Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations, Volume 2: Assessment Process Manual (2016)

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59 C H A P T E R 7 7.1 Introduction This chapter will discuss two of the fundamental elements of an ERP—coordination and com- munication. Although it is difficult to separate the two, coordination will be treated as primarily involving human resources, while communication will focus on the network itself. A stress-tested, fail-safe communications network is critical to the coordination of an effective and rapid team response during an emergency event—one relies on the other. SHAs understand the importance of working with communications vendors, other agencies, and the general pub- lic so that they are prepared for as many scenarios as possible. Coordination and communication must be key components of an SHA’s “First You Plan” (see Chapter 4) strategy. A communications plan must consider worst-case scenarios where digital communications may not be available. In addition, the plan must address the need for redundancy. Each SHA will have to weigh the costs and benefits of investing in backup systems based on the likelihood and frequency of events. However, certain technologies and devices can be integrated into routine practice for better return on investment and ensuring that personnel are familiar with them. While future developments in communication technology are unknown, they are likely to lead to more reliability and choice, such as more cost-effective satellite communications. The planned coordination and supporting lines of communication should be well-established, understood, and practiced to the point where they are second nature to all involved parties prior to an emergency event. For the purposes of this chapter, four tiers of the coordination effort will be considered: 1. Local government—municipalities and local counties 2. SHA and state government—within the Office of Emergency Management 3. Federal government—government and other agencies 4. Public—vendors and the general public Figure 7-1 illustrates communication channels between local, state, federal, and public agen- cies. Much of the general emergency response coordination between these groups will be han- dled by the NIMS and Incident Command System (ICS). However, coordination specific to the assessing, coding, and marking of highway structures may require direct links between persons in each of the above groups. 7.2 Coordination Coordinating an emergency response effort can potentially involve thousands of people, if the general public is included. As seen from recent events, this can be extremely challenging, often with people’s lives at stake. It cannot be overstated, pre-event planning is essential to success. Coordination and Communication

60 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual * Refer to Interagency Communications DEP = Department of Environmental Protection Figure 7-1. Flowchart of proposed lines of communication. From a human resources perspective, if the SHA has not already done so it will first need to establish an internal emergency management chain of command. It is essential that every- one who may become involved in the emergency response effort knows their role, what they are responsible for, and with whom/how they are to communicate. It may also be necessary to establish a backup person for each of the key roles. In many ways, coordination of the response effort should function similar to a military operation where the lines of commu- nication and ranks of authority to make decisions are clearly known in advance. Figure 7-2 presents a recommended organizational structure for emergency structural assessments and communication within the SHA. Table 7-1, along with the flowchart in Figure 7-1, is a summary of the proposed lines of communication and suggested protocols at each of the four tiers. Figure 7-2 also highlights

Coordination and Communication 61 the proposed chain of command within the SHA. The remainder of this section provides key recommendations for coordination including general roles, development of response plans, FR coordination, and PDAR coordination. 7.2.1 General Response The following leadership and logistical roles should be considered in the ERP: 1. A SHA EMC should be identified. Depending on the size of the state and the likely frequency of events, this could be a full-time position. The EMC will have the responsibility for devel- oping an ERP that is best suited to the needs of their particular state and for the emergency event coordination. 2. Each state should identify an emergency data coordinator. This person coordinates all of the digital data, ensures its quality, and provides that data in a form that is most useful for the response. This person will establish and update data transfer protocols and ensure that these procedures are being followed. 3. Depending on the size of the state and the expected workload, it may make sense to assign a high-level individual as a logistics coordinator who coordinates logistic support (e.g., travel, housing, hospitalization) for the responders. These duties become particularly important if personnel are brought in from another region or state to assist. Figure 7-2. Interagency communication chain of command.

