Messaging – Being the cloud

Part 1 – Flow, tracking and logging

Agenda

• Announcements
• What coming up
• Messaging Part 1

ANNOUNCEMENT

Any

Training and Events

• Porky Work Parties
• ??
• Training
• Tonight – Messaging Part 1 – being the cloud
• June – Messaging Part 2 – format and protocol
• July – Shadowing
• Aug – Porky Training – Date to be scheduled.
• Exercises
• Exercise in July-Aug, need shadow volunteers

Messaging – Being the cloud

Part 1 – Flow, tracking and logging

Flow of a Message

Field

EOC/Office

Our Function is Copy and Log

Classes of Messages

• Common Classes of Messages
• Directed Message – From -> To
• From a specific person or team
• To a specific person or team
• Broadcast Messages – Goes to everybody
• General information everyone need to know

​

• Less common but important
• Indirect message – From -> ?
• Sender does not know who the receiver should be
• We will need to direct the message

Key Assumptions of the Cloud

• Though the Cloud has no knowledge of is surrounding, We act as if:
• Organization Awareness – DEM, Boeing EOC, ESCA EOC …
• Function Awareness – Phones are preprogram for the Emergency Support Function within DEM
• It is reliable
• All modes of communication are available
• Copying, logging and routing are build in.

AND THEN THE BIG ONE HITS

What happens when the cloud fails

The cloud after the big one

Field

EOC/Office

?

How do we do this?

Defined Responsibilities

Functional Alignment

Divide and conquer

Defined Responsibilities

• Each Command Post (or Base) has a designated area of authority.
• SnoDEM – is responsible for the county,
• Monroe EOC is responsible for Monroe
• Firebase 1 is responsible for the north fire
• Firebase 2 is responsible for the south fire
• Specific Frequencies are used for specific things
• Mt. Pilchuck Repeater    is used for resources net
• Fire Trail Hill Repeater    is used for command net
• Clearview Repeater is used for Tactical

Functional Alignment�Emergency Support Functions

• ESF 1 – Transportation
• ESF 2 – Communications
• ESF 3 – Public Works and Engineering
• ESF 4 – Fire Fighting
• ESF 5 – Information Analysis and Planning
• ESF 6 – Mass Care, Housing and Human Services
• ESF 7 – Resource Support
• ESF 8 – Public Health and Medical

• ESF 9 – Search and Rescue
• ESF 10 – Hazardous Material Response
• ESF 11 - AG & Natural Resources/ Food and Water
• ESF 12 – Energy
• ESF 13 – Public Safety, Law Enforcement and Security
• ESF 14 – Long Term Recovery, Damage Assessment, Mitigation
• ESF 15 – Public Affairs

6m

2m

FRS

800MHz

How are we going to do all that?

Time for a drill

Our Scenario

• A major disaster has occurred effecting most of WWa. Sno RACES is fully active. The Communication Officer has requested teams of two (2) to be deployed to forward bases to support communication.
• You and your partner’s assignment is to one of the forwarded bases (Base 6) providing support for tactical team, base to base, and base to EOC communications. At these location there is no WebEOC.
• The location you have been deployed to will support tactical group Fire12, Fire 14, Fire 18, SAR11, SAR21, and Air 6. The groups are further divided into 3 teams of 5 that are deployed to the field, designated A,B, and C. Because of location you are able to communicate with all teams, but communications between teams are limited, and you will be asked to relay messages.
• The Base Commander has three ESF teams for Fire, Search and Rescue and Resource Support that you will also be supporting
• In addition to communications you are asked to monitor two emergency channels and report any civilian emergency communications.
• Upon arrival at the base camp, after checking in, you find that there are two(2) radio stations, one with three (3) radio, for communications between the base and the tactical team and one (1) to communicate with Air 6. The second has four (4) radios, one for base to base and base to EOC and three (3) set up to monitor emergency channels

Your Assignment

• Divide up into teams of two (2), and decide who will be handling which station.
• The packet in front of you, you will find Envelopes labeled for the ESF functions and Other, Paper for logging, and the messages you will process.
• Your task is for you and your partner to process and log the messages, and decide which envelope to put the messages in.
• This is a discovery process, how and what you log is up to you. It’s ok to make mistakes, this is how we learn
• You have 10 minutes.
• Questions?

BEGIN

Exercise

How did we do?

Looking out our logs

Radio Map

• How many made a radio map?
• Radio maps identifies what each radio is for.
• Location
• Frequency
• Type
• …

​

Example Radio Map

Contact map

• How many built a Contact Map?
• You use a contact map, when a single radio or contact represents more than one person or group.
• Contact maps need to be routinely updated

​

Example Radio Contact Map�Station___________ Operator _______________ Date: ___________

Example Radio Contact Map �Station___________ Operator _______________ Date: ___________

The Log

• What should be in the message log?
• From
• To
• Subject**
• Needs Reply*
• Relay*
• Assigned To*
• Date
• Date time of the message, date when received
• Time
• Time of the message and the time received
• Number of pieces*
• Destination**
• Priority**
• Sender*

Messages from Tactical Team

• Where did you route the messages for the tactical teams?
• Fire Teams - normally go to ESF 4
• SAR teams – normally go to ESF 9
• Resources – normally go to ESF 7

Relay Messages

• How did you handle the message from Air 6 to Fire14 B?
• This is a message you need to relay. In our scenario, the operator that received the message would need to relay. If Air 6 was on a another station, you would need to get the message to the other station.
• You should also notify ESF 4, noting that the message was relayed

Emergency Messages

• How did you handle the message from Fire12 C and Fire 18 B?
• If this was real:
• For Fire12 C – find out if they need assistance, then route to ESF 4
• For Fire18 B – Route to ESF 4

Monitoring Emergency Traffic

• How do you handle emergency traffic?
• Stay calm
• Get the required information
• Who, What, Where, When and Severity
• Route the traffic to the appropriate support team for response. (for our scenarios is was … SAR -> ESF 9)
• If possible move the communication to another frequency, with direct contact. If not, stay in touch until help arrives.

Messages in envelopes

• ESF 4 – 7
• ESF 7 – 2
• ESF 9 – 3
• Other – 1
• How did your team do?

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUR TEAM DID?

Group Comments