# Presentation: 060795

## EOC Organization, Staffing and Management

## Definition of an EOC

-    “An unfamiliar place
- where leaders of an organization go
- to make decisions
- in little or no time
- based on little or no information”
- Snowshoe Thompson, 1856

## Why Is An EOC Needed?

-    . . .  a single facility where key staff can meet, make decisions and coordinate activities.
-    . . .  provides a focal point for emergency management.
-    . . .  facilitates a team approach to problem-solving.

## Advantages of an EOC

- Centralized direction and control
- Single point for collection, evaluation, display and dissemination of information
- Facilitates verification of information
- Provides a repository of data
- Makes maximum use of existing communications

## Advantages (con’t)

- Facilitates coordination
- Provides continuity and facilitates shift changes
- Provides for the identification of all available resources
- Provides a ready reference on the current situation
- ?

## Major Functions of an EOC

- 1.		Communications and warning
- 2.		Information collection, evaluation,  			display and DOCUMENTATION
- 3.		Emergency policy-making
- 4.		Action planning
- 5.		Coordination of resources
- 6.		Public information

## Relationship of EOCto Command Post(s)

- On-site Command Posts (CPs) serve to provide direction and control over certain tactical activities
- May be more than one CP
- CPs may pre-exist and outlive the EOC
- Some incidents do not require CPs

*When activated, the EOC provides*
*centralized direction, control*
*and coordination..*

## EOC Organization,Staffing & Equipping

## EOC Configuration

- No “1” configuration, but must allow for:
- Message center
- Operations coordination
- Display area
- Other adjacent areas should provide for:
- Planning meetings
- Communications equipment
- Administrative support
- Media briefings

## Sample Grouping of Operations Units

## Message

- Center

- Public
- Information
- Officer

- Master Displays

- Finance
- Chief

- SITSTAT

- Logistics
- Chief

- Plans
- Chief

- RESTAT

- EOC
- Manager

## EOC Staff

- Agency administrator
- EOC Manager
- PIO
- General staff sections
- Operations
- Plans
- Logistics
- Finance
- Support (security, commo, etc.)
- Clerical

## Equipment & Supplies

- Communications
- Computers/printers
- Tables/chairs
- Easels & flipcharts
- Message forms
- Office supplies
- Overhead projector/screen

## Don’t Forget...

- Facility plan(s)
- Call-down rosters
- Resource lists
- Maps/blueprints
- Phone books
- Nametags
- Flashlights/batteries

## EOC Management

## Situation Reports

- Travel Orders
- Resource Activation
- Mission Assignments
- Computer Problems
- Work Environment
- Shift Schedules
- Conference Calls
- Inter-agency Liaison
- Incident Status
- Resource Status
- Office Supplies
- Briefings
- Shift Action Plan
- Parking/Bldg. Access
- Procurement/Budget

- Operations
- Section

**Activities**

**Management Functions**

- Plans
- Section

- Logistics
- Section

- Finance
- Section

- Sample showing function

**Primary**

**Involved**

**Notes:**
Here is an example of some PHS EOC activities and where they would be assigned.  The black dots indicate primary responsibility, with the gray dots indicating what other Sections and Units would be involved with that activity, or coordinated with to accomplish that activity.

## Managing Time

- Establishing the operational period (Operiod)
- Cycle of activities
- First Operiod
- Remaining Operiods
- Shift change meetings
- Situation briefing
- Action planning meeting
- Brief supervisors on plan
- Track, coordinate incident progress
- Situation updates

## Set Priorities

- Status briefing
- Establish/modify priorities

- Develop objectives
- Support priorities
- Resolve conflicts

- Develop plans
- Based on priorities
- and assigned objectives

- Implement plans
- Coordinate & execute
- Report accomplishments

## Managing Information

- Types of Messages
- Message flow
- What should be tracked
- Displays

## Types of Messages

- 4 types of messages
**Inquiries** asking for information
**Advisories** providing information
**Requests** asking for resources or decisions
**Orders** directing resources or activities

## Message Flow

**IN**
- Message Center - receives, records and routes information to appropriate functions.
**IN/OUT**
- Operations units - receive updates on progress of activities, requests for additional resources, etc.

## Components

- Source(s)

- Telephone

- Radio

- FAX

- E-Mail

- Mass Media

- Rumor

**Verify**

**Analyze**

**Log**

**Synthesize**

- Visual
- Displays

- Situation
- Briefings

- Action
- Plans

- Situation
- Reports

- Historical
- Records

**Distribute**

**Notes:**
This slide illustrates the components of the Information/Intelligence process.

## Processing

- Source

**Log**

**Verify**

- Visual
- Displays

**Analyze**

**Synthesize**

- Action
- Plans

- Situation
- Reports

- Situation
- Briefings

- Historical
- Records

**Distribute**

**Notes:**
Here is how the various components would be organized.

## What Should Be Tracked

- Situation status
- External
- Internal
- Resource status
- Assigned
- Available
- Out-of-Service
- Reporting times
- Decisions made

## Displays

- Situation Status (SITSTAT)
- Incident history
- Current status
- Patient disposition
- Current objectives and assignments
- Resource Status (RESTAT)
- Assigned resources
- Available (staged) resources

## Common Mistakes

- Lack of a viable disaster plan
- No knowledge of disaster resources
- Lack of visible leadership
- Not establishing a control on information flow
- Untrained staff
- Key people leave
***Not focusing on what happens next***

## Questions?