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Communications Interoperability
In July 2004, the NERAC Communications Interoperability (CI) subcommittee developed a multi-pronged strategy for achieving communications interoperability in the Northeast Region. The elements of that strategy include:
· Establishing a multi-disciplinary CI platform for command level communications by building upon the existing multi-jurisdictional BAPERN/NEMLEC radio network.
The Greater Boston Police Council (GBPC) that operates the BAPERN network voted in July 2004 to open up the system to other non-law enforcement users thereby enabling the Northeast Region’s strategy to move forward. The CI sub-committee then contracted with SAIC to conduct an assessment of physical requirements for providing access to all of the NERAC communities and for adding users from other disciplines.
Based upon these recommendations, NERAC procured over $1 million in equipment that will expand the reach of BAPERN’s UHF frequencies as well as enable new users onto the system. This procurement includes $117,000 worth of portable radios for local boards of health and public works departments that have never before been tied into a larger radio network.
The CI sub-committee also contracted with SAIC to develop procedures and protocols for the expanded use of the network by other disciplines. A master MOU and SOP has been developed as part of this effort.
· Enhancing basic EMS communications capabilities
It was clear to the CI sub-committee that EMS communications lagged far behind police and fire in terms of the ability of individual EMS units to communicate with each other and between CMED centers that provide a communications link between ambulance and hospital.
NERAC procured $495,000 worth of communications equipment to update and modernize the CMED infrastructure based upon the recommendations of a 2004 Statewide EMS Communications Plan. Specifically, improvements have been made in the ability of EMS units and CMEDs to communicate with the hospitals. Some of the equipment purchased will also help EMS prepare for narrow banding as part of the implementation of the Statewide EMS Communications Plan.
· Conduct a study of and plan for consolidating dispatch operations and for establishing a regional EOC system
This element of the original CI strategy has evolved since 2004, in particular as related to the regional Emergency Operations Center (EOC) strategy.
The project calls for conducting a study and creating a plan for the implementation of regionalized emergency dispatching in the Northeast Homeland Security Planning Region. The goal of the study and plan are to provide an objective analysis of the pros and cons of regional dispatching vs. multiple, local dispatching centers; and to create a plan that provides a detailed roadmap for moving toward a regionalized system of emergency dispatching. Currently there are at least 87 different dispatch centers in a region of 85 communities.
Originally the EOC strategy for the region included identifying existing or potential sites that could function as permanent, sub-regional EOCs. Recognizing the enormous hurdles that establishing these sites would entail and in conjunction with the evolution of the regional Incident Management Team concept that is part of a larger statewide strategy, a new regional EOC concept starts with establishing one or two trailers that can be used where needed to create fully functioning EOCs. A similar model is used by FEMA at disaster sites. The EOC trailers would not take the place of mobile command units but would provide basic equipment to outfit suitable sites when and where needed. This would work in conjunction with the IMTs.
Some of the project that have either been completed or entails ongoing planning and implementation: the successful interconnection of the four Fire Control Points – Ashland, Beverly, Lawrence and Westford; enabling local public health and public works directors access to BAPERN for command and control purposes; improving and upgrading CMED communications; and upgrading/expansion on the BAPERN network to allow better communications and access.
Comprehensive Regional Threat/Vulnerabilities/Capabilities Assessment
Project Description: This project provided NERAC with a regional assessment of threats, vulnerabilities and assets of the Northeast Homeland Security Planning Region as well as the sufficiency of the region’s resources to prevent and respond to emergencies of all kinds. The results of this assessment provided a portrait of the region that can be used as an information-based guide for future emergency preparedness and homeland security decision-making. In 2007, NERAC awarded over $400,000 to17 municipalities for financial assistance to enhance security and improve preparedness around critical infrastructure sites identified in a threat and risk assessment completed in early 2006. The discovery of serious possible threats to infrastructures raised attention to NERAC to take action. The Critical Infrastructure Risk Reduction & Incident Response Assistance (CIRRRIP) Grant was born out of much planning and decision making of the Threat Assessment subcommittee. Under the CIRRRIP grant, several programs and/or equipment were funded; a table top exercise, surveillance cameras, electric signage boards, barricades and radiation detection equipment and fencing to name a few. With ongoing concerns about the protection of our critical infrastructures, NERAC continues to implement strategies to support this initiative.
