaging in Support of a Response

• Collecting/Transmitting Damage Reports

• Passing Health/Welfare Information

• Shadowing an Official

• Liaison Communications

• Fixed Location Communications

• Mobile Communications

Phases Of EmComm

• Rapid Response Team

• Resource/Logistics Net

• Operations and Other Nets

• Shut Down

• After Action Review

Planning The EmComm Network

• Message Characteristics

• Types of Messages

• Message Volume by Type

• Channel Characteristics

• Number and Types of Channels

• Number and Type of Devices

• Buffers (Store & Forward Systems)

Message Characteristics

• Originating Media – Voice, Written Material, Electronic• Source & Destination Locations – 1:1, 1:N, N:M• Fixed vs. Mobile• Precision – Minimal vs. Character Level• Length – Short vs. Long• Content – Sensitive, Secret, HWI, PHI• Complexity – Simple vs. Complex• Time Value – Critical vs. Non-critical• Priority – Emergency, Priority, Routine, Test• Need for Secure Communications Channel• Need for Break In Capability

Types of Messages

• Maps / Diagrams / Photos• Long Lists of Names / Supplies• Short Status Reports• Detailed Instructions / Directions• Tactical / Operational Messages• Served Agency Manpower Requests• Welfare Inquiries• Medical Information• Causality List• Materiel Request• Shelter Resident Lists

Message Volume by Type

• How many messages of each type will enter the network?

• Where will the messages originate?

• Where will the messages terminate?

Channel CharacteristicsChannel Length Content Complexity Time Value Priority Recording

Land Line Short / Med. Sensitive Low Critical Routine CDR / Voice

Cellular / WiFi

Voice

Short / Med. Sensitive Low Critical Routine CDR

PTT Cellular Short / Med. Sensitive Low Critical Emergency CDR

Fax Long Secret / Graphics High Critical Routine Print Out

Two Way Radio Short / Med. Non-Sensitive Low Critical Emergency Voice

Trunked Radio Short Non-Sensitive Low Critical Emergency Voice

Packet Radio Long Non-Sensitive High Critical Emergency Text

Store & Forward

Voice / BBS

Short / Med. Secret Low Non Critical Routine Voice

Television Long Non-Sensitive Low Critical Emergency Video

Satellite Short / Med. Non-Sensitive Low Critical Routine CDR

Internet Web Meeting / IM

Long Non-Sensitive High Critical Routine Text

WiFi / EV-DO

Data

Long Non-Sensitive High Critical Routine Text

Email Long Secret / Graphics High Non-Critical Routine Text / Graphics

Channel CharacteristicsChannel Infrastructure Power Set Up Break In Destination Precision

Land Line Central Switch Central Slow No 1:1 Low

Cellular / WiFi Voice

RF / w Central Switch

Battery Slower No 1:1 Low

PTT Cellular RF / w Central Switch

Battery None Yes 1:M Low

Fax Central Switch 120 VAC Slowest No 1:1 High

Two Way Radio RF Battery None Yes 1:N Low

Trunked Radio RF w / Central Switch

Battery None Yes 1:N Low

Packet Radio RF Battery None Yes 1:N High

Store & Forward

Voice / BBS

Central Switch 120 VAC Slow No 1:1 Low

Television RF 120 VAC One Time Yes 1:N Low

Satellite RF Battery Slowest No 1:N Low

Internet Web Meeting / IM

Central Switch 120 VAC One Time Yes 1:N High

WiFi / EV-DO

Data

RF / w Central Switch

Battery One Time Yes 1:N High

Email Central 120 VAC One Time No 1:N High

Number and Type of Channels

• How many channels are needed to support each message type?

• Where do the channels connect?– Incident Command Post / EOC– Staging Area– Base– Camp– Helibase / Helispot

Number and Type of Devices

• What kind of devices are needed to establish each channel’s infrastructure?

• What type of devices will communicators need to use these channels?

• How many users/devices can each channel support effectively?

Buffers (Store & Forward Systems)

• What happens if the sender and receiver are not available at the same time?

• What happens if the channel is busy?• Will message buffer devices be needed?• Where will reference materials be stored?• Examples of Buffers

– Voice Mailboxes– Electronic Mailboxes– Bulletin Board Systems / Sharepoint Websites– Human Message Handlers (NTS)

Building the EmComm Network

• Infrastructure Build Out– PDIOO = Plan, Design, Implement, Operate,

Optimize (Iterative)

• Inter-Agency Memoranda of Understanding

• Organization (Hierarchy, Job Roles)

• Staffing

• Training (Continuous)

EmComm Policies & Procedures

• Training / Certification• Testing / Drills• Network Procedures

– Directed Nets– Communication Standards (Formats, Prosigns, Speak

back, etc.)– Common Language (No Buzz Words)– Common Alphabet (ITU Phonetics)– Network Hierarchy / Meeting Cycles

• Policy regarding sensitive information (e.g. PHI)