Disaster Resistant Communities Group – www.drc-group.com
Multi-Agency Coordination Workshop
Workshop Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions• Understanding Multi-Agency Coordination• Preparing for Multi-Agency Coordination• Implementing Multi-Agency Coordination
Participant Introductions
• Name, job title and department, agency, or jurisdiction
• Overall experience with emergency or incident response
• Possible role in responding to incidents
Course Logistics
• Course agenda• Sign-in sheet• Housekeeping:
– Breaks– Restrooms/Facilities– Emergency Exit/Relocation Area– Other concerns
Workshop Ground Rules
• Discussions and criticisms will focus on interests, not people
• Respect differences• Be open to new ideas• Share your experiences• Use the parking lot for off-track topics or follow up• Support everyone's right to be heard• Keep phones and pagers on silent or vibrate mode
during the session
Understanding Multi-Agency Coordination
Federal Mandates Affecting MAC
• Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) #5 - Management of Domestic Incidents
• Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) #8 – National Preparedness
NIMS
• Nationwide approach to domestic incident management that applies to all jurisdictions and incidents regardless of size or complexity
• Defines how to prepare for, prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from a major event, and how well it needs to be done
• Provides a systematic approach for all levels of government, the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations to work seamlessly together
• NIMS is NOT:– An operational incident management plan– A resource allocation plan– A terrorism/WMD-specific plan– Designed to address international events
NIMS / SEMS
Multi-Agency Coordination Challenges
PAST CHALLENGES CONTINUING CHALLENGES
Different policies and procedures Increasing incident complexity
Lack of common response Complex/confusing legal authorities
Different organizational structures Increasing litigation
Incident planning not coordinated Increasing response costs
Limited Interagency communications High property losses
No resource information Life, health, safety issues
Problems including private and non-governmental organizations
Deteriorating public view of government
Limited interagency training Intense media and public scrutiny
Differences in terminology Political, legislative, and budgetary ramifications
Unfamiliarity with other organizations Interoperable communications
Multi-Agency Coordination
• Process that allows all levels of government to work together more effectively
• Occurs across different disciplines• Can occur on a regular basis whenever personnel
from different agencies interact
Multi-Agency Coordination Systems (MAC)
• A MAC system is . . a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications integrated into a common system with responsibility for coordinating and supporting domestic incident management activities
A System NOT a Facility!!
Activity 1
• Instructions: – Review the Flood Scenario at the back of the
Participant Handbook – Identify the top 5 coordination challenges– Select a spokesperson and be prepared to present to the group in 10 minutes
Multi-Agency Coordination Systems (MAC)
• The primary functions of MAC are:– Situation Assessment– Incident Priority Determination– Critical Resource Acquisition and Allocation– Coordinate, Support and assist with policy level
decisions and interagency activities– Coordination with Other MAC– Coordination with Elected and Appointed Officials– Coordination of Summary Information
Multi-Agency Coordination Systems (MAC)
• Examples of Multi-Agency Coordination– Incident/Unified Command– Department Operations Center (DOC)– Emergency Operations Centers (EOC)– Joint Information Center (JIC)– Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC)– Joint Field Office (JFO)
Benefits of MAC
• Establishes and clarifies policy• Helps establish a common operating picture• Identifies priorities among incidents and
resolves critical resource issues• Facilitates logistics support and resource
tracking • Synchronizes messaging to ensure
“one voice”
MAC Group Membership
• The success of the MAC Group depends on membership
• Members should include:– Directly impacted organizations– Business organizations– Volunteer organizations– Other organizations with
special expertise
Command v Coordination
• Command is the act of directing, ordering or controlling by virtue of explicit authority
• Coordination is the process of providing support to the command structure
Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
• Physical location with staff• Supports the on-scene response through the
coordination of information and resources • Not an incident command post; rather, it is the
operations center where coordination and management decisions are facilitated
• Is applicable at different levels of government
EOC Organization & Staffing
• EOCs may be organized by:– Major discipline– Emergency Function (EF)– Jurisdiction– Some combination of the above– Staffed by personnel representing
multiple jurisdictions and functional disciplines
Coordination (MAC) Group
• Provides strategic guidance and direction to support incident management activities
• Provides coordinated decision making and resource allocation among cooperating agencies
• Establishes the priorities among incidents, and harmonizes agency policies
• Does not have any direct incident involvement and can be located away from the incident site(s) and can even often function virtually
• May be established at any level (e.g., national, state, or local) or within any discipline (e.g., emergency management, public health, critical infrastructure, or private sector)
Chain of Command
How it Works
Effective Multi-Agency Coordination
• Provides reliable systems and resources• Acquires, analyzes, and communicates
information• Is flexible in supporting the command structure• Anticipates change• Promotes public confidence
Activity 2
• Instructions: Working with your table groups:– Review the Flood Scenario– Identify the benefits to a MAC group– Determine which MAC System elements would be involved
and what role each would assume– Identify any potential conflicts and strategies to mitigate
the conflict– Select a spokesperson and be prepared
to share your answers with the group in 10 minutes
Preparing for Multi-Agency Coordination
MAC System Preparedness
• Relies on:– People– Communications and Information Systems– Public Information– Non-personnel (outside) Resources
Considerations for People
• What needs to be done?• How many people are needed to do it?• What skills and knowledge do they need?• How many people are available?• Where will you get the others?• How long will it take?
