Public Information & Communications PS-FREL 19

1. Public Information & Communications PS-FREL 19 Students will discuss various strategies and methods for dissemination of routine and emergency communications to the public. Communications technologies will be explore for rapid information and warning dissemination. • PS-FREL19. Students will identify technologies for emergency warning to the public. • A. Explain the Joint Information Center with regard to gathering, validating, and publishing public information. • B. Develop a sample program for informing the public of selected topics. • C. Categorize topics in emergency preparedness and develop strategies for dissemination of the information.

2. What is a “warning system?” • A means of getting information about an impending emergency, communicating that information to those who need it, and facilitating good decisions and timely response by people in danger. • Goal is to alert and notify organizations and the public of a potential disaster.

3. Barriers to consider: • Geographic Barriers—some neighborhoods are out of range • Language Barriers—written or spoken in language not understood by all • Technical Barriers—all may not have: tv, radio, computer, cell phone • Personal Barriers—unlisted phone numbers or not on the registry

4. EAS--Emergency Alert System • established by Federal Communication Center (FCC) • Includes local cable systems, over 13,000 individual radio and tv broadcasters

5. EBS—Emergency Broadcast System • Replaced EAS in November 1994 • Digital storage and retrieval of messages • Weekly tests • Interface with computers

6. EMWIN—Emergency Managers Weather Information Network • Low cost method for receiving National Weather Service’s information on a wireless data system • Presents information directly on your home or office computer using user-friendly graphic display

7. CAN—Community Alert NetworkDCC-Dialogic Communications Corporation • Commercial enterprises that have mass dialing capacity • Capacity to relay emergency information to the public in just a brief time

8. CAN—Community Alert Network • Provides computer driven telephone warning and personnel recall service for use by emergency management professionals • Targets and notifies only people who need to be called with specific information of how to respond to the emergency

9. ALERT—Automated Local Evaluation in Real Time • Uses remote sensors in the field to transmit environmental data to a central computer in real time.

10. Categories for Topics in Emergency Preparedness • Severe weather (tornados, floods, etc) • Criminal activity (escapees, serial offenders, child abductions) • Public health (disease, virus, etc) • Missing persons (children, elderly, etc) • Fires, chemical incidents, etc.

11. Methods of Disseminating Warnings • TV & Radio Announcements • Home, Cell, Work Phone Calls • Computer Social Network Sites • Indoor Public Address Systems • Outdoor Public Alert Systems • Fax & Text Messages • Highway and Other Outdoor Signs

12. Partner Activity • Select one of the categories in the topics of disaster preparedness • Create a detailed scenario • Develop a strategy to alert and inform the affected public about your scenario • Document and explain the details of your strategy • Keep in mind potential barriers

13. Group Activity • You will present your scenario and alert system strategies to the class • You are to prepare a visual aid (ppt, poster, flyer, video) for your presentation • You may use classroom computers to conduct any additional needed research