62 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual 4. The SHA will need to establish a communication/press coordinator for coordinating with the public and press from an informational point of view. All other personnel should know what (if any) authority they have to communicate with the public. 7.2.2 Response Plans When creating a response plan, the following elements of coordination need to be considered: 1. Response plans and procedures must be compatible with the NIMS and ICS and must be coordinated with other federal and state agencies such as FEMA and the DHS. This will avoid duplication of efforts and ensure that each group knows what its responsibili- ties are. 2. A streamlined procedure could be developed for smaller-scale or single-structure events. Utah DOT, for example, has developed a detailed ERP that designates minor and major response protocols (See Appendix E). Agency and Title Description Lo ca l G ov er nm en t Municipalities, Counties, etc. It is suggested that the same hierarchy as SHAs be implemented, or at least an emergency management coordinator be assigned. Local government involvement is important to the SHAs’ timely emergency response. SH A a nd S ta te G ov er nm en t Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC) The EMC will have responsibility for all coordination and communication in case of an emergency. The EMC needs to have the responsibility for developing an ERP that is best suited to the needs of their particular state. Depending on the size of the state, it may be necessary to have an assistant to this position. Responsible for adopting the suggested “First You Plan” concepts. SHA Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) Chief structural, geotechnical, hydrological, mechanical, and material engineers who specialize in the affected structure types. Report to the managing engineer. SMEs properly apply and follow the procedures derived from the Assessment Process Manual. Approve standard work packets that are developed for the inspection teams including assessing, coding, and marking procedures and information management. SMEs support the chain of command and properly communicate their findings. Contingency plans with what-if scenarios should be presented and explained to increase the likelihood of success. Prepare and coordinate pre-incident planning and training. Provide reference materials. Assistant EMC Reports to the EMC. Properly applies and follows the procedures derived from the Assessment Process Manual. Ensures implementation of the standard work packets that were developed for the inspection teams including assessing, coding, and marking procedures. Assists in establishing the chain of command and how to properly communicate the findings. Contingency plans with what-if scenarios should be presented and explained to increase the likelihood of success. Other SHAs Neighboring states in case of an emergency event crossing state boundaries. Communication/ Press Coordinator Communicates with the public (see Public Entities row). Ensures that procedures are followed per SHA requirements. Fe de ra l G ov er nm en t FHWA Division Office Establishes and maintains communication channels within FHWA. Emergency Agencies Lines of communication with federal and state agencies such as FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security need to be identified. SHAs are encouraged to follow the established protocols. Pu bl ic En tit ie s Vendors Coordinates and places agreements in advance with communication companies, online service providers, and others. Public Coordinates with public. Can take many forms including incoming calls, emails, media reports and queries. Table 7-1. Table summary of proposed lines of communication and suggested protocols.

Coordination and Communication 63 3. An emergency “call-in number” that connects to the emergency management center should be published as soon as possible after an event. The center should be staffed 24/7 with the appropriate number of people to handle the expected call volume. A website could also be used to communicate with the public and provide status updates. 7.2.3 Fast Reconnaissance Coordination recommendations for FR include the following: 1. An FR coordinator should be identified to assemble the various sources of information and to report FR updates to the EMC, emergency data coordinator, and managing engineer. This individual organizes and monitors the FR efforts and reports the overall findings to help the managing engineer determine the appropriate response levels. 2. Immediately following an event, the ERP will be implemented beginning with a determina- tion of the extent and severity of the damage. The state’s traffic operations center will likely be the first group to receive reports from the traveling public. This information should be used to guide decision making about the level of mobilization and prioritization that needs to occur (e.g., response level). The ERP should anticipate as many of the possible scenarios as possible. 3. Given the rapid pace of technological change on the consumer electronics front, the SHA should continually assess how best to empower citizens with the ability to assist in the emer- gency management effort. Crowdsourcing could include public website portals and smart apps, or the use of hash tags for YouTube and Twitter, for example. The value and reliability of this crowdsourced data are likely to improve over time, but such data will probably not be considered a primary input to the assessment process for some time. 7.2.4 Preliminary Damage Assessment The following procedures are recommended to improve coordination at the PDA stage: 1. Inspection routes should be prioritized, defined, and assigned to the proper personnel. Con- tingency plans with what-if scenarios should be presented and explained to increase the likelihood of success. 2. At the local level, each structure (or group of structures) and/or highway segment should be assigned to an individual beginning with someone at the district staff level who is most famil- iar with the assets and then continuing to roll up to the subject matter experts including the chief structural, geotechnical, hydrological, mechanical, and materials engineers, who in turn report to the managing engineer. The goal is to develop a sense of individual “ownership” for each structure/highway segment in the SHA inventory. These assignments should be made as part of the pre-event planning process. 3. Standard work packets should be developed for the PDAR teams that include Volume 3: Cod- ing and Marking Guidelines, contact information, inspection route maps, information on the chain of command (see Figure 7-2), and protocols to properly communicate their findings. This information should be available digitally as well as in print form and reviewed periodically. 4. A list of office and personal cell phone numbers as well as email addresses for the key members of the emergency response team should be maintained up to date and distrib- uted to all emergency personnel. If communication networks are not available, designated physical meeting locations should be established prior to the event as a backup. This same information should be kept up to date both in a digital network location and included in the Coding and Marking Guidelines along with maps and information concerning designated inspection routes and emergency communication network options.

