ESF 15: Public and Governmental Affairs

Dallas College Emergency Support Function #15 – Public and Governmental Affairs Annex

This Emergency Operations Plan Annex is hereby approved for Dallas College. This plan annex is effective immediately and supersedes all previous editions.

ESF Coordinator

Executive Vice Chancellor
1601 South Lamar Street
Dallas, TX 75215
Phone: 214-378-1824

Primary Department/Agency

Public and Governmental Affairs
1601 South Lamar Street
Dallas, TX 75215
Phone: 214-378-1824

See Emergency Operations Plan, Authority.

The Emergency Support Function (ESF) annexes to the Emergency Operations Plan organize the applicable college positions, departments, and outside support agencies into groups according to their roles in strategic response to a campus emergency or disaster. Outside agencies may include: governmental, non-governmental, private sector, and other volunteer resources. The ESF annex provides basic information on available internal and external departments and agencies that might be needed for an incident that affects Dallas College. Each ESF has at least one lead position or department within the college that will lead the specific response, one or more supporting departments within the college that will provide response support, and one or more external supporting departments from the surrounding communities, and neighboring jurisdictions.

ESFs will normally be activated at the direction of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Director in response to activation level 3 or greater emergencies as outlined in the EOP. Designated department and agency resources may be requested to respond or recover from emergency incidents that affect the college. Normally, the response and recovery actions will be coordinated from the EOC as Incident or Unified Command will use the resources at the incident scene.

The primary position/department/office(s) will normally be responsible for coordinating specific requirements associated with the emergency support function. Support position/department/office(s) may be contacted to provide expertise and assistance, as needed. Finally, external departments/agencies may be needed if internal resources are overwhelmed or where college capabilities do not exist (such as emergency medical or fire services.) In all cases, prior memorandums of understanding, mutual aid agreements, or funding issues would need to be addressed prior to requesting assistance.

Purpose

The purpose of ESF 15 is to identify the internal and external departments responsible for External Affairs and Public Relations that may take place in an emergency. This ESF provides and coordinate resources (personnel, equipment, facilities, materials and supplies) to support External Affairs and Public Relations during an emergency or disaster.

Scope

Emergency Support Function 15:

• Coordinates external communications and public relations with media partners.
• Provides emergency public information and maintains local community relations.
• Serves as the college public information representative for the EOC in situations where a Joint Information Center is established.
• Direct scripts and rules of engagement for the Social Media Analysis and Response Team (SMART) and any established call centers.
• May be activated to respond to incidents that overwhelm normal Incident Command response actions.

Situation

Dallas College is exposed to many hazards, all of which have the potential for disrupting the community, causing casualties, and damaging or destroying public or private property. Potential emergencies and disasters include both natural and human-caused incidents.

See the EOP Hazard Summary for the potential emergencies that may impact Dallas College.

Assumptions

The college makes the following planning assumptions:

• College resources will be quickly overwhelmed.
• Communication systems may fail during a major incident.
• Backup systems will be available, but may take time to activate.
• Shortfalls can be expected in both support personnel and equipment.
• Local, state, and federal assistance may not be immediately available.

General

A common operating procedure within the college and across local jurisdictions provides the framework for Public and Governmental Affairs. Interoperable systems make this framework possible. Resources are in existence throughout the college and the cities in which college properties lie to provide coordinated capabilities for the most effective and efficient warning, response, and recovery activities. When these capabilities are properly coordinated, response activities become more effective and efficient.

• The Emergency Operations Plan provides overall guidance for emergency planning.
• ESF annexes are designed to provide general guidance and basic information to include points of contact in case additional resources or expertise is needed at the EOC or incident scene.

Organization

• National Incident Management System concepts will be used for all incidents.
• Incident or Unified Command will be used by responding departments and agencies.
• When requested, ESF personnel will report to the EOC and utilize the EOP, its annexes, and other SOPs to activate and operate during an incident or event.

Activation

• If ESF 15 requires activation, the EOC Director or his/her staff will contact the departments or agencies listed in this annex to report to the EOC.
• The college emergency notification system may be utilized for the notification and recall of groups needed for the function of the ESF.

Direction and Control

• The Incident Command System (ICS) is used by college personnel to respond to emergencies and disasters. During the emergency response phase, all responders will report to the designated Incident Commander (IC) at the Incident Command Post (ICP).
• The ESF shall not self-deploy to the incident scene. Wait to be contacted or try to contact the Emergency Operations Center for guidance and direction.
• Do not call any emergency dispatch or public safety answering point unless you have an emergency or critical information to report.

Emergency Support Function Operations

The emergency support function will primarily take action in the following phases:

• Preparedness
  • Review and update this annex.
  • Participate in any exercises, as appropriate.
  • Develop and maintain a list of possible resources that could be requested in an emergency.
  • Maintain a list of personnel (at least one primary and one back up individual) that can be called to the EOC, as needed.
  • Develop procedures to document costs for any potential reimbursement.
• Response
  • When requested by the EOC Director, immediately respond to EOC.
  • If necessary, coordinate or participate in a Joint Information Center (JIC) with partner agencies in emergency response.
  • Coordinate emergency information for public release through EOC Director.
  • Direct scripts and rules of engagement for the Social Media Analysis and Response Team (SMART) and any established call centers.
  • Engage with public media outlets to coordinate any require media staging areas, media releases, or press conferences/briefings.
• Recovery
  • Coordinate assistance as needed by the IC, EOC Director, or EOC Policy Group, as appropriate.
  • Ensure that ESF 15 team members or their agencies maintain appropriate records of costs incurred during the event.

ESF Coordinator

• Develop, maintain, and coordinate the planning and operational functions of the ESF Annex through the ESF primary agency.
• Maintain working inter-local agreements, or other functional contracts to bolster the ESF capability.

ESF Primary Agency

• Serves as the lead agency for ESF 15, supporting the response and recovery operations after activation of the EOC.
• Develop, maintain, and update plans and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for use during an emergency.
• Identify, train, and assign personnel to staff ESF 15 when college EOC is activated.
• At a minimum, the National Incident Management System ICS-100, IS-700, IS-29, IS-702.a, IS-794, IS-250.a and IS-800 on line classes should be completed by assigned personnel. Additional training requirements may found in the Training, Testing, and Exercise support annex, published under a separate cover.

ESF Support and External Agencies

Support the primary agency as needed.

Acronyms

Definitions