(The following is a personal concept and not official teaching of the California Specialized Training Institute.)A SIXTH SEMS SECTION:
AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME
by Frank Cowan
I'm on a mission from God, said the man with eyes glazed over. I have made it my personal campaign to get Emergency Public Information recognized as a Section. Actually, it's a concept that kind of came together this last year or so as the Standardized Emergency Management System began to make its way through California's emergency management community.
Let's go back a few years. When the Incident Command System evolved from the military model, media coverage of emergencies was in its infancy. KTLA-TV in Los Angeles had a live camera or two, Stan Chambers was a nice young man, and most incidents needed only one or two Public Information Officers. The Incident Command organization chart reflected the relatively small role the PIO played by displaying the officer as a small box attached to the Incident Commander as part of the command staff.
As the population in California grew, the news media business grew with it. Slowly, very slowly, more PIOs were added to larger emergencies. The little box stayed where it was.
Now, as we near the end of the 90's, more and more agencies are staffing the Emergency Public Information function with a dozen or more PIOs. In an age of intense media coverage, a variety of avenues are available by which information can be disseminated to the public; but, it takes a trained staff to accomplish this.
Enter the Emergency Public Information Section. For the past 20 years we have been in an era wherein public information must be considered a high priority. Practical and political realities mandate this important function of emergency response receive the attention and staff it needs.
By making EPI a function and identifying it as a section, we elevate it to its proper place in the management system. A look at the accompanying organizational chart that includes EPI as a section shows some of the many important duties and responsibilities that must be carried out in an emergency.
There are three elements of an EPI section: Gathering, Disseminating, and Field Operations:
Gathering includes PIOs assigned to find critical information in Operations, Planning/Intelligences, the media coverage, or anyplace it resides.
Disseminating uses things such as media interviews, rumor control phone banks, web sites, Emergency Alerting Systems, regular briefings, and faxed updates. Disseminating is also responsible for internal information; keeping the emergency responders informed.
Field Operations consists of two-person teams working directly with the media at incidents, with the community, and with the media at their TV and radio stations and newspapers. Field PIO Teams also serve as the eyes and ears of the section.
No longer does this critical part of emergency response fit in a little box attached to the IC. This function deserves a place alongside the other four functions under the IC. EPI needs to be an integral part of Action Planning, briefings, and other management tools. Adding EPI as a section does not violate one "law" of Incident Command/SEMS. Instead, it emphasizes the need to better manage information by using branches and units, span of control. The EPI Section Chief (Lead PIO) still has direct access to the IC. The section can be expanded as necessary.
Several organizations are already using EPI as a section. Their organization charts reflect it. PIOs and others from law, fire, cities and counties wholeheartedly support this concept.
Why not? What can the objection be? So far, the objection has been "we have never done it that way." Enough said. It's time to reflect reality. Join us in our campaign.
(Opinions expressed in this article are the author's, and not the California Specialized Training Institute).