Emergency Communication: Making the Initial Statement to the Media

1. 5 - m i n u t e S t r a t e g i c T r a i n i n g f o r E m e r g e n c y P r e p a r e d n e s s Incident Command System & Public Health S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. Training Emergency Communication: Making the Initial Statement to the Media

2. MAIN MENU Goal and Learning Objectives 5-Minute Training: S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. Course Assessment Questions

3. QUESTIONS If you have any questions or comments, please contact: Randall L. Hecht, CEM Sean G. Kaufman, MPH, CHES 404.639.3489 404.727.2729 rhecht@cdc.govsgkaufm@sph.emory.edu

4. GOAL AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES Goal: The goal of the training is to provide public health professionals with information addressing 7 key aspects of the Incident Command System (ICS). Learning Objectives: 1. List the seven components of the ICS S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. training. 2. Utilize training information to develop public health emergency response plans that include the basic ICS S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. components.

5. PREPAREDNESS TRAINING Incident Command System and Public Health: S.Y.S.T.E.M.S. Training Randall L. Hecht, CEM Safety Engineer Office of Health and Safety Office of the Director Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sean G. Kaufman, MPH, CHES Director of Programs Center for Public Health Preparedness and Research Rollins School of Public Health Emory University

6. Introduction Public health professionals have been responding to emergencies for decades, never relying on ICS to manage or integrate resources for outside organizations. After September 11, a new level of awareness was born. This awareness lead to the identification of threats that will affect multiple levels within a community. Public health has enormous role in emergency response, however so do many other organizations. ICS is the model used to integrate these organizations and efforts to serve communities who are experiencing the effects of an emergency situation. The ICS SYSTEMS training has been developed to assist public health professionals with identifying their roles within the ICS model. It is important with the threats we face today that multiple agencies work together to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the impact of emergency situations.

7. (S) Y S T E M S : Span of Control During an emergency, there is lots of pressure and several activities needing immediate attention. In order to manage staff at an optimal level, there should be limits for the number of staff being managed (5-7) per team. To limit the amount of information and activities that leaders have to manage, the following example demonstrates an effective span of control – spreading management responsibilities to several leaders across multiple disciplines. Incident Commander Section Chiefs Responders

8. S (Y) S T E M S : Your Role • You wouldn’t want a fire fighter to manage an epidemiologic response and a we wouldn’t want a laboratorian telling the fire fighter how to fight a fire. Know your role within the field of public health and be ready to communicate why you need to be involved and what you contribute to minimize the effects of the situation on people. • It will be greatly appreciated by the incident leadership if you: • - Communicate how your involvement benefits response efforts. • - Communicate what you are doing and what you need to do it. • - Communicate what you can do to help mitigate the situation. • For example, an epidemiologist can provide valuable information on whether or not actions taken to mitigate a situation are working.

9. S Y (S T) E M S : Strategic vs. Tactical Response During an emergency, there should one leader and several managers. The leader is concerned with strategic planning and the managers are concerned with tactical response. In other words, the Incident Commander (leader) is interested in activities that will return a community to a level of normalcy as quick as possible. The Section Chiefs (managers) are interested in activities that mitigate (minimize) the effects of an emergency on a community. Responders (team members) do the work. STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP (INCIDENT COMMANDER) ESTABLISHES PRIORITIES AND STATES WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. TACTICAL LEADERSHIP (SECTION CHIEFS) CARRIES IT OUT AND PROVIDES CONTINUED RECOMMENDATIONS AND UPDATES TO THE INCIDENT COMMANDER.

10. S Y (S T) E M S : Strategic vs. Tactical STRATEGIC Incident Commander Incident Command Post TACTICAL Section Chiefs and Responders Community Event

11. S Y S T(E) M S : Emergency Definition Public Health and traditional First Responders (fire, EMS, Police, Emergency Departments) have different definitions for emergencies. A fire may be an emergency, however unless it is widespread and continues to pose a serious threat to the health of the public, it may not be defined as an emergency for public health. While there are different types of emergencies, for communities, states, and nations an emergency is something that occurs suddenly and usually without notice causing injury, death, destruction, cessation of normal activity, or any combination. AN EMERGENCY IS AN EVENT THAT OCCURS UNEXPECTEDLY, PUTTING A GREAT STRAIN ON CURRENT LIFE-SAVING AND LIFE-SUSTAINING CAPACITIES WITHIN A COMMUNITY.

