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April 3, 2020 

WE ARE IN THE AGE OF THE JOINT INFORMATION CENTER (JIC)

One of the best life-saving and therapeutic measures during a 

pandemic is information. If the public cannot understand the 

mandates, directions, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI), 

and decisions being made, there will be a significant increase in 

the loss of life. By providing consistent, timely, honest, and 

accurate information to the public we can reduce the anxiety 

caused by misinformation or a lack of information. 

Pacific Northwest Team 2, a Type 1 Incident Management Team (IMT), was tasked with 

providing strategic level planning and coordination to the Unified Area Command 

located at the Washington State Emergency Operations Center (WA EOC), in support of 

Washington State's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining statewide 

perspective. 

Regarding the information function, we were asked to evaluate the state’s Joint 

Information Center (JIC) and make recommendations to the JIC Director. 

GENERAL RECOMMENDATION: 

Recognize the JIC as the first, best, and most reliable source of information for the 

COVID-19 pandemic response statewide. 

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS: 

• Develop a process and identify a single position in the JIC to have daily contact 

with the Unified Coordination Group, Unified Command, and State Emergency 

Operations Center in order to answer the primary question: “Is the State JIC 

meeting expectations?” 

• Develop a strategic communication planning cycle for both short-term (24/48/72 

hours) and long-term (7/14/21/28 days) planning. This will assist the JIC in 

developing appropriate methods to communicate planned, predicted, or inevitable 

events. • Efficient and proactive information flow is critical to effectively meet public 

information needs and carry out PIO responsibilities. This is particularly true when 

multiple organizations unite into a cohesive team for emergency response. By 

maintaining a centralized communication facility, resources are better managed, 

and duplication of effort minimized (Washington State EOC Standard Operating 

Procedures 11/15/2019). 

• Build on the excellent outreach to all Washingtonians with consideration to equity, 

diversity, and inclusion. • Maintain and increase public trust and consistent messaging throughout the state 

using virtual community meetings and town halls; frequent media updates; daily 

video updates; virtual “personal contact” with SMEs via live streams. • Actively manage long-term staffing (30/60/90 days) based on known or 

anticipated events. 
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April 3, 2020 

In addition to the above bulleted list of recommendations, PNW2 Public Information 

Officers documented the following observations, lessons learned, and best practices 

from one of the first state JICs to be opened during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. 

BE ROBUST, RESILIENT and MINDFUL 

An organization that is going to remain effective, sustainable and able to cope with 

the challenges that we face should cultivate three fundamental qualities: 

1. Robust – Be strong enough to “take a hit.” 

2. Resilient – Be able to “take a hit and get back up.” 

3. Mindful – Be strategic and forward thinking so you have the space to recognize 

that “it’s best if we don’t take that hit at all.” 

COVID-19 REDEFINES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF A LONG-TERM EVENT

Experts suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic will affect our communities in waves, 

with spikes and lulls depending on time of year, adherence to NPIs, and the amount of 

time it takes to test, approve, manufacture, distribute, and administer a vaccine. 

Rebuilding and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic could last for years. Plan for an 

organization that is capable of staffing a centralized information response over the 

next several years that has: 

• Appropriate redundancy across the organization. 

• Staffing based on skills, rather than qualifications, when qualified staff are not 

readily available. • Organizational permission to be invasive when being invasive is needed to provide 

the public with the best information. 

• Collaboration of organizations and individuals that are not going to view 

information as a resource to be hoarded. • Leadership that: 

o Promotes the well-being of responders and resists resignation and despair, 

o acknowledges that no one person can fix the problem, and 

o accepts and understands that we are all in this together for an extended 

period. 

MEETING EXPECTATIONS 

• Ensure that the JIC has a communication link with Unified Coordination Group to 

advise of potential challenges, provide expertise on suggested messaging, and 

avoid communication failures. 

• Document actions and retain records. 

• Ensure that the Unified Coordination Group, Unified Command, and State 

Emergency Operations Center understand the role of the JIC. 

• Get/give clear leader’s intent to manage expectations of what success looks like. 

Watch Out: The JIC needs a seat at EOC planning meetings and needs to be 

involved in conversations with the advanced planning group to see what 

events/actions are being forecast. Depending on the experience and culture of 

the advanced planning group, they could be “worried the info people were 
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April 3, 2020 

there to point out gaps and not there as a partner in the process to improve 

the outcome for the public and business community” (JIC Co-Director). 

