2018 NJEPA Emergency Communications & Sustainability

Emergency Communications &
Sustainability
Lauren Skowronski, Sustainable Jersey
Carol Spencer, StormZero LLC
Kelly Boyd, NJOEM
@SJ_Program | #sustainablejersey | #NJEPA

Earth Day
What is Sustainability?

Sustainable Jersey:
A Framework for Action
 Coordinates priorities,
resources, and policy among
public and private, state and
local actors to identify actions
to achieve their sustainability
goals
 Develops tools, resources, and
guidance to make progress
 Provides access to grants and
assistance
 Recognizes accomplishments

Grassroots Meets Top-Down:
Actions & Task Forces
 Municipalities / Schools
choose from menu of
actions to accumulate
points
 Actions created by issue-
based Task Forces:
• subject matter experts
• local leaders
• state / federal agencies
• stakeholders

Program Participants
(Updated 3/20/2018)
Municipal Program
445 Registered
• 79% of NJ munis
200 Certified
• 152 Bronze
• 48 Silver
Schools Program
300 Districts Registered
• 50% of NJ Districts
739 Schools Registered
• 31% of NJ Schools
194 Schools Certified
• 181 Bronze
• 13 Silver
Municipal Schools

Providing Resources
Outreach and Technical
Assistance:
• 4,645 requests for assistance per year
• 207 Sustainable Jersey yearly training
and outreach events
• 55,400 monthly web page views
• 11,800 people on email list
Grants:
• ~$800,000 in grants awarded to ~100
municipalities and schools annually

Regional Hubs
• Atlantic-Cape May
• Bergen
• Camden-Burlington-
Gloucester
• Essex
• Hunterdon
• Mercer
• Middlesex
• Monmouth
• Somerset
 Network of Leaders
 Trainings & Social Events
 Joint Projects
 Peer to Peer Mentoring

Public Safety = Sustainability
Communications +
Information +
Public Engagement

Municipal Communications in 2012
Municipal Websites:
• 70% included EMS info
Social Media:
• 18% on Facebook
• 14% Twitter

SM Fills the Gaps

Sustainable Jersey Responds

Sustainable Jersey Emergency Actions
Emergency Communications Planning
(up to 15 pts)
Develop a plan outlining the steps a town will take to
disseminate important information during emergencies
 Utilize varied communications channels to disseminate
important updates
 Establish an emergency notification system

Sustainable Jersey Emergency Actions (con’t)
Vulnerable Populations Identification for
Emergencies (10 pts)
Create of a plan to identify the vulnerable populations and
stakeholders who can help get info out during emergencies
 Promote “Register Ready”
 Keep a list of community stakeholders to connect to at risk
& vulnerable pops
 Use alternative communication formats within public
announcements

Communication Strategies
During Emergencies
NJEPA 2018 – Atlantic City NJ May 2, 2018
Fostering
Digital Communication Consistency

The Changed Nature of
Emergency Communication
The story will be told.
The question is:
who will tell the story?
“[Social media] is a significant force in public
opinion and the spread of information, and if it
is ignored can become a liability to your
organization. The general population now
expects real time news with updates throughout
an event.”
The Impacts and Opportunities of Social Media on Mass Notification; Everbridge2012

“We could have saved morelives.”

Disasters Don’t End at TownBorders

But
Communication
Typically Does
• Without leadership from higher
levels of government, regional
councils of governments, or
another entity, municipalities
all do something different.
• Within municipalities, PDs, FDs,
OEM and town itself are often
on different channels.
• Counties could aggregate info
so citizens know which social
channels will carry emergency
information.

• The Plan: Nuts and Bolts
• Preparing a Digital Communication Plan
• Using Demographics to Determine Channels
• Policy Development
• Plan Elements
• Exercising the Plan
• Sustainable Jersey Communication Actions
• Emergency Communication Planning
• Examples
• Benefits of Completing these Actions
What We’ll Discuss Today

Preparing A Digital CommunicationPlan
• Discuss, decide and document
• Where will information originate?
• Who may speak for your agency?
• How will you control channel creation?
• Which social channels will you use?
• What will be the process, the flow?
• What policies will you implement? What will they say?
• How will you engage visitors?
• How will you handle records retention?
• Do you need to address employee use as part of your plan?
• Will you post other than government information?
• How will you handle citizen publishers (e-sponders)?

