This lesson presents an overview of Communications and Information Management.

Objectives:

At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Identify the four key principles of communications and information management.
• Describe the communications management practices and considerations.
• Identify how incident information is used.
• Identify the three concepts related to Communications Standards and Formats.

(National Incident Management System, Third Edition, October 2017)

Effective emergency response depends on communication—the ability to maintain situational awareness through the constant flow of information.

Effective emergency response depends on communication—the ability to maintain situational awareness through the constant flow of information.

During and after Hurricane Katrina, communications systems failed, severely hampering information flow and response operations. In New Orleans, most of the city was flooded. The combined effects of wind, rain, storm surge, breached levees, and flooding knocked out virtually the entire infrastructure—electrical power, roads, water supply and sewage, and communications systems.

[Thomas Stone, Fire Chief, St. Bernard Parish: “We lost our communications system, and when you are not able to communicate, you can’t coordinate your response. You never think that you will lose your entire infrastructure.”]

Communications problems are not limited to systems being destroyed or not functioning. Similar problems arise when agencies cannot exchange needed information because of incompatible systems. NIMS identifies several important features of public safety communications and information systems.

Communications systems need to be . . .

Interoperable—able to communicate within and across agencies and jurisdictions.

Reliable—able to function in the context of any kind of emergency.

Scalable—suitable for use on a small or large scale as the needs of the incident dictate.

Portable—built on standardized radio technologies, protocols, and frequencies.

Resilient—able to perform despite damaged or lost infrastructure.

Redundant—able to use alternate communications methods when primary systems go out.

Secure—able to protect sensitive or classified information from those without a need to know.

Regardless of the communications hardware being used, standardized procedures, protocols, and formats are necessary to gather, collate, synthesize, and disseminate incident information. And in a crisis, life-and-death decisions depend on the information we receive.

This lesson introduces you to the NIMS Communications and Information Management component.

In order to maintain situational awareness, incident personnel update incident information continually.

Effective incident management relies on flexible communications and information systems that provide accurate, timely, and relevant information.

During an incident, this integrated approach:

• Links all incident personnel, whether on-scene, in an EOC, or in another support location
• Maintains communications connectivity and situational awareness

Four key communications and information systems principles support the ability of incident managers to maintain this constant flow of information during an incident:

• Interoperability
• Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
• Resilience and Redundancy
• Security

Interoperability: Interoperability is the capacity for emergency management and response personnel to interact and work well together.

Interoperable communications systems enable personnel and organizations to communicate:

• Within and across jurisdictions and organizations
• Via voice, data, and video systems
• In real time

Communications and information systems should be designed to be:

Reliable - familiar to users, adaptable to new technology and dependable in any situation

Portable - can effectively be transported, deployed, and integrated to enable support of incidents across jurisdictions

Scalable - able to expand to support situations, from small to large scale, and support the rapid increase in the number of system users

Resilient and redundant communications ensure the uninterrupted flow of information.

Resiliency - systems can withstand and continue to perform after damage or loss of infrastructure

Redundancy - when primary communication methods fail, duplicate systems enable continuity through alternate communication methods

Because some incident information is sensitive, voice, data, networks, and systems should be secure to the appropriate level to control access to sensitive or restricted information.

For example, law-enforcement may discuss sensitive, personally identifiable or classified information and must ensure this information is shielded in accordance with applicable laws.

Additionally, incident communications and information sharing should comply with data protection and privacy laws. 

Incident management personnel must manage incident communications and information effectively using a variety of communications methods.

Management procedures should change to use new technologies and improved methods of exchanging information.

Strategic Communications:

High-level directions, including resource priority decisions, roles and responsibilities determinations, and overall incident management courses of action.

Tactical Communications:

Communications among and between on-scene command and tactical personnel and cooperating agencies and organizations.

Support Communications:

Coordination of support of strategic and tactical communications (e.g., communications among hospitals concerning resource ordering, dispatching, and tracking; traffic and public works communications).

Public Communications:

Alerts and warnings, press conferences.

All stakeholders should be involved in communications planning to formulate integrated and interoperable communications plans, technology and equipment standards.

Coordinated communications policy and planning supports effective communications and management of information.

Communications planning determines:

• What communications systems and platforms are used
• Who can use the communications systems
• What information is essential
• What the technical requirements are for communications equipment and systems

Agreements should be in place between all parties in a jurisdiction's emergency operations plan to ensure that the communications elements within plans and procedures are in effect at the time of an incident.