Reminder: Closed-loop communication is the key to the JIC knowing what 

major policy or planning changes have happened. Otherwise, the JIC can easily 

be blindsided and fall behind on messaging or fail to support major policy 

announcements with appropriate messaging - leaving the public frustrated. 

LONG-TERM CHALLENGES 

Staffing: • Use resource tracking spreadsheet to manage current/future staffing needs. 

• Develop good documentation, so that new staff can begin where others left off. 

• Ensure comprehensive transition occurs - ideally a full day to “shadow” the 

position. 

• Solicit interest for assistance from state agency communications employees. 

• Develop rotation of “teams of people,” so that there is a rotation of people able 

to fill in if a “whole team” becomes quarantined. 

• Follow guidelines for symptomatic individuals (72 hours, 14 days, etc.) 

• Remote onboarding and learning how to work as a team while virtual. • Develop SOPs, best practices, cheat sheets for the incoming staffing to facilitate 

speed to competency.

Inability to Interact in Person (Low Tech Outreach): 

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) have drastically changed the way we 

implement our traditional “low tech” outreach strategies. This necessitates 

eliminating traditional responses such as personally interacting with the public at 

designated locations. Community meetings have changed to “virtual town halls”. 

Solution: reorganize into sub-teams and work to ensure that essential 

businesses can download and print messaging materials, and that email lists are 

robust and inclusive of the target communities. 

Existing Processes: 

As with any organization focused on dealing with a complicated incident such as a 

pandemic, there is the tendency to remain in “initial attack” mode. Despite having 

established processes in place, there is a tendency is to be constantly overwhelmed 

by the day-to-day deluge of media requests, both announced and unannounced 

pressers, and updating talking points with the latest information.

• Leadership within the JIC must focus on stabilizing the incident by asking: 

o Are we following our established processes? 

o Are we flexible enough to correct our course before it is necessary? 

• Establish daily meeting schedule, 24/48/72-hour plan, longer-term planning 

(10/14/21/30 days) to anticipate, assign, or begin work on messaging packages for 

predictable or significant events to avoid extremely stressful situations. 
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• Enlist PIOs with experience on long term incidents to help set pace for this longterm response. 

Some of the processes that were established for ESF15 and the JIC in the 2019 

Washington State Emergency Operating Plan Standard Operating Procedures 

included: 

• The Public Information Officer (PIO) provides leadership for and manages 

Emergency Support Function 15 (ESF 15) External Affairs in the State Emergency 

Operations Center (SEOC). AND Supervises: ... Joint Information Center Manager/

Deputy Manager (if state provides leadership for incident JIC). 

o Reports to SEOC Supervisor 

o Coordinates with: Governor’s Communication Director, state agency 

Communication Directors • FEMA Region 10 public affairs staff are contacted and briefed on the state’s 

response and emergency public information activities. 

• A State Joint Information Center is established as requested by the MAC-G and/or 

is necessary to accomplish operational requirements. 

• During RECOVERY: 

o Planning for a Joint Information Center within the FEMA-State Joint Field Office 

is discussed with FEMA Region 10’s Public Affairs Office (note: this assumes the 

Governor requested or is planning to request federal assistance from the 

President via an emergency or major disaster declaration). 

o State emergency public information activities are transitioned from ESF 15 in 

the SEOC to the Joint Field Office’s JIC (once established) after the receipt 

of a Presidential emergency or major disaster declaration.

Span of Control: 

• Ensure that the leaders are not also the tacticians. 

• Create a team of people that allows the leaders to stay removed from the 

operation, while others are engaged in the execution and distribution of 

information. 

• Build an organization that maintains advised ratio of 5-10 PIOs per team lead. 

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION 

• Map the processes within the JIC to ensure the correct people are involved. • Enlist PIOs with experience on long-term incidents to help set pace for this longterm response. 

• Anticipate impacts to the mental health of the JIC staff, as well as the population 

they serve as isolation, health and family concerns, loss of income, and the sudden 

reshaping of daily life takes its collective toll. 

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS 

o Identify individuals that can be dedicated to evaluating the entire information web 

(at all levels – local, state, Federal, other (neighboring) states. 

o Conduct a SWOT analysis periodically 
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o What are the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats? • Map the network of information flow from top to bottom. 

o Can the workload be distributed across the network? 

• Maximize virtual platforms to share information/resources. • Be clear about the mission of the statewide JIC. 

• What happens if whole teams go down and need to be replaced? 

• Develop contingency plans using PACE model planning (Primary, Alternate, 

Contingency, Emergency). 