Demographics Determine Channels
• Determine your audience
• Residents, commuters, local employees, seniors, disabled,
tourists, college students, foreign speaking populations,
homeless, displaced residents, minors, vulnerable populations
• A sustainable community attempts to reach its entire
population
• Determine age groupings for these populations
• Determine primary communication methodologies
• Match each audience and age grouping to its primary and
secondary communication methods
• Rank needed communication methods and channels
• Cover all audiences with at least one channel. Have a backup.
• Live video is the “next big thing”. Use Facebook live, UStream
• Don’t forget traditional methods: paper, bullhorns, radio, flyers
at high-traffic areas, etc

Policy Development
• Have Policies in Place Before Launch
• Adopt an internal policy to control social channel
creation
• Adopt “Use” and “Commenting” policies
• Indicate your pages are not forums, but moderated
discussions
• Monitor your social channels and handle violations
• What others can say on your sites; What you can say and
how to say it on your own sites; What your
representatives can / should say on other sites
• Copyright infringement
• Update Policies and Rules Frequently
• Inconsistency of application for Terms of Use with
government requirements (liability issues, state laws)
• Consistency and compliance with court decisions,
legislative changes, and federal gov’t requirements.
• Have a Governance Committee to do this.

Digital Communication Plan Elements
• Governing Body Approval
• Authorities: foundational legal citations
• References: government policies that apply (HIPAA, etc)
• Purpose: to define and provide guidance
• Responsible Parties: people, organizations, contact info
• Governance Committee: town manager, PIOs, CIOs
• Physical Facility: should be located in the EOC
• Personnel: advanced trained employees and volunteers
• Process for an Anticipated Event: SOP and workflow
• Process for an Unanticipated Event: SOP and workflow
• Vulnerable Populations: identify and disseminate
• Policies: purchasing, TOU, channel creation, commenting

Embracing the Whole Community Approach
• People feel invested, empowered in a community-based
effort.
• People want to help. The “whole community approach”
provides a structure where they can do so.
• Giving people something to do calms them during an event.
• FEMA recognizes and recommends the “whole community
approach”
• “We fully recognize that a government-centric approach to emergency
management is not enough to meet the challenges posed by a
catastrophic incident.”
• “When the community is engaged in an authentic dialogue, it becomes
empowered to identify its needs and the existing resources that may be
used to address them. ”
• “Engaging the whole community and empowering local action will better
position stakeholders to plan for and meet the actual needs of a
community and strengthen the local capacity to deal with the
consequences of all threats and hazards.”

Exercise It
• ESF #15 or your Communication Annex:
Public Information including Social Media
• Must be exercised
• Should be part of the EOC
• Should have sufficient trained
personnel to operate 24 x 7.

Market It
• Start out slow. Build momentum before an event.
• Consider
• Press releases, church bulletins, flyers
• Speaking engagements for local civic groups
• Local buy and sell newspapers or websites
• Local community social channels, apps like NextDoor
• Official government e-newsletters
• Facebook or Google advertising
• Cross-marketing with other Twitter, FB, Instagram or G+ channels
• Create a YouTube video about your plan
• Run a couple of Facebook live events focused on vulnerable
populations, where to find info, registering for alerts, etc.
• Get friends to write about your site(s) on social media
• Act as if you have thousands of followers even if you don’t
Add value and they will come!

Collaborative
Communication Plans
It never makes sense to reinvent the wheel, especially over
and over and over again by 565 different jurisdictions, all
of whom need to get information to their constituencies
efficiently and effectively in an emergency or disaster.