Communications and Information Systems
• Identify critical linkages• Ensure interoperability with the MAC System• Address how the following will take place within
the MAC Group:– Message documentation and routing procedures– Communicating major events– Documenting actions
Communications
• Establish and test redundant communications systems
• Ensure that all staff:– Can use systems– Know procedures for switching to backup systems– Protect sensitive information from dissemination
and release
Information Systems
• Key Requirements:– Link to critical functions– Readily available– Interoperable and redundant
• Key Determinations:– Types of information– Timeframes– Best processing method
Joint Information System (JIS)
Public Information
• Public information is one of the most critical areas for multiagency coordination:
– Alerts and warnings– Incident cause, size, and current situation.– Actions and resources– Short-term and long-term community recovery
plans
Public Information Preparedness
• Who is the public?• What does the public need to know?• Who will provide that information? • How will the information flow be managed and
coordinated?• How will the information be transmitted? • When? How often?
Resource Management Systems
• NIMS provides guidance for:– Establishing systems for tracking resources – Activating these systems before and during an
incident– Dispatching resources before and during an incident – Deactivating or recalling resources during or after
an incident
Effective Resource Management
• Identifying, allocating and tracking resources• Developing agreements• Credentialing• Coordinating through MAC Groups and Incident Command
Resource Typing
• The National Integration Center typing protocol provides incident managers the following information:
– Resource category– Kind of resource– Type of resource– Resource typing must be a continuous process based on measurable standards
Developing Agreements
• Agreements should be developed:– Before an incident occurs– Among all parties, whether governmental or
nongovernmental, that might provide or request resources during an incident
Credentialing
• The credentialing process involves an evaluation and documentation of an individual's:
– Current certification, license or degree– Training and experience– Competence or proficiency
• Credentialing is separate from badging, which takes place at the incident site
How Credentialing Works
Why Credential?
• Ensures qualification• Makes ordering personnel resources easier• Assists incident personnel• Allows integration of outside personnel• Reduces liability
Effective Coordination
• Coordination is essential to ensure accurate resource tracking and resource availability
• During a major incident, local EOC/MAC Groups should fill requests from the Incident Command only when they can be filled using resources from that jurisdiction
Policies and Procedures
• Policies are high-level guidance• Procedures describe implementation of policies• Together they clarify:
– What key players do– How they will do it– How they will interact with others– How they will be held accountable
Roadblocks to Effective MAC
• Conflicting policies• Communication issues• “Turf” issues• Lack of planning• Lack of policies and procedures
Implementing MAC
When to use the MAC System
• Incidents involving multiple jurisdictions• Incidents using Unified Command• Incidents of size or complexity that can expand
rapidly• Similar events required a MAC System• At the chief executive’s request
Activating MAC System Elements
• Policy for activating MAC System elements should include:
– Who can activate– Circumstances for activation– Timeframes for activation– How it is done
Level of Activation
• Based on:– Complexity of incident and level of support required– Established triggers and communication with the
Incident Commander or Unified Command
Situation Assessment
• All multiagency coordination begins with Situation Assessment
• Effective Situation Assessment requires:– Collecting, analyzing, synthesizing and displaying all
information needed for situational awareness– Consolidating situation reports and information to establish a common operating picture
Incident Priorities
• Determined based on:– Life safety objectives– Incident stabilization needs– Threats to property/environment– Critical infrastructure and interdependencies– Economic impact– Other criteria
Determining Need for Mutual Aid
• The Incident Commander must be aware of resources that are:
– Committed at the scene– Available in staging– Available within the jurisdiction. Required to meet
objectives• If public safety coverage could be jeopardized,
mutual aid is needed:– Sooner rather than later– Before resources are nearing depletion
How Assistance Works
Ordering Resources
• Every resource order should contain:– Incident name– Order and/or request number– Date and time of order– Quantity and type– Reporting location (specific)– Requested time of delivery (specific)– Radio frequency to be used– Person/title placing request– Callback number
Processing the Request
• The EOC/MAC Group determines whether to:– Fill the request locally– Request mutual aid or assistance– Pass the request to the next level as a mission
request
Deactivating MAC
• Occurs:– When incident resources are being deactivated– When incident scene is clearly under control– When incident support can be provided without
impacting the dispatch system• Usual order of deactivation:
– Federal, State, Local
Evaluating MAC Effectiveness
• Conduct a post-incident meeting• Create a open, honest, nonthreatening
environment• Review documentation from the incident• Identify what went well, what could be improved
and lessons learned• Develop an action plan to address any issues that
need improvement• Follow through
Who to Include
• Key players:– Incident Commander– Mutual aid partners– Public/private partners– EOC/MAC Group personnel– Public officials– Affected members of the public, as appropriate
Activity 3
• Use the Multi-Agency Coordination Assessment Tool in the back of the Participant Handbook to rate MAC preparedness in your jurisdiction
• Based on the results of the survey, identify any gaps in preparedness• Identify any immediate improvements (if any) that can be made fairly easily• Identify and prioritize any issues that should be
addressed but may take time to get done
Thank You
• Thank you for participating• We will reconvene at 1:00PM for the Tabletop Exercise