Enhancing Regional GIS Capabilities
Project Description: This project entails assessing the local GIS capabilities of each community in the Northeast Region and providing a basic set of public safety data, software applications, aerial imagery, and training to each community. A GIS Interoperability Mapping tool that delineates and identifies existing infrastructure in the Northeast Region was recently developed to help in the interoperability planning and strategy.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Needs Assessment
Project Description: This project entails conducting a detailed regional assessment of chemical, biological and radiological hazards to which first responders in the Northeast Region have in the past and may in the future need to respond. Using analysis provided by a PPE assessment that was conducted during the Spring and Summer of 2005, a six-member PPE working group consisting of representatives from local fire and police, the State Police, the North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC), the Department of Fire Services, EMS and emergency management together decided upon equipment for three regional caches of PPE. The analysis of PPE needs was based upon a gap analysis between hazards and available PPE. The final product provided the region with information upon which to base PPE procurement decisions and a baseline benchmark for future measurement. NERAC contracted with General Physics Corporation to conduct this assessment. 3 PPE trailers have been outfitted and established throughout the northeast region – Georgetown, Hudson and Saugus.
Training & Exercises
Project Description: NERAC identified Incident Command System (ICS) training as a priority and has been working to help first responders from a broad array of disciplines access this training. Ensuring that all first responders are familiar with the principles of ICS means reaching out to disciplines that may not typically receive this training, but which will need to know how to work under ICS in an emergency situation.
NERAC has been reimbursing communities in the Northeast Region for the overtime and backfill costs associated with sending their personnel for required NIMS and other ICS training. As of July 2008, NERAC has reimbursed Northeast Region communities for a total of $1.4 million.
Exercises – A portion of the training and exercises budget has been set aside for participation in exercises. Large multi-jurisdiction, multi-disciplinary exercises have been executed throughout the Northeast region. Regional LEPCs has participated in helping to coordinate these exercise and in the outreach to municipalities for participation and interest.
From the FFY 2004 funds NERAC directly sponsored eight courses that trained a total of 163 people at a total cost of $25,226. NERAC-sponsored courses in calendar year 2005 included:
· Two sessions of the Mayoral Institute for WMD and Terrorist Incidents. This six-hour course is specially designed for Mayors and local heads of government to understand their roles in the event of a major incident. Two sessions were held in April and May and had a total of 14 attendees;
· Four sessions of the Senior Officials Workshop for WMD Preparedness were held in April, May, June, and December 2005. This popular course is designed for local department heads in all disciplines and has had a total of 84 attendees from the Northeast Region.
· One offering each of the three-day WMD Threat and Risk Assessment and EMS Operations and Planning for WMD were offered by NERAC in calendar year 2005. These courses were held in June and November respectively and provided training to a total of 55 first responders from the Northeast Region.
· NERAC funded a City of Beverly-sponsored WMD for Incident Command course in May that had 10 attendees.
Project Status: - At the start of 2007 NERAC hired a consultant, Precision Planning and Simulations to facilitate DHS-compliant regional exercises throughout the Northeast Region while incorporating the usage of up to 3 NERAC resources. To date, 10 multi-jurisdictional and multi-discipline exercises from table top to functional exercises have been successfully completed.
· Battle Road
· Southern Essex
· Crossroads
· Cape Ann
· Northern Essex
· Mystic
· Merrimac
· Greater Lowell
· Boxborough
· Framingham
Regional Dispatch Study and Plan
Project Description: This project called for conducting a study and creating a plan for the implementation of regionalized emergency dispatching in the Northeast Homeland Security Planning Region. The goal of the study and plan are to provide an objective analysis of the pros and cons of regional dispatching vs. multiple, local dispatching centers; and to create a plan that provides a detailed roadmap for moving toward a regionalized system of emergency dispatching. The establishment of one or more regional Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) is a related goal for the Northeast Region. As part of the study of and plan for establishing regionalized emergency dispatching capabilities, the consultant will identify existing facilities (either privately or publicly owned) that could be used as EOCs.