Sustainable Jersey Actions
Emergency Management and Resiliency
Certification Requirements

• A section explaining declared versus non-declared
emergencies and a list of the various types of non-
emergency, non-routine operations to which this plan
will apply, including road closures, water shut offs,
water quality issues, boil water advisories, parades,
festivals, and special events requiring high security.
• Directives and methodologies for communicating those
directives during declared and nondeclared
emergencies to key municipal staff, stakeholders and
special facility liaisons as identified in the municipal
EOP. Directives should be written in a boilerplate
fashion so that they will be readily available in an
emergency.
Plan Requirements: Step 1

• Methodologies for communicating essential information,
alerts, and updates to the general public during declared
and non-declared emergencies should be carried out via the
following communication channels:
• The municipal website
• Social media channels, including Facebook & Twitter
• Print newspapers and/or online sites
• Direct notices to the public including email lists, text messaging,
reverse 9-1-1, Next Door or other similar community boards.
Indirect notices like electronic sign boards, bulletin boards, flyers
• WOM through organizations like school boards, churches,
chambers of commerce, libraries, civic associations, faith
based organizations and others.
• Established routing systems for emergency vehicles with
loudspeakers
Plan Requirements: Step 1

STEP 2
Establish a process for the public to sign up for email,
text message, and/or voice message notices
regarding emergency warnings and alerts.
Promote this process as a way to educate the public
about the town’s public notification system and use
of the chosen communication channels.

STEP 3
Use of the chosen emergency communications
channels (Step 1) and public notification system
(Step 2) will need to be demonstrated either through
an actual emergency, or by testing the system at least
once during either a declared emergency or non-
declared emergency/major public inconvenience
situations.

Success Stories : Avalon

Success Stories : Ridgefield ParkVillage

Success Stories : Cape MayCity

Social Media Embeds: ChesterTwp

Web Design: Responsive, Mobile First

• Disasters do not end at municipal boundaries. We
must all broaden our thoughts, plans and actions.
• Counties should play a leadership role in collaborative
communication efforts.
• Volunteers and volunteer civic organizations must be
included on the front-end in planning and exercises.
• Whole community planning and cross-jurisdictional
communication are essential to successful
preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
• The story will be told. Will yours be one of chaos or
competent coordination?
Points to Remember

Presented by:
Kelly Boyd, Access & Functional Needs Planner
NJ Office of Emergency Management

 During emergencies, this group is often defined
as:
any individual, group, or community
whose circumstances create barriers to
obtaining or understanding information, or
the ability to react as the general population.
Circumstances that may create barriers
include, but are not limited to age; physical,
mental, emotional, or cognitive status;
culture; ethnicity; religion; language;
citizenship; geography; or socioeconomic
status.

 As a supplement to, and in support of, a municipality’s EOP, this
action seeks to ensure that municipalities reach all vulnerable
individuals with necessary information during emergencies.
 This includes taking advantage of available resources, such as
“Register Ready-NJ’s Special Needs Registry for Disasters,” to
identify and keep track of residents with disabilities and other
access or functional needs; and utilize alternative communication
methods and community stakeholders to get important warnings
and updates to others who are at-risk.

Register Ready enables New Jersey residents with
disabilities or access and functional needs (DAFN) and their
families, friends, caregivers and associates to enter relevant
personal information into a database so emergency
responders can enhance plans related to serving those with
DAFN before, during or after a disaster or other emergency.

 Register Ready is a free, voluntary and confidential web-
based program designed to identify the needs of people
who have disabilities or access and functional needs
and may have difficulty getting to safety during an
emergency.
 The information collected is not available to the public. It is
held securely and only used for emergency response and
planning.

People with disabilities or access and functional
needs (or their caregivers) are encouraged to
register by:
◦ going to www.registerready.nj.gov
◦ calling New Jersey’s toll-free 2-1-1 telephone service.
 Operators will register callers, offer free translation, and
provide TTY services for those with hearing impairments.

 The State AFN Planner has access to the registry
and can grant access.
 Each County has an AFN Coordinator who can
access the registry.
◦ This person can give permission to other county
employees to assist with registry matters.

Those who have access can search the registry
and export data. Data can be used to create lists
for:
◦ Reverse 911 alerts
◦ Emergency managers or CERT members to use
to call or go door-to-door to warn residents of
serious events or to conduct wellness checks
◦ Conducting follow up assessments/surveys

 Evacuation purposes
 Helping those with DAFN make personal
preparedness plans

Registry Ready has been promoted in a variety of ways:
◦ at events
◦ on billboards
◦ in PSAs (radio spots)
◦ on social media and websites
◦ in Township mailers/tax bills
◦ by disability agencies
 Brochures are available in English and Spanish at
http://www.ready.nj.gov/plan/special_needs7.html
or by calling NJOEM.