64 Assessing, Coding, and Marking of Highway Structures in Emergency Situations: Assessment Process Manual 5. A formal process of status reporting should be established to keep senior management informed with the most current information. These reports will describe affected areas, the impact of the event on traffic operations, identification of any closed or flagged highways/ bridges, detailed accounts of damaged structures, inspected structures, and damage cost estimates, if available. As the response progresses, daily concise progress reports should be provided. 7.2.5 Lessons Learned and Review A record of all meetings and decisions should be documented so that after the response is completed these materials can be reviewed and the lessons learned applied to future emergency planning and structural design activities. This will establish a spirit of continuous improvement regarding emergency response planning and operations as well as provide necessary data to support decisions made toward those improvements. 7.3 Communication With the increasing use of mobile devices, including smartphones and smart tablets, it would greatly simplify the coordination efforts if the availability of these devices and supporting net- works could be relied on during an emergency event. However, under extreme conditions, this is not likely to be the case with the current technology. Although the use of cell phones as the primary method of communication is being assumed, it is recommended that the commu- nications plan include a worst-case scenario where digital communications networks are not available. It is also not uncommon to have large areas, particularly rural, without cell service in normal times. These areas should be identified and considered in the response plan in order to avoid any delays during assessment. To address this issue, some providers are offering emergency government priority networks and/or portable emergency backup systems that should be considered as part of the pre-event planning. Table 7-2 provides a listing of communications networks and services that have been established to provide higher priority and backup to governments during emergency events. The pre-event training programs should include information on how and when to use these networks, as well as the procedures and protocols that should be followed. The emergency data coordinator or other IT professionals within or outside the SHA should be consulted so that proper communication networks are identified prior to occurrence of an event. As the reliability of the networks improves, likely through the use of satellite communications, the need for an off-network backup plan should be greatly reduced.

Coordination and Communication 65 Service Description Benefits Limitations Web Link Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) GETS provides personnel priority access and prioritized processing in the local and long-distance segments of the landline networks. • Increased probability of call completion • No special phones required • 90% call completion when call volume is eight times greater than normal network capacity • Fees may apply • Does not preempt calls in progress • Used for landline networks http://www.dhs. gov/government- emergency- telecommunicatio ns-service-gets Wireless Priority Service (WPS) WPS is a priority telecommunications service that improves the connection capabilities for authorized national security and emergency preparedness cell phone users. • WPS calls receive priority over normal cellular calls • High probability of call completion • Does not preempt calls in progress • Used for wireless telephone networks • Not supported by all carriers https://www.dhs. gov/wireless- priority-service- wps Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) VoIP delivers voice communications over IP networks. • Allows calls directly from a computer, a special VoIP phone, or a traditional phone connection to a special adapter • Broadband (high speed internet) connection is required • A computer, adaptor, or specialized phone is required • Some VoIP services don’t work during power outages http://transition. fcc.gov/voip/ Mobile Communications Office Vehicle (MCOV) MCOVs are multi-purpose vehicles that have been modified with work stations and satellite communications to provide voice and data connectivity to the FEMA network. • Provides an office and communications platform capable of moving into a disaster on short notice • Enables FEMA to respond quickly and effectively • Flexible response • Limited number of vehicles • Difficult for MCOV to navigate to disaster areas if the roads and/or structures are damaged http://www.fema. gov/mobile- communications- office-vehicle Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) Telecommunications MERS telecommunications assets can temporarily establish or reestablish communications connectivity with the public telecommunications system or government telecommunications networks. • High frequency (HF) to communicate with federal, state, and local emergency groups • Very high frequency (VHF) and ultra high frequency (UHF) for local radio communications • Typically used for large-scale events when the local and state authorities do not have the appropriate resources http://www.fema. gov/mobile- emergency- response-support- telecommunicatio ns Sprint Emergency Response Team (ERT) The Sprint ERT provides short-term wireless telecommunications equipment, infrastructure and operations support to federal, state and local government entities, public safety officials, law enforcement, military and private corporations. • Rapid Deployment Solutions (RDS) • Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTS) • SatIP Fly-Away-Kits (FAKs) • Fixed-install antenna systems • Go-Kits • Short-term communication equipment rentals • Fees may apply depending on resource needed http://shop2.sprin t.com/en/solution s/fixed_mobile_ convergence/ emergency_ response_team. shtml Tait Communications Tait Communications is a multi- national radio communications company that develops voice and data radio technologies for fire and emergency response situations. • Secure communications Fees may apply depending on resource needed http://www.taitra dio.com/fire- emergency Satellite communications technology Communications satellites are artificial satellites sent to space for the purpose of telecommunications. • Can be used when both telephones and land mobile radios are disconnected • Lack of connection when responders lose line of sight Emergency Communications Network Emergency Communications Network has built an Emergency Telephone Network database of resident contact information for use in critical situations. • Includes warnings for flash floods, tornados, and tsunamis • Customizable based on private or public sectors http://ecnetwork. com/ Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) Program TSP is a program that authorizes national security and emergency preparedness organizations to receive priority treatment for vital voice and data circuits or other telecommunications services. • TSP restoration priorities must be requested and assigned before a service outage occurs • Requires a subscription from Verizon http://www.veriz onenterprise.com /solutions/public_ sector/federal/con tracts/wits3/cust_ care/telecom_sec urity_fraud/nsep_ programs/ SATRAD SATRAD provides two-way, push-to- talk radio communications that enable public safety, first responders, and commercial users to extend radio communications. • Talk groups can be configured to allow for interagency communications between local, regional, and national emergency response organizations • Can be installed in vehicles, provided as portable kits, or fix mounted • Based on a flat rate per month http://www.netw orkinv.com/techn ology/satrad- satellite-push-to- talk/ Table 7-2. Recommended emergency communication systems.