Assessment and Establishment of Public Warning System
Project Description: In the event of a large-scale emergency, the public needs to know how to react. Public warning systems vary widely in scale and application. The Council would like to ensure that communities throughout the region have access to an effective public warning system. Prior to establishing or procuring such a system, a study was conducted to assess what systems are already in use in the region, throughout the state and even nationwide. Recommendations for the most appropriate system or systems were the result of a study conducted during the Summer of 2005. The findings and recommendations of the assessments provide direction for NERAC and its state and local partners in addressing these important issues.
Information Flow Assessment
Project Description: The objective of this project is to identify bottlenecks and dead-ends in the flow of critical emergency information and to make recommendations for the development of communications protocols that enhance the flow of critical information across levels of government, disciplines, jurisdictions, and through organizations.
Public Education Campaign: Security-in-Knowledge
Project Description: This project entailed developing and distributing to each community in the Northeast Region customizable materials for educating the public about what to do (and not do) when the national threat level changes. The project provided communities with a CD-Rom that can be customized with local information for use in presentations to community members. Hand out templates and other materials were also provided. This project developed into what is known as the Security-in-Knowledge campaign; created with the support of the hired consultant The Rendon Group. Because of the success of the campaign, EOPSS believed it to better serve the whole Commonwealth by making it a statewide public education outlet with all five regional councils signing on.
Project Description: The goal of this project is to help establish one or more regional EOCs. The first in the Commonwealth, NERAC has established a well-designed Portable Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) available to all 85 municipalities in the northeast region. The PEOC is a transportable and operational command and control facility which is stored at the NERAC regional cache in Beverly. It serves all jurisdictions, disciplines and first responders. Fully equipped with technical and logistical resources to function as either a stand-alone operation or augment to any facilities, this state-of-the-art PEOC can be deployed in less than 1 hour and takes less than 2 hours of training to learn. This resource not only optimizes communication during a major crisis but also provides a structure and system for conducting emergency operations.
It remains NERAC’s goal to facilitate the eventual establishment of physical EOCs that will be used for day-to-day purposes as well as during emergencies.
Create Regional Continuity of Operations Plan
Project Description: This project entailed creating a region-wide continuity of operations plan and complimentary COOP/COG template that could be adopted sub-regionally or by individual municipalities, which may not already have an updated plan. A template was created to help the northeast region establish comprehensive and effective Continuity of Operations/Continuity of Government (COOP/COG) plans. The guidance, template, and scenarios documents placed on a CD are downloadable to your computer system and can be expanded or modified to suit your community’s needs. These COOP/COG planning tools are designed to work in concert with other existing plans such as your CEMP and the pandemic COOP/COG provided to your local Board of Health by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH).
Develop Plan for First-Responder Families
Project Description: This project entailed the development of a plan for ensuring that first responders in the Northeast Region are able to show up to play their appointed roles, knowing that their own families are being taken care of through the implementation of a first responder family plan. The problem of emergency response personnel not showing up when needed was actually seen during the difficult 2004 hurricane season in Florida and the deadliest 2005 Hurricane Katrina. In March 2006, the First Responder Family Plan was developed and distributed to northeast communities to help offer comprehensive steps for coordination during an emergency situation.
Web-based Regional Emergency Information System: WebEOC
Project Description: This project entails the development of a regional web-based emergency information system that first responders and the public can use to access information, templates, plans, procedures, contact information etc... Because the state emergency management agency, MEMA, has developed its version with similar statewide capabilities, it is expected that eventually both version will be linked to offer a streamline usage for first responders. In June 2006, NERAC has made WebEOC available to 85 communities in the northeast region. WebEOC, is a web-based, real-time emergency communication system that first responders and municipalities can access and share information. It has its own email and chat functions so that sensitive data can be shared among authorized users without being compromised. It is a tool that is increasingly becoming beneficial to the communities on a basis during any major incident; for example the Danvers Fire. To date, more than 100 agency representatives from cities and towns across the region have participated in NERAC’s WebEOC training. In the near future, the NERAC WebEOC will eventually be linked to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) WebEOC version to ensure compatibility and integration between the multiple systems as well as streamlining dual entry of data - saving time and effort.
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