Local Emergency Communcations Response Plans

Defining Local Needs

The challenges faced by each emergency communication group will be different. Some will face a low probability of a communication emergency, others will know with certainty that one or more large-scale disasters will occur each decade, depending on the location and size of their jurisdiction. In addition to frequency, the size and impact of potential disasters will vary widely. The first task of any emergency communication manager is to identify all potential disasters, the likelihood of each occurring in your area, and the probable impact on the communication needs of served agencies.

The first step in solving any problem is to clearly define it.

1. Write down a list of all the possible disasters that could occur in your area, and then assign each a level of probability. If you don't have the skills or information to estimate probability, your local, regional or state emergency manager may already have this information in some form. Otherwise, make your best guess based on history and other known factors.
2. Think about how each of these disasters would impact the community and its communication infrastructure. Here are some examples of issues to consider: In a hurricane, all systems would suffer damage and overload at some level over a fairly wide area. A tornado would cause damage in a relatively small area. A telephone PBX system failure at the county hospital would have implications both within the hospital and for the community as a whole. Some communication system failures will result from call volume overload, and others from physical damage to the infrastructure, or both. Recovery time from overload is fairly quick-repair to physical damage may take days or weeks.
3. Evaluate the resources your community already has to meet a communication emergency. Do local and state governments, and VOAD agencies already have backup communication plans and resources in place? Are they adequate?