Preparing for “Black Sky” Events

1. Preparing for “Black Sky” Events January 30, 2018 Webcast

2. What is Black Sky? • An electrical outage with cascading impacts to communications, water, waste water, etc., affecting 90% of the population and lasting more than 21 days.  It may be caused by natural forces (think about the fact that Puerto Rico still hasn’t restored all power nearly four months after  hurricane Maria) or man-made (think of a widespread cyber-attack or an EMP or nuclear explosion).

3. Man-Made Events • Cyber Attack • Targeted (specific entity/state/utility) • Nuclear/EMP Blast • Primary Damage • Secondary Damage • Terrorism/Sabotage

4. Natural Causes/Disasters • Sunspots • Repeat of the 1859 Carrington Event • Storms • Ice • Electrical • Flood

5. Black Sky Workgroup • Mission: To gather industry resources to help Alliance member companies begin to prepare for widespread power outage events. To coordinate participation and response to ongoing State of Iowa, Homeland Security and IUB discussions. • Members: • Frank Bulk, Premier Communications • Micah Cope and Burnie Snoddy, BKD • Chris Hopp, Alpine Communications • Kevin Hranicka, Van Buren Telephone • Roger Kregel, Dumont Telephone • Vicky McKim, Aureon • Jerry Melick, Liberty Communications • Brian Trader, Huntel Engineering • Bill VanderSluis, Olson-Thielen

6. Iowa Homeland Security Exercises/Meetings Overview • Participants – Critical Service Providers • Utilities, transportation, fuel, communications, food, health, banking, and more. • Exercises • Table top and simulation - IHSEM (SafeGuard Iowa) • Discussions • Ongoing nature of preparations at state level • Intent to broaden participation

7. Iowa Homeland Security Lessons Learned • Critical Infrastructure (CI) recovery coordination at county and state level paramount • Communications is not top of the CI priority list • Anticipated mortality rates for long term outage – 90% • Resource capability is critical to preparation • Detailed damage assessment, aggregation and reporting plan • Bio support – employees/their families • Fuel acquisition plan • Transportation

8. Are You Ready? • Stress conditions will outlive all backup plans that LECs currently have in place • Preparedness • Equipment protection that includes EMP impacts • Long term resource/fuel solutions and protection plans • Coordination with County Emergency Managers & Coordinators, establishing priorities and action plans • Staffing Considerations (and family) • Standing orders • Bio Support

9. Emergency Management Discussions • Each county in Iowa has a designated coordinator for Homeland Security and Emergency Management • http://www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/documents/county/COORD_Public_List.pdf • http://www.homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/county_EM/county_EM_overview.html

10. Talking Points for County Coordinators • Begin by providing overview and recap Black Sky Scenario • Service Provider Data & Needs • Identify the different providers and service areas for the county • Identify and explain the communications services affected by the equipment and locations above • Identify what areas will not receive what services after how long of a power outage • Identify where equipment resides and what we need in order to keep them operational or return to service • Provide a detailed telco inventory -- equipment locations and requirements including power consumption and fuel needs

11. Talking Points -- County/Government Data & Needs • Ask about a list of county assets that is available and can be used • Ask what kind of generator and generator-related fuel they have access to and what they expect to use them for • Ask what kind of priority the telco might receive for generator-related fuel and service repair • Ask about what discussions they are having at the state/federal level

12. Talking Points -- County/Government Data & Needs • Ask what the county expects/assumes their telephone/communications service provider will provide • Agree on a list of prioritized locations for power and communications services

13. General Discussions with Emergency Coordinators • Discuss security concerns • Discuss different scenarios depending on the season and weather • Discuss any and all gaps between expectation and reality • Identify any known and available expected media or communications mechanisms to be used for news and alerts • Offer to provide contact information and/or organize a meeting of the ITC's within this county and/or a regional meeting with the surrounding county coordinators and service providers • Other next steps or follow-up

14. Alliance Resources • Resource List • Participation at Homeland Security • Information Clearinghouse • Webcasts and Other educational events

15. Next Steps/Webcast • Specific company steps to prepare • Standing Orders to employees • Identify alternate power sources • Continued work with county emergency management personnel • Employee Assistance – how to help employees and their families cope with catastrophic emergencies so they can be productive in service restoration effort • Creating a standard of expectations that that emergency safety personnel can safely assume that our ITCs can (and cannot) provide during an extended outage

16. Next Steps • We all need to start thinking and planning • Additional resources and template procedures – what do members want?