12. S Y S TE (M) S : Members of Sections Click on the section titles for a short description. Section Chiefs Operations Planning Logistics Finance General Staff Responders

13. S Y S TE (M) S : Members of Sections- Operations The Operations Section is responsible for the responders who are involved in tactical operations. For example, firefighters fighting the fire, EMS responding to an emergency, the triage, treating, and transport of survivors, security around the site, investigation, traffic control and other tactical operations as needed. Public Health activities would include: surveillance, risk assessments, educational assessment, rapid needs assessment, data gathering, health education programs, risk communication, mental health issues, and prophylactic treatment programs. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO REPORT THE SITUATION AND IMPLEMENT THE ACTIVITIES! Operations Responders

14. S Y S TE (M) S : Members of Sections- Planning The Planning Section is responsible for gathering information, analyzing the information, and developing a plan (incident action plan) that would be implemented by the responders. Public Health activities would include: epidemiologic analysis; results of risk, needs, and educational assessments; discussions of immediate community, education, and mental needs; planning for necessary resources to accomplish short-term activities and increased capacity for sustainability of long-term activities. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO STATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE! Planning Responders

15. S Y S TE (M) S : Members of Sections- Logistics The Logistics Section is responsible for gathering and managing supplies, personnel, equipment, and building space needed during an emergency response. Public Health activities would include: identifying specific requirements and needs to accomplish activities that were discovered by the public health representatives in the Operations Section and to accomplished the activities identified by public health leaders in the Planning Section. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO GET YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO DO THE JOB! Logistics Responders

16. S Y S TE (M) S : Members of Sections- Finance The Finance Section is responsible for contracting, accounts receivable and payable, and are also responsible for administrative activities (i.e., report writing, personnel issues). Public Health activities would include: identifying the cost of materials, supplies, personnel, transportation, housing, and expenses needed to accomplish public health activities identified by public health leaders in the Planning Section. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PAY FOR IT! Finance Responders

17. S Y S TE (M) S : Members of Sections- General Staff The General Staff consists of the safety office, public affairs specialist, and liaison officers from outside organizations. This group is responsible for the health, safety, and security of the response force and emergency site; the distribution of public information and management of political affairs; the administration of outside agency resources and integration of those resources into the response. Public Health activities would include: providing public health expertise to each of these staff members, ensuring public health concerns are addressed across public, political, and organization levels. General Staff Responders

18. S Y S TE M (S) : Stages of an Emergency Preparedness Activities that include the planning, training, educating, and exercising of the entire response force (traditional first responders, public health, and the general public) for potential emergencies. Response Activities that occur during an emergency that save lives, reduce damage, and minimize the impact of an emergency on the community. Recovery Activities that occur after an emergency that bring the community back to a sense of normalcy or back to the pre-emergency state (economically, socially, and structurally). Mitigation Activities that include taking lessons learned during the emergency and making the community more resistant and resilient for potential emergencies.

19. SUMMARY The seven components of ICS SYSTEMS training are: (S) Span of Control: How many you can manage in an emergency. (Y) Your Role: Know your role in an emergency. (S) Strategic: Activities that return a community to a level of normalcy. (T) Tactical: Activities that minimize an emergency on a community. (E) Emergency: Know when capacities have been exceeded. (M) Members: Know the members for the 5 key sections. (S) Stages: Know the four stages of an emergency. Course Assessment

20. COURSE ASSESSMENT After submitting the course assessment, we will send an email with a receipt listing the participant’s score. If you have any questions, please contact Sean Kaufman at 404.727.2729 or sgkaufm@sph.emory.edu Thank you! Course Assessment