• What can be staffed remotely? 

o Who must be physically located “in” the JIC? 

o Develop a plan for a virtual JIC. 

• JIC needs to take on a long-term analysis function. 

• Work with Long-Term Planning and COVID-19 modelers to identify long-term 

messaging needs. 

UTILIZE GAP ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY WEAKNESSES 

Always be asking: 

o What are we missing? 

o What do we need to be successful? • Use feedback loops to make sure messages are received. 

• Have someone dedicated to monitoring federal messages and tracking differences 

with state-approved messaging. • Also look at other states’ directives, guidance to find similarities, differences, 

tools, etc. 

INFORMATION FLOW 

• Ensure mechanisms support accurate, accessible, and timely information sharing 

with the public and various stakeholders during emergencies and declared 

disasters. 

o Put emphasis on “one-stop-shop" websites, and ensure they meet accessibility 

requirements for all user groups. 

o Utilize platforms for virtual media briefings, community meetings, or town 

halls. 

o Increase outreach to radio stations. 

o Consider Facebook or YouTube live streams and produced video updates with 

subject matter experts. 

• Improve two-way intelligence gathering and information sharing by assigning 

specific liaisons between JIC and: 

o Emergency Support Function (ESF) 15 – External Affairs 

o WA 211 Resource Directory (approx. 2000 call/day and increase following 

Governor announcements) 

o Public information staff in the field (County JICs/IMTs) 

• Share official, approved JIC products with all internal audiences (WA211, other 

JICs/PIOs). 

• Gather official, approved information products from other sources within the 

state. 
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH SHOULD INCLUDE EQUITY, DIVERSITY and INCLUSION 

• Develop partnerships with people who are full-time equity social justice workers. 

• Consider a wide range of outreach platforms including traditional and 

nontraditional. For example: streaming animated ads, coloring books for 

underserved families, and social marketing campaigns targeted to areas where 

infection rates are increasing. • To best serve the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and sight-impaired communities, work 

through the leaders of those community organizations. 

Example: WA EOC JIC contracted with a company in Seattle to create nine ASL 

video PSAs in coordination with community partners. These PSA are hosted on 

the state’s primary COVID-19 website (www.coronavirus.wa.gov) where they 

can be shared individually or in a series during social media campaigns. 

• Target Limited English Proficiency (LEP) translations based on community member 

input as to what languages are needed. 

Example: WA JIC compiled a list of over forty languages used within the state 

and prioritized translating messaging based on the importance of the news 

release and the capacity of available translators. They contract for 26 languages 

when a new release is particularly important; however, more commonly they 

translate the top 5-6 languages. 

DEVELOP ALL MESSAGING FOR ACCESSIBILITY 

• Ensure that all products made for online distribution are crafted in an 

accessible format. Prepare documents with appropriate color schemes that are 

colorblind-friendly and will print clearly. 

• Retain the services of translators to assist JIC PIOs with replying to emails in 

compliance with Federal law. 

• Create content crafted to a low reading level, written in plain language without 

the use of complicated medical terms. Ensure health educators review 

messaging to ensure the health-related points are still clear. 

• Constantly monitor to ensure the target audiences are truly being reached and 

educated with this life-saving information. • Secure the services of translation companies and be prepared to compete with 

other local and regional agencies for their services. 

Example: Finished WA EOC JIC products are translated with the requirement 

that each piece has a third-party review to verify that the translation is 

accurate. Then, it is posted to the website or disseminated through appropriate 

channels. The cost of inaccurate translations is extremely high. 

Challenge: Translation companies are overloaded as demands on their services 

from other JICs, state and county agencies, and businesses have skyrocketed. 
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Solution: the JIC has expanded the list of certified translators from 

overwhelmed companies to individuals (approximately 40 identified) who can 

turn around end products much faster, often within a couple of hours, to meet 

the JICs objectives of delivering “timely information.” Plan ahead for larger 

campaigns, allowing time for third party review. 

TARGET UNDERSERVED AUDIENCES 

Over 60 and those with Underlying Health Concerns: 

• The mortality rate for this population group is significantly higher due to the 

way COVID-19 inflames lung tissue causing pneumonia, air hunger and 

respiratory arrest. 

Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Groups: 

• Seek the advice and support of an immigrant refuge population specialist.

• Recognize that many groups feel more comfortable opening up to trusted 

figures in their own communities or will only listen to their church leaders.

Indigenous Populations: 

• During a pandemic, coordination with tribal governments and communities must 

be as strong as possible.

• Tribal members are often English speakers but often have had other challenges 

in receiving information. • Contact a tribal liaison for advice on how to serve a particular tribe or group.

