EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION
What’s Best for Your Organization?
Suzanne Bernier, CBCP
Emergency Mgmt Program Coordinator Workplace Safety & Insurance Board [email protected]
Doug Sievers, CBCP Manager of Business Continuity Kroll Ontrack, Inc.
Session Objectives
• Emergency notification methods and tools
– Why you need them – What’s out there (tools of the trade) – Good old-fashioned call trees
– Criteria when looking at emergency communication systems – Strengths and weaknesses in communication devices
• Testing and Training
– Why?
– What do you need to confirm/verify? – Sample script for Notification Exercise
• Summary/Wrap-Up
The need for reliable notification
methods
• While we have one of the world’s most dependable and
extensive communications systems, unusual conditions can put a strain on it
• With a little effort and a few bucks, you can prepare yourself in
advance
• A successful business continuity plan should anticipate
Emergency Notification Methods and
Tools
• Manual Call Trees and Notification Lists
• Automated Notification Systems
• 1-800 Emergency Information Lines
• Tools of the Trade
• Every organization has key people they must inform of an
emergency, including response teams, employees, appropriate authorities and external stakeholders.
• Every department should develop and update a prioritized list of
key contacts to be notified during an emergency
• Obtain as many modes of contact for each person, including
office, home, cell and vacation numbers, e-mail addresses and blackberry PIN numbers
• This will greatly increase the odds of your organization being
able to reach everyone quickly during an emergency
Call trees and notification lists
Sample Call tree
Emergency Response Team Call Tree A B (Manager, Security) Security/External Awareness (Director, SEM) XXXXXXX Alternate (VP, Service Delivery) XXXXX, COO Business Operations Operations Primary XXXXXX Alternate (Director, Professional Practice)
XXXXXX Business Operations Health Services Primary XXXXXXX Alternate (Director, Architecture Office)
XXXXXXX Technical - IS/IT/Comms
Primary (VP and CIO) XXXXX
Assistant to ERT Leader (Director, SEM) XXXXXXX Alternate (Treasurer) XXXXXX Finance Primary (Chief Financial Officer)
XXXXXXX Alternate (Manager, Facilities & Leasing)
XXXXXX Facilities and Power
Primary (Director, Facilities Mgt)
Occupational Disease Policy) (Executive Director, P & R) Assistant to ERT Leader (Emergency Management Program Coordinator XXXXX
ERT Leader (Chief Prevention and Corporate Strategy Officer)
Sample Notification List
Automated Notification Systems
• Can rapidly distribute information to large numbers of people
• Many vendor choices out there with various systems to meet
your organization’s needs
• Be sure to provide extensive training and conduct regular testing
• Regular training and testing will help prevent human-driven
errors, such as sending incorrect messages or failing to notify the right parties
1-800 Emergency Information Lines
• Set up toll-free number where employees can call to report on
their safety, while receiving information and updates on the emergency
• Apart from communicating important emergency information to
staff, enables management to account for employees, determine where they are evacuated and identify potentially missing employees
• Messaging can include valuable information on payroll, health
1-800 Emergency Information Lines
(cont’d)
• Employees are able to receive information when convenient, not
only within the short window of time possible with automated outbound calls
• Make arrangements for the lines now – during an emergency is
too late
• Create scripts/messaging in advance, which can be quickly
adapted to the specific emergency
• Make sure all employees are aware of the number and have it
on them at all times
Tools of the Trade
• Land lines • Cellular phones
• SMS messages
• Blackberrys, PDAs, e-mails • Satellite phones
• Pagers (alphanumeric, digital and voice) • Fax machines
Strengths and Weaknesses in
Communication Tools
• Cell phones and landline phones
– Most efficient for less severe events and most accessible for reaching employees, family, first responders or citizens
– Devices also offer ability to bridge into conference calls or command centers for full incident management with touch of a button – Cell phone coverage varies in certain areas, buildings, underground – Phone lines may be compromised or tied up during a more severe incident – During power outages, remember cordless phones will not work – Cell phone batteries die, and may not be able to be recharged during a
power failure
Strengths and Weaknesses in
Communication Tools
• SMS/Text Messages
– While it takes longer to type a message than speak it, SMS is a proven and reliable method of communication, even in more severe incidents – Most cell phones now accept SMS messages
– Because they require less bandwidth, the ability to send SMS messages is often available when a voice call is not
– These channels continue to be overlooked and underutilized in emergencies
– Some people are unaware of this feature on their phones, and do not know how to recognize when they have received a text message
– Include text messaging in your next notification/call tree test
Strengths and weaknesses in
Communication Tools
• Blackberrys, PDAs and E-mails
– Blackberrys prove valuable because they can receive e-mail, voice or SMS messages
– However, they often rely on a corporate server or back-up server that must be in a safe location, distant from the incident
– E-mail without a Blackbery is effective only in less-severe incidents when someone is near a computer
– Again, Blackberry batteries will eventually die and rely on power to recharge
Strengths and Weaknesses in
Communication Tools
• Satellite phones
– Most effective for critical incidents, as they will work when a cell phone or landline is unavailable
– Essential for those who work in remote or isolated areas where cell phone coverage is unavailable
– However, they are expensive and harder to manage and may be best for decision-makers and first responders only
Other Communication Options
• Amateur Radio Operators and equipment
• LAN/WAN
• General Packet Radio Service
• Citizens Band (CB) Radios
• Family Radio Service
Communication Objectives
• Alert Business Continuity Coordinator / Manager / Team • Alert Senior Leadership (President/CEO, V.P’s, Directors) • Alert Department Heads
• Alert Employees / Confirm Whereabouts & Safety • Alert External Stakeholders / Customers • Recovery Site Vendors
Disaster Strikes – Then What?