Brochures can be given out by:
◦ utility companies
◦ staff handling school/Kindergarten registration
◦ hospital admissions staff
◦ Meals on Wheels staff and volunteers

Some counties and municipalities have also
implemented another type of DAFN registry to aide law
enforcement and emergency services personnel when
responding to 911 calls.

Monmouth County Special Needs Registry
◦ voluntary database open to all citizens with disabilities who
reside, attend school or are employed in Monmouth County
◦ helps police officers and emergency services personnel
better assist registrants with DAFN in the event of an
emergency by providing first responders with vital
information regarding the registrant’s disability, emergency
contact information, a physical description and a current
photograph of the registrant

Functional Needs of People with
Disabilities
A Guide for Emergency
Managers, Planners and
Responders

In the Guide are steps that emergency managers,
first responders and community partners should
consider in ensuring that the needs and situations of
people with disabilities and access and functional
needs are taken into account in all phases of
emergency management.

Keep in mind, most people with
disabilities live and work
independently and are dispersed
among the population. A community’s
emergency planning needs and the
types of people required in the
planning process will be partly
determined by such demographics.

Planning For Emergencies Including The Disability Community:
Spatial Mapping Project
Through the use of special mapping, Noah’s Ark Institute created a
map of the four contiguous counties of Hudson, Essex, Passaic
and Bergen. The map allows for a greater understanding of the
disability community’s population density. It is a valuable resource
to emergency planners and community leaders striving to serve the
community as a whole. This is especially important in these
densely populated counties since the resource allocation and
deliverables during a time of emergency will be paramount to
successful execution of the specific emergency situation.
http://www.noahsarkinstitute.org/Mapping_Project_Booklet_Final.p
df

Be sure to work with institutional and industry-
specific groups that are not typically considered
emergency service resources but that can
offer valuable and timely support to
emergency professionals.

The Vulnerable Populations Identification for Emergencies
recommends working with:
 Your local Office of Emergency Management.
◦ The Emergency Management Coordinator or Deputy Emergency Management
Coordinator should take the lead on this action.
 Your municipal planner can assist in defining community demographics
with regards to vulnerable populations.
◦ This person should be assisted by public safety, municipal or County Social
Services and Health representatives.
 The municipal or County social media professional should be involved
to handle digital communication channel implementation and/or
updates.
 Your Public Information Officer, Business Administrator, and/or the
Police Public Information Officer should assist in correlating
demographics to communications methodologies.
 Municipal health officers, directors of Social Services, and faith based
organizations are also key to disseminating emergency warnings and
updates to vulnerable individuals throughout the community.

 Other important stakeholders include:
◦ Local disability agencies and Centers for Independent Living
◦ Major State Agencies (NJOEM, NJDHS OEM, DCF and DOH)
◦ Managers of hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, etc.
◦ Faith based and civic leaders with networks within the
community

 Working with CERT or MRC members.
 Working with Girl or Boy Scouts.
 Engaging visiting nurse and home health aide
agencies.
 Updating archives.
◦ Checking death records.

 Emergency managers view DAFN registries from
varying perspectives. Concerns include:
 managing high consumer expectations
 an increased sense of confidence about being able to
track individuals who require specific assistance in their
communities during adverse conditions

On a positive note, registries can also serve as a
starting point for:
◦ building a dialogue about emergency
preparedness with individuals who have
disabilities or access and functional needs.
◦ establishing a rapport with
stakeholder groups who work
with at-risk populations.

Registries are a great tool to help emergency
managers enhance services to community
members, but they are just part of the picture.
 Planning, emphasis on personal preparedness, and
the engagement of stakeholder groups that work with
disabilities or access and functional needs populations
are all essential tasks when it comes to addressing the
needs of vulnerable populations.

Questions or Comments?
• Lauren Skowronski, Program Director for Community
Engagement, Sustainable Jersey
– skowronl@tcnj.edu, (609) 771-3129
– Find SJ actions: sustainablejersey.com
• Carol Spencer, Digital & Communications Consultant,
Stormzero LLC
– carol@stormzero.com, 973-637-0483
• Kelly Boyd, Access & Functional Needs Planner, NJOEM
– lppboydk@gw.njsp.org, (609) 963-6971
Find this presentation: www.slideshare.net/ChazNJ

2018 NJEPA Emergency Communications & Sustainability

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