Agreements typically specify the communication systems and platforms that the parties will use to share information.

Agreements also typically include connection of networks, data format standards, and cybersecurity agreements.

Communications equipment standards are designed to produce unified communications systems.

When developing communications systems, personnel should consider:

• The range of conditions under which personnel will use the systems.
• The range of potential system users.
• The current nationally recognized communications standards.
• The need for durable equipment.

Training and exercises that employ interoperable communications systems and equipment enable personnel to understand their capabilities and limitations before an incident.

During an incident, timely and accurate information assists decision making at all levels.

Information is used for many functions within ICS, EOCs, MAC Groups, and JIS, including:

• Aiding in planning
• Communicating with the public, including emergency protective measures
• Determining incident cost
• Assessing the need for additional involvement of non-governmental organizations or private sector resources
• Identifying safety issues
• Resolving information requests

Select the links below for more information.

• Incident Reports
• Incident Action Plans
• Data Collection and Processing

Incident reports enhance situational awareness and ensure that personnel can access needed information.

Types of incident reports include:

• Situation Report (SITREP): Regular reports that contain information regarding the incident status during the past operational period and the specific details for an incident.
• Status Report: Reports, such as spot reports, that include vital and/or time-sensitive information. Status reports are typically function-specific and less formal than SITREPS.

Incident reports should use a common format to enable other jurisdictions and organizations to easily access incident information.

Incident-specific plans improve situational awareness and describe the objectives and tactics of the incident management.

Incident-specific plans include:

• Incident Action Plan (IAP): Plans containing the incident objectives established by the Incident Commander or Unified Command and addressing tactics and support activities for the planned operational period (generally 12 to 24 hours).

ICS, EOCs, MAC Groups, and JIS all rely on accurate and timely information to support decision making.

When collecting data, personnel should:

• Follow data collection techniques and definitions
• Conduct analysis of data
• Transmit data through appropriate channels 

Data collection and processing include the following standard elements:

1. Initial size up/ rapid assessment
2. Data collection plans
3. Validation
4. Analysis
5. Dissemination
6. Updating

During an incident, all incident personnel are linked by common communications standards and formats:

• Common Terminology, Plain Language and Compatibility
• Technology Use and Procedures
• Information Security/Operational Security

Kristy Plourde, Emergency Management Specialist, U.S. Coast Guard

We have HF, UHF, and VHF, all these different frequencies and radios and radio frequencies and what’s neat about NIMS is NIMS is helping push everyone to change and establish better intercommunications. In the past we just kind of said, well, too bad they don’t have the right radio with us so we’ll just do this little inefficient method of communication by calling ashore and having the guy talk to the other guy and then have him radio back to have the boat come over and pick us up. That’s very inefficient and it’s very wrong, and we just kind of wave our arms and go, oh, it’s just too bad. What NIMS is doing is pushing it and saying, hey, change, have this good intercommunications, have systems, electronic systems that support, you know, interfrequency variations, and establishing common frequencies that everyone can use.

Daryl Lee Spiewak, Former Emergency Programs Manager, Brazos River Authority, TX

One of the difficulties that we’ve had in coordinating response is the different radio systems and the different pieces of equipment—whether it is part of the Internet, computer programs, telephones, cell phones, satellite phones, whatever. If you can’t talk to each other, you are not going to be able to work together. So, part of the interoperability is making sure that our equipment is compatible. We can talk. The second part of equipment compatibility is that the equipment works together. You can’t take a firetruck that has a 6-inch hose and try to put it to a fire hydrant that operates with a 4-inch connector. So if I take my truck from my facility and I bring it out to help you, if I can’t get the water pumped in, if I can’t hook our systems together, we’re not going to be able to work in a coordinated effort. Second thing is interoperability between people and organizations. Part of that is the verbal communications where I say something, use a particular term, and it means the same thing to you. If the terms that I use mean different things to different people, we’re going to have a hard time communicating and doing what needs to be done to accomplish our mission. So, it’s a little bit of both. The equipment, the people, and then how do people work together within the organization to accomplish those objectives and get the mission done.

The lesson presented an overview of Communications and Information Management.

The lesson specifically discussed the:

• Key Principles of Communications and Information management
• Communications and Information Management Characteristics
• Elements of Incident Information
• Communication Standards and Format

The next lesson will provide a summary of the information introduced in this course along with additional resources.