Communication / Message Content Objectives
• What is the message you wish to deliver? Who decides? • What is the message you wish to receive? (response expected?) • How many audiences are there? Different messages for each? • Who initiates communication? More than one person? What is the sequence? • Does the scenario, type of message, or audience dictate the communication method?
If so, how and when is this decided, and by whom?
Communicating is Vital –
Scenario #1
• Details of Local Emergency
• What Would You Do?
• What I Did
• If I Have a Do-Over, What I Will Do
Criteria for emergency
communications systems
• Should be easy to operate • Have effective range
• Have a modest amount of protection against interference • Be inexpensive (i.e. low initial cost, low maintenance, no monthly fees) • Be readily available
• Be able to operate “off the grid”
Notification Challenges
• Reaching people in different locations with different devices
quickly and simultaneously
• Providing the right message (in terms of content, length and
format)
• Monitoring delivery and response
• Ensuring that the process is initiated and suspended at the right
Balance Features You Need Against
Cost You Can Pay
• Virtual command center / resource library
• Web hosting server for document storage and resources • Sends alerts to all people, on all devices, in all geographic regions • Redundant data centers
• Easy maintenance – customizable, scalable, user-friendly • Compatible database formats (Excel, PeopleSoft, etc.) • Unlimited testing, 24/7/365 support
• Charged per subscription / per user • $$$ / year per person
• Less than $$,$$$ / yr for 25 users
Notification Exercises
• Purpose is to test the effectiveness of current notification
procedures, methods and tools
• Also to confirm accuracy of contact information found within
emergency notification/call tree lists
• Do not give advance notice
• Rotate exercises to include during office hours and after
business hours
Notification Exercises
cont’d …• If no answer, must decide whether or not to keep dialing all
numbers until someone is reached in person, or leave message asking them to call the operator/dispatch back
• Don’t forget to leave a telephone number for a return call, and
ensure a live body answers
• Be sure the operator identifies him or herself and states that:
“This is a test of the Emergency Response Plan/Business Continuity Plan notification process”
Verification of Contact Information
OK CHANGES REQUIRED Name
Title
Office Telephone Number Local (extension) Fax Number (at work) Work address (and postal code) Cellular
Home Telephone Home Address Blackberry Number Blackberry PIN •Verify all contact information and record findings below:
Verify all contact information and record findings
Emergency Notification Scripts
• Could make it very simple notification/relay of message, or could
also be used to test knowledge of contact members
• Sample questions
– Where should you go after receiving notice of activation of the Emergency Response Plan?
– XXXX is the main EOC. Where are the alternate(s)?
– There are ___ Emergency Response Team members who have the power to activate the Emergency Response Plan. Can you name them? – Only one person in the organization can declare an emergency and activate
the Business Continuity Plans. Who is it?
Don’t forget to thank each member for their participation, and re-iterate that “This was only a test.”
Scenario #2
• You have been assigned the task of creating a call tree(s) for your
company’s offices.
• What will your call tree(s) look like?
• What tools will you use to create it / them?
• Where will call tree(s) be stored?
• How will access be controlled? (can 1 dept see another’s call tree?)
• How will you ensure your call tree(s) stay up-to-date & accurate?
• Will you test the call tree(s), and if so, how?
• What will constitute the test results, how will you obtain the results,
HEADING
• Should stress confidentiality, to be used internally only.
• Should outline proper protocol/procedure for executing calls.
• Should provide a means or method for recording/reporting call
results, whether during an exercise or an actual emergency.
• Should indicate what to do with the results recorded.
Sample Call Tree Layout
Sample Call Tree Layout
• All designated callers must have a copy of the call tree.
• All call trees must be updated regularly (at least quarterly).
• There may be a need for multiple update administrators.
• Call trees may be stored on a SharePoint portal, or similar
network accessible location.
• Each department’s Business Recovery Plan (BRP) should
contain the departmental call tree.
• Call trees should be regularly tested (quarterly).
• Tests should be initiated without warning.
• All designated callers must know the procedures governing the
execution of a call tree test.
• Callers should record the date, time and status of each call and
forward them to BCP manager or test coordinator after the test.
Testing the Call Tree(s)
Call Trees vs. Automated Notification
Call Trees Automated Systems
Pros Cons Pros Cons
Not dependent on technology Relies on people No human error Single-point-of-failure Personalized messages High maintenance Low maintenance Less personalization Allows for granularity More prone to delay Instant execution Granularity costly Little or no cost Limited to phones Multiple devices Potential high cost Enables dialogue Difficult to track Delivery reporting No dialogue
QUESTIONS?
Thank You & Happy Planning!
Suzanne Bernier, CBCP
Emergency Management Program Coordinator Workplace Safety & Insurance Board Phone: (416) 344-4841 Fax: (416) 344-5560
E-mail: [email protected]
Doug Sievers, CBCP
Manager, Business Continuity Kroll Ontrack Inc. Phone: (952) 358-5205 Mobile: (952) 451-1836 Email: [email protected]