• Keep in mind tribal leaders represent sovereign nations, and as such have direct 

contact with the Governor’s Office through pre-existing channels. 

Example: Determine which language speaking groups are providing the 

childcare services in your state or county and ensure that the information flow 

matches your findings. 

Example: In Washington State, the Somali and Spanish speaking populations are 

the most likely groups to provide childcare. 

Challenge: The messaging from the JIC must be similar or the same as to what 

the county is releasing, so that these language groups do not receive 

conflicting information. 

PUBLIC TRUST and CONSISTENT MESSAGING 

• Be the authoritative source for information. 

• Increase the public trust and reliance in your efforts through clear, consistent, and 

timely information developed with equity, diversity and inclusion in mind. 

• An incident specific webpage was created as the landing page for Washington 

State’s COVID-19 Response (https://coronavirus.wa.gov). 
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• Use established communication channels to avoid confusion by the public and 

media. 

Example: State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) Standard Operating 

Procedures (SOP) lists a phone number and email that is to be used by ESF15 

(and then JIC, when activated); however, the phone and email used was 

different from the ones listed in the SOP. 

• If multiple agencies are sharing information, post to established, authoritative site 

first and then have others share to their pages. This ensures consistent messaging 

and reinforces public trust in the information being shared, while avoiding 

duplication of effort. 

• Increase social media presence using frequent livestreams, cross-posting, and 

sharing produced videos with subject matter experts (using 508 compliant subtitles 

and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation). 

• Ensure there is access to those with expertise to monitor social media, which is 

critical to assessing message effectiveness and anticipating issues. 

• Host daily virtual media briefing with public officials and SMEs. 

• Monitor JIC products to determine if efforts are being received as intended. 

o Determine if there is information out there that is contrary to the information 

PIOs are producing. 

o If there is, develop corrective messages. 

o Order a virtual operations support team (VOST) with the goal of the VOST 

training those with similar skillsets within the identified JIC PIO pool to serve in 

the VOST role as needed over the long term. 

• Be proactive with messaging and provide assurance through all available mediums/

products to reduce panic-shopping, anxiety, and loss of trust. 

Example: On 03/23/20, the WA EOC JIC was not informed that Governor Inslee 

was announcing that all non-essential businesses would be required to close in 

48 hours.

“If we had a day’s or even a few hours of notice to prepare and prep, we could 

have had systems in place and could have avoided a scenario where we 

frustrated the business community and possibly lose trust. As an example, the 

business outreach lead (BOL) lost two days of work because of the deluge of 

emails from business owners. The BOL didn’t know that the Governor’s office 

put her email on a critical announcement and was not just caught off guard, 

but actually had to deal with hundreds of emails requiring attention and 

customer service” - JIC Co-Director #1 

“Advance notice to the JIC of major policy change results in not just being 

efficient with our time, but it also gives us the only opportunity we have to 

push proactive messaging. Proactive messaging leads to increased public trust, 

and the significant decrease in panic shopping and the redundant submission of 

online forms and requests.” - JIC Co-Director #2 
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LONG-TERM STAFFING 

Develop mechanisms and processes to ensure the JIC can be sustainable for months. 

• Look for qualified instructors that can offer a modified virtual course for those 

courses not available online. • Create a recruitment video to demonstrate roles/functions/flow of JIC processes 

for potential staff. 

• Provide a work environment where there is a shared value of coaching and 

mentoring as the norm. 

• Agencies may need to deploy staff that can commit to 4/6/8 weeks. 

• Develop and present a roster of skilled PIOs, approved communicators, and 

generalists. 

TRAINING

• Encourage online training appropriate to the positions needed. 

• Incorporate training into long-term planning. 

• Share online training resources with current and potential staff (ICS 100-400, 700, 

702, 800, etc.). Training could and should be online (virtual, webinar). 

• Cross train among functions. 

CARING FOR THE NEEDS OF THE JIC STAFF

• Follow all Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention (NPI) recommendations by the CDC. 

• Maximize use of virtual assignments, so that staff can maintain physical distance 

and care for others at home while using WebEx, Teams, and other platforms to 

perform their work. 

• Anticipate current and future challenges related to mental health, isolation, 

family concerns, and other socio-economic issues. • Create a list of resources available to staff (testing, mental health care, access to 

services to reduce burden on self and family) 

• Utilize Behavioral Health Strike Teams as available, ensuring all are aware and are 

provided with the contact info. 

• Manage fatigue by instituting appropriate work/rest guidelines. 

