Communications and Information Management Flashcards
(26 cards)
What are the four (4) key communications and information systems principle that support the ability of incident commanders to maintain the constant flow of information during an incident?
- Interoperability
- Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
- Resilience and Redundancy
- Security
What is Interoperability?
The capacity for emergency management and response personnel to interact and work well together.
Interoperable communication systems enable personnel and organizations to communicate how?
- Within and across jurisdictions and organizations.
- Via voice, data, and video systems.
- In real time.
Communications and information systems should be designed to be what?
- Reliable. Familiar to users, adaptable to new technology, and dependable in any situation.
- Portable. Can effectively be transported, deployed, and integrated to enable support of incidents across jurisdictions.
- Scalable. Able to expand to support situations, from small to large scale, and support the rapid increase in the number of systems users.
Resilient and Redundant communicatiosn ensure what?
The uninterrupted flow of information.
What does Resiliency mean?
Systems can withstand and continue to perform after damage or loss of infrastructure.
What does Redundancy mean?
When primary communications methods fail, duplicate systems enable continuity through alternate communications methods.
What are the four (4) standard communication types?
- Strategic
- Tactical
- Support
- Public
What are Strategic Communications?
High-level directions, including resource priority decisions, roles and responsibilities determinations, and overall incident management courses of action.
What are Tactical Communications?
Communications among and between on-scene command and tactical personnel and cooperating agencies and organizations.
What are Support Communications?
Coordination of support of strategic and tactical communications (e.g., communications among hospitals concerning resource ordering, dispatching, and tracking; traffic and public works communications.
What are Public Communications?
Alerts and warnings, press conferences.
Who should be involved in communications planning to formulate integrated and interoperable communications plans, technology, and equipment standards?
All stakeholders.
Communications planning determines what?
- What communications systems and platforms are used.
- Who can use the communications systems.
- What information is essential.
- What the technical requirements are for communications equipment and systems.
Important points about communications systems agreements include:
- Should be in place between all parties in a jurisdiction’s emergency operations plan to ensure that the communications elements within plans and procedures are in effect at the time of a incident.
- Specify the communications systems and and platforms that the parties will use to share information.
- Typically include connection of networks, data format standards, and cybersecurity agreements.
When developing communications systems, personnel should consider what?
- The range of conditions under which personnel will use the systems.
- The range of potential system users.
- The current nationally-recognized communications standards.
- The need for durable equipment.
Information is used in many functions within ICS, EOCs, MAC groups, and JIS, including what?
- Aiding in planning.
- Communicating with the public, including emergency protective measures.
- Determining incident cost.
- Assessing the need for additional involvement of non-governmental organizations or private sector resources.
- Identifying safety issues.
- Resolving information requests.
Types of incident reports include what?
- Situation report (SITREP): Regular reports that contain information regarding the incident status during the past operational period and the specific details for an incident.
- Stats Report: Reports, such as spot reports, that include vital and/or time-sensitive information. Status reports are typically function-specific and less formal than SITREPS.
Why should incident reports use a common format?
To enable other jurisdictions and organizations to easily access incident information.
What are Incident Action Plans?
Plans containing the incident objectives, established by the Incident Commander or Unified Command and addressing tactics and support activities for th eplanned operations period (generally 12 to 24 hours).
When collecting data, personnel should do what?
- Follow data collection techniques and definitions.
- Conduct analysis of data.
- Transmit data through appropriate channels.
Data collection and processing include what standard elements?
- Initial size-up / rapid assessment.
- Data collection plans.
- Validation.
- Analysis.
- Dissemination.
- Updating.
During an incident, all incident personnel are linked by common communications standards and formats, including what?
- Common Terminology
- Plain Language
- Data Interoperability (common communications protocols)
Examples of communications technologies include?
- Radio and telephone systems.
- Public warning and notification systems
- Hardware, software, and Internet-based systems and applications such as Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and incident management software.
- Social media.
