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.
[email protected]
Session Objectives
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Emergency notification methods and tools
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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
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Summary/Wrap-Up
The need for reliable notification
methods
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While we have one of the world’s most dependable and
extensive communications systems, unusual conditions can put
a strain on it
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With a little effort and a few bucks, you can prepare yourself in
advance
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A successful business continuity plan should anticipate
communication failures and build in reasonable redundancies
Emergency Notification Methods and
Tools
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Manual Call Trees and Notification Lists
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Automated Notification Systems
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1-800 Emergency Information Lines
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Tools of the Trade
Call trees and notification lists
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Every organization has key people they must inform of an
emergency, including response teams, employees, appropriate
authorities and external stakeholders.
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Every department should develop and update a prioritized list of
key contacts to be notified during an emergency
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Obtain as many modes of contact for each person, including
office, home, cell and vacation numbers, e-mail addresses and
blackberry PIN numbers
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This will greatly increase the odds of your organization being
able to reach everyone quickly during an emergency
Sample Call tree
Emergency Response Team
Call Tree
XXXXX
ERT Leader
(Chief Prevention and Corporate Strategy Officer)
A
B
XXXXX
Assistant to ERT Leader
(Director, SEM)
Assistant to ERT Leader
(Emergency Management Program Coordinator
(Director, SEM)
XXXXX, COO
Business Operations
Operations
Primary
XXXXXX
Business Operations
Health Services
Primary
XXXXXXX
Technical - IS/IT/Comms
Primary
(VP and CIO)
XXXXXX
Finance
Primary
(Chief Financial Officer)
XXXXXX
Facilities and Power
Primary
(Director, Facilities Mgt)
(Manager, Security)
XXXXXXX
Alternate
(VP, Service Delivery)
XXXXXX
Alternate
(Director, Professional Practice)
XXXXXXX
Alternate
(Director, Architecture Office)
XXXXXXX
Alternate
(Treasurer)
XXXXXXX
Alternate
(Manager, Facilities & Leasing)
Security/External Awareness
(Executive Director, P & R)
Occupational Disease Policy)
Sample Notification List
Automated Notification Systems
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Can rapidly distribute information to large numbers of people
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Many vendor choices out there with various systems to meet
your organization’s needs
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Be sure to provide extensive training and conduct regular testing
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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
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Set up toll-free number where employees can call to report on
their safety, while receiving information and updates on the
emergency
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Apart from communicating important emergency information to
staff, enables management to account for employees, determine
where they are evacuated and identify potentially missing
employees
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Messaging can include valuable information on payroll, health
care, satellite office locations, etc…
1-800 Emergency Information Lines (cont’d)
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Employees are able to receive information when convenient, not
only within the short window of time possible with automated
outbound calls
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Make arrangements for the lines now – during an emergency is
too late
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Create scripts/messaging in advance, which can be quickly
adapted to the specific emergency
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Make sure all employees are aware of the number and have it
on them at all times
Tools of the Trade
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Land lines
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Cellular phones
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SMS messages
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Blackberrys, PDAs, e-mails
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Satellite phones
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Pagers (alphanumeric, digital and voice)
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Fax machines
Strengths and Weaknesses in
Communication Tools
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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
– Invest in some crank flashlight/radio/cell phone charger units
Strengths and Weaknesses in
Communication Tools
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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
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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
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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
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Amateur Radio Operators and equipment
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LAN/WAN
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General Packet Radio Service
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Citizens Band (CB) Radios
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Family Radio Service
Disaster Strikes – Then What?
Communication Objectives
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Alert Business Continuity Coordinator / Manager / Team
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Alert Senior Leadership (President/CEO, V.P’s, Directors)
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Alert Department Heads
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Alert Employees / Confirm Whereabouts & Safety
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Alert External Stakeholders / Customers
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Recovery Site Vendors
Communicating is Vital –
But Communicating What and Why?
Communication / Message Content Objectives
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What is the message you wish to deliver? Who decides?
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What is the message you wish to receive? (response expected?)
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How many audiences are there? Different messages for each?
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Who initiates communication? More than one person? What is the sequence?
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Does the scenario, type of message, or audience dictate the communication method?
If so, how and when is this decided, and by whom?
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
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Should be easy to operate
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Have effective range
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Have a modest amount of protection against interference
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Be inexpensive (i.e. low initial cost, low maintenance, no monthly fees)
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Be readily available
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Be able to operate “off the grid”
Notification Challenges
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Reaching people in different locations with different devices
quickly and simultaneously
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Providing the right message (in terms of content, length and
format)
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Monitoring delivery and response
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Ensuring that the process is initiated and suspended at the right
times
Balance Features You Need Against
Cost You Can Pay
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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
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Purpose is to test the effectiveness of current notification
procedures, methods and tools
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Also to confirm accuracy of contact information found within
emergency notification/call tree lists
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Do not give advance notice
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Rotate exercises to include during office hours and after
business hours
Notification Exercises
cont’d …
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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
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Don’t forget to leave a telephone number for a return call, and
ensure a live body answers
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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”
•Verify all contact information and record findings below:
Verification of Contact Information
Verify all contact information and record findings
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
Emergency Notification Scripts
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Could make it very simple notification/relay of message, or could
also be used to test knowledge of contact members
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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
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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,
and how will you use them?
Sample Call Tree Layout
HEADING
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Should stress confidentiality, to be used internally only.
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Should outline proper protocol/procedure for executing calls.
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Should provide a means or method for recording/reporting call
results, whether during an exercise or an actual emergency.
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Should indicate what to do with the results recorded.
Sample Call Tree Layout
Details, Details, Details
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All designated callers must have a copy of the call tree.
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All call trees must be updated regularly (at least quarterly).
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There may be a need for multiple update administrators.
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Call trees may be stored on a SharePoint portal, or similar
network accessible location.
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Each department’s Business Recovery Plan (BRP) should
contain the departmental call tree.
Testing the Call Tree(s)
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Call trees should be regularly tested (quarterly).
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Tests should be initiated without warning.
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All designated callers must know the procedures governing the
execution of a call tree test.
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Callers should record the date, time and status of each call and
forward them to BCP manager or test coordinator after the test.
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
SUMMARY
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]