HAVE A PLAN FOR THE CONTAMINATION AND CLEANING OF THE JIC

• Waves of infection are predicted to occur throughout the next 18 months along 

with periods of recovery. There will also be a very long period of rebuilding the 

business community. 

• If COVID-19 is discovered in the JIC, make sure there is a plan to conduct deepcleaning and understand how long it will take to complete. 

o Is a contract in place with a cleaning company with pre-negotiated rate? 

o What is the backup location for continuing JIC operations? • Implement back-up staffing plan in case of positive COVID-19 cases within the JIC 

or JIC labor pool. 
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APPENDIX: Examples of the Roles and Responsibilities for the WA EOC JIC COVID-19 

JIC Directors 

JIC directors serve three primary functions: JIC operations, strategic planning, and 

liaison with the Governor’s office and the SEOC. The JIC Director serves as the 

primary liaison with county JIC leaders. JIC Directors report directly to Unified 

Command. 

Public Information Team 

This team manages media requests, produces and disseminates press releases, drafts 

holding statements (a few brief sentences given to the media when they call 

immediately after the crisis), send media advisories, assists with preparing leaders 

and subject matter experts for interviews, creates and updates talking points, works 

with JIC Directors to develop media/communications strategy for specific issues, 

handles logistics for press events and briefings, updates the DOH website, handles 

social media, and maintains key relationships with local and other stakeholder 

communications partners including the governor’s office. This team also gathers 

information from subject matter experts on emerging topics and works with the Info 

team on producing fact sheets or other public information materials. 

Media & Public Relations 

This group manages information in the JIC, mainly in the form of talking points. The 

group’s purpose is to: 

1. respond to PIO, media, or public information needs through research and 

writing 

2. establish and follow a process for gathering, vetting, approving, and 

distributing that information 

3. ensure distribution of information to appropriate channels, such as: 

• storing and maintaining updated talking points and holding statements in 

JIC Teams site for PIOs or social media team to access. 

• distributing updated information to public information channels, 

particularly the hotline/211. • providing advance notice (via holding statement) to public information 

channels of events likely to generate significant public inquiries. 

• researching issues and developing written communications plans, news 

releases, etc. 

• tracking and triaging incoming media requests. 

Specialist PIOs 

The following APIOs are lead on developing communications strategy for outreach to 

targeted sectors. They work closely with SEOC, state agencies, government relations, 

and the Community Engagement Team on messaging and outreach. They work with 

Information Management to produce any public materials. Agencies will work with JIC 

Directors to staff these positions. These positions represent agencies more heavily 

engaged in the response. 
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Information Management 

This team works with PIOs to prepare, format, and produce fact sheets and 

informational materials to share with the public to help respond to or update the 

public. Team members review materials to ensure 1) materials are responsive to the 

questions and concerns being raised by stakeholders and the public, and 2) materials 

have gone through a review process that ensures a health education and equity lens 

has been applied, and that materials are translated appropriately.

Writers/Editors 

Staffing: 2 

Responsibilities: 

• Creates presentations and emails for stakeholder groups. 

• Develops executive talking points. 

• Works with JIC leads to develop fact sheets and public information resources. • Acquires reviews from the Community Engagement Team (CET). 

• Follows review and approval processes established by JIC Directors. 

• Coordinate with LEP/AFN lead to ensure materials are translated appropriately. • QA/QC for other writers — proof read, edit and fact-check materials. 

• Ensure consistent branding and style. 

Reports to: Information Team Lead

Web Portal 

Staffing: 4 

• 2 content creators/managers/editors • 1 who can manage the mechanics/design aspects of the web or backend work 

• 1 who can continually review links and make sure everything is current 

Responsibilities: 

• Liaisons with agency webmasters to coordinate content with agency websites. 

• Maintains daily update cadence. 

• Updates information as requested by incident teams. • Suggests new content, updates, or improvements for consideration. 

• As available, scours existing web content to flag needed updates. 

Reports to: Information Team Lead 

Graphics 

Staffing: 1

Responsibilities: 

• Designs and lays out content, such as fact sheets or infographics. • Implements document accessibility and ensures ADA statement is included. 

• Ensures consistent branding / style. 

Reports to: Information Team Lead 

Community Engagement Team (CET) 
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CET informs the development of proactive community outreach and communications 

to assure the planning identifies and engages vulnerable and underserved segments of 

the population. This includes individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP), 

individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+, immigrant/refugee communities, communities 

of color, high-risk populations, or those with underlying health conditions.