Public Information and Emergency Preparedness

1. Public Information and Emergency Preparedness

2. Objectives • Public information and potential uses of public information • Potential emergency public information situations for healthcare • Working definitions for public information • Communication methods and messaging • Information sharing • Public Information Systems in emergency preparedness • PIO/JIC/JIS/NIMS/ICS • Emergency management and public information during crises and emergencies • Establishing pre-crisis partnerships • Communication Essentials for effective public information • Media inquires and press briefings • Public education campaigns

3. Preparedness • Preparedness is essential for an effective response to an incident or planned event. • Public Information efforts should begin well in advance of an incident/event and may involve a combination of planning, resource gathering, organizing, training and exercising. • Public Information preparedness includes developing and maintaining and procedures, checklists, contact lists, and public information materials.

4. Public Information Planning and Preparedness • Contact Lists—review and update all contact lists (internal and external) every 6 months • Include basic information with a 24/7/365 contact • Go Kits—It is important for ICS Team to have tools and resources available for utilization during an incident. • Prior to an incident, establish agreements with organizations that can assist with operations. • Establish relationships PRIOR to any incident/event

5. What is Public Information? • Public Information planning allows for lifesaving measures such as evacuation routes, alert systems, and other public safety information, to be coordinated and communicated to diverse populations in a timely and consistent manner. .

6. Incident Command System • Widely applicable management system designed to enable effective and efficient incident management by integrating facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure.

7. Role of Public Information (PIO) (Part of ICS) • Gathers, verifies, coordinates, and disseminates accurate, accessible and timely information on the incident’s cause, size, and current situation • Develop material for use in media briefings (all information must be cleared by IC prior to release) • Maintain an Activity Log (ICS 214) • Manage media and public inquiries • Coordinate emergency public information and warnings • Monitor media reporting for accuracy

8. National Incident Management System • Provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide agencies at all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life and property and harm to the environment.

9. JIS (Joint Information System)“The System” • Integrates incident information and public affairs into a cohesive organization designed to provide consistent, coordinated, accurate, accessible, timely and complete information during crises. • The mission of JIS is to provide a structure and system for: • Developing and delivering coordinated interagency messages • Developing, recommending, and executing public information plans and strategies on behalf of the IC • Advising the IC concerning public affairs issues that could affect a response effort • Controlling rumors and inaccurate information that could undermine public confidence in the incident response effort

10. JIS (Joint Information System)“The System” • The JIS includes the plans, protocols, procedures and structures used to provide information to: • General public • Disaster victims • Affected jurisdictions • Elected officials • Community leaders • Private sector • Media • NGOs/VOADs/CERT • Response agencies

11. JIC (Joint Information Center)“Physical Structure” • Coordination of public information for incidents that involve multiple agencies and/or jurisdictions • Central location that facilitates operations of the JIS • Location where personnel with public information responsibilities perform critical emergency information functions and crisis communications • JIC location should be identified before incident and located close to the EOC • Allow easy access for the media • PIO should develop SOPs on the actual use of the JIC and the equipment and staff that may be needed

12. JIC (Joint Information Center)“Physical Structure” • JICs are established at the direction of the IC/UC at various levels of government • Pre-Determined or incident specific sites • Components of Federal, State, or local MACS • JICs may be staffed by representatives from all agencies and jurisdictions involved in the response and recovery operation • For a pandemic incident where PIOs at different locations communicate and coordinate public information electronically, it may be appropriate to establish a virtual JIC • A virtual JIC connects PIOs through email, cell, landline phones, faxes, video teleconferencing, web-based information systems, etc.

13. Public Education/Information Awareness • Make patients/community aware of risks and how they can prepare for all hazards in advance • Conduct educational activities –safety fairs, informational packets, plans/resources (targeted to your population) • Public Information/Education Campaigns • Severe Weather Awareness (Hurricane/Tornado) • Pandemic/H1N1 Preparedness • Personal Preparedness/Family Emergency Plan • Special Needs Population Awareness

14. Public Information and the Media • Media Relations • Establish a media contact • Keep media aware of all preparedness campaigns • Invite local media to exercise • Positive media relationships built during normal day-to-day activities will be valuable during an emergency

15. At Risk Populations • The Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) defines the term “at risk individuals” as children, pregnant women, senior citizens and other individuals who have special needs in the event of a public health emergency, as determined by HHS. • HHS Adopted Definition: Before, during and after an incident, at risk individuals are those who may have additional needs in one or more of the following functional areas (CMIST): • Communication • Medical Needs • Interdependence • Supervision • Transportation

16. At Risk Populations • In addition to those individuals specifically recognized as at risk in PAHPA, individuals who may need additional response assistance should include those who: • Have disabilities • Live in institutionalized settings • Are from diverse populations • Have limited English proficiency or are non-English speaking • Are transportation disadvantaged • Have chronic medical disorders • Have pharmacological dependency

17. At Risk Populations • Additional considerations for ‘At Risk Populations’ • PIOs should be able to gather, verify, prepare, coordinate, and disseminate information to all audiences including the most vulnerable • In simple terms, at risk populations are those who, in addition to their incident related medical needs, have other needs that may interfere with their ability to access or receive medical care.

18. Public Information:Communications Equipment and Resources • During an incident, communication is critical to effectively help community through the incident • Interoperable & redundant communication systems • Hardware • Compatible with other agencies • Cell/Landline/Radios/Sat Phones/GETS/WPS • Systems • Who to contact • Emergency Contacts (3 deep COOP emergency contact list, (24/7/365)

19. 4 Steps for Informing Community • Step 1: Gather Information • Information is collected form the ICS Command and General Staff which are a source of ongoing, official information on the response effort and other sources such as: • Response agencies, media, public, elected officials, technical specialists • Step 2: Verify Information • Verify the accuracy of the information collected by consulting with: • Local Health Departments/LINCS • OEM/EOC/MCC/HCC/NJPCA • Ensuring that information is consistent and accurate

20. 4 Steps for Informing Community • Step 3: Coordination of Information (internal) • Coordination includes but is not limited to: ICS Command and General Staff • Step 4: Dissemination of Information (external) • Information should be disseminated to: • Community • Patients • Local response partners (LHD/OEM/LINCS) • State/Federal partners • Staff (family members)

21. Public Information: Messaging • Initial information should include: • Actions the public should take • Impact of the incident • Actions the response agencies are taking • Actions businesses and industries should take • Summary of the incident • Overall steps to be taken by the government and by citizens to return to normal after the incident

22. Methods of Dissemination • News releases • Social Media (Blogs/Twitter ) • Mass emails and faxes • Text messages • Web site posting • EAS • Public Service Announcements • Amateur Radio • Closed Circuit Cable • Reverse 911 • Reader Boards • Loud Speakers • Door-to-Door • Fliers/Factsheets • Briefings • Community Meetings • Hotlines

23. People will find their own solution unless directed to do otherwise.

24. Public Information Exercises • Exercises (planning, participation, evaluation) • Opportunities to test public information capabilities • validate policies, plans, procedures, and people • improve interagency coordination/communication • highlight gaps • identify opportunities for improvement

25. The Aftermath • To help determine the effectiveness of communication during an incident, PIOs should closely monitor media reports and assess public inquires to determine if information is received and understood by its intended audiences. • PIOs should draft an After Action Report (AAR) to determine the effectiveness of communications. • AARs contain the following components: • Executive Summary • Incident Overview • Analysis of Capabilities • Major Strengths • Areas for Improvement • Lessons Learned