NOTIFICATION AND WARNING
 

ALEXANDER COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN
 Reviewed: Aug. 23, 2011

 

Notification and Warning EAS
(Emergency Action System)		 EAS Broadcast Procedures
A. Purpose A. Purpose A. Purpose
B. Situation B. Definitions B. Authorized Personnel
C. Assumptions C. Concept C. Activation Request Procedure
D. Concept     D. Testing
E. Direction and Control E. Development and Maintenance
F. Continuity    
G. Key Personnel List    
       
       

 

 

I. PURPOSE
 
  This Annex describes the process for staffing, operating and maintaining a warning system in the event of an emergency. It also provides instructions for dissemination of warning information to response agencies and the general public throughout the County.
 
II. SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
 
  A. Situation
 
    - The County Warning Point will normally initiate notification and warning.
 
    - Broadcast media will be relied upon to assist in the dissemination of warning to the general public.
 
    - Operational telephone and/or radio communications may be utilized to notify public officials,  Emergency Operations Center staff, emergency personnel and others as required.
 
    - Emergency service vehicles are available for warning the general public.
 
    - Special Needs groups or persons in group quarters may have to be provided special warning and notification.
 
  B. Assumptions
 
    - Current forms of warning may necessitate augmentation in order to provide sufficient warning to the general public and special needs populations.
 
    - Use of mobile public address systems and/or house to house alert warning may be necessary when the urgency of the particular hazard requires immediate evacuation actions or when there is a failure of other fixed warning systems.
 
III. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
 
  A. Emergency warning may originate at the national, state or local level of government. Timely warning requires dissemination to the public by all available means:
 
    1.

National Warning System (NAWAS)
    2. National Weather Service (NWS) National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Weather Radio Service (NOAA)
    3. Emergency Alert System (EAS)
    4. State Operated Two Way Radio Systems
    5. N.C. Division of Criminal Information (DCI)
    6. Local Government Radios
    7. Sirens, horns, or mobile public address systems
    8. Telephone
 
  B. Receipt and Dissemination of Warning
 
    1. The  N.C. Highway Patrol serves as the State Warning Point at the Raleigh Communications Center. NAWAS and NWS alerts are received there from Federal agencies and on occasion from the public.
    2. Warning received from the site of an emergency is normally reported to the County Warning Point.
    3. Notification of governmental officials and emergency response personnel from the County Warning Point will follow established procedures.
    4. Jurisdictions adjoining Alexander County will be notified through the communications center or by the quickest possible method, in the event an incident occurs within Alexander County that may cause adverse effects across jurisdictional lines.
 
  C. Dissemination of Warning to the General Public of major emergencies will be by:
 
    1. Emergency Alert System (EAS)
    2. Weather alert radios
    3. Mobile public address systems as appropriate
    4. Siren system
5. House to house alert by emergency personnel
 
  D. Dissemination of Warning to Special Populations
    1.

 

 Hearing impaired, special needs groups, persons in group quarters and non‑English speaking groups are notified by the most expedient means possible. Usually the message will ask citizens to assist in the evacuation of these special groups.
    2. Public schools, hospitals and other special warning locations are notified by emergency personnel at the County Warning Point.
 
IV. ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES
 
  A. Organization
 
1. The County Warning Point, located in the Alexander County Courthouse, operates on a continuous 24‑hour basis from which key officials and the public can be alerted. The County Warning Point has the capability to simultaneously activate warning devices for the public.
 
2. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) provides an operational public warning capability to national, State and local governments.
 
  B. Responsibilities
 
    1. Emergency Management Coordinator 
      a.

Coordinate warning resources with neighboring counties.  
      b. Develop procedures to warn areas not covered by existing warning systems.
      c. Develop procedures which define agency responsibilities, describe activation procedures and detail the warning systems for notifying the general public.
      d. Develop listing of warning equipment, locations and areas of coverage.
      e. Develop procedures to alert key officials.
      f. Develop procedures to activate the EBS system.
      g. Provide for testing and exercising of the warning and alerting systems on a monthly basis.
      h. Provide for warning procedures for special locations such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, major industries and institutions.
      i. Develop a flood warning system for areas in the County subject to frequent flooding.
      j. Provide for maintaining current internal notification/recall rosters.
      k. Arrange with public service agencies to augment warning capabilities.
      l. Report to EOC upon activation to direct and control warning operations.
      m. Coordinate with the PIO to distribute necessary information to the media and public.
 
    2. Telecommunicator/Communications Director
      a. Receive warning information from the National Warning System (NAWAS) or the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and other official sources.
      b. Transmit or deliver warning information to key officials following the notification list and alerting procedures.
      c. Activate various warning devices which are located throughout the County.
      d. Coordinate with the Emergency Management Coordinator for testing and exercising of the warning and alerting systems.
      e. Provide for maintaining current internal notification/recall rosters for the communications system.
 
V. DIRECTION AND CONTROL
 
  A. The Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners or their designee has the authority to direct and control the County warning system. The Communications Director is vested with the authority of the Chairman to activate the County Warning System as necessary when emergency circumstances warrant and in the interest of time. This authority stands day-to-day unless revoked by the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners.
 
  B. The Communications Director is designated as the County Warning Coordinator and will follow established County warning procedures.
 
VI. CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT
 
  A. The line of succession is:
    1.

Alexander County Sheriff 
    2. Chief Telecommunicator
    3. Chief Deputy
 
  B. Lines of succession for agencies that support the warning operation are in accordance with their agencies established policies.
 
VII. ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS
 
  A. The County has the following warning systems available for use in an emergency:
    1. Pagers For Emergency Responders
    2. Mobile Public Address Systems
    3. Fire Station Sirens
 
  B. Special needs populations in the County (e.g., handicapped, hearing impaired, non‑English speaking) will be identified to ensure that they are contacted during alert conditions.
 
C. Oral Agreements have been made with CPCS-1 station managers to disseminate information in accordance with this Annex.
 
VIII. PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
 
A. This Annex will be reviewed on an annual basis.
 
B. Law enforcement agencies and fire departments with warning duties will develop and maintain departmental SOPs, mutual aid agreements, personnel rosters, emergency telephone lists and equipment inventories.
 
C. The County notification list will be updated as required.
 
IX. AUTHORITIES AND REFERENCES
 
A. Emergency Management Act of 1977, N.C. General Statutes 166‑A.
 
B. Alexander County Emergency Management Ordinance.
 
C. Part 73, Subpart G and H, Federal Communications Commissions Rules and Regulations.
 


APPENDIX 1
 

EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM (EAS)
 
I. PURPOSE
 
  This appendix provides specific instructions and procedures for Alexander County Government and suggested procedures for the Designated Administrative Officials to follow in the dissemination of emergency alerting and warning information and protective action instructions to the citizens of Alexander County over the Emergency Alert System (EAS).
 
II. DEFINITIONS
 
  A. Emergency Action System (EAS)
     The EAS is composed of AM, FM and TV broadcast stations and non-governmental industry entities operating on a voluntary, organized basis during emergencies at Federal, State or operational (local) area levels.
 
  B. Primary Station
    Broadcasts or re-broadcasts a common emergency program for the duration of the activity of the EAS at National, State or Operation (local) area level. The EAS transmission of such stations are intended for direct public reception as well as inter-station programming.
 
  C. Common Program Control Station (CPCS)
    This is a Primary Station in an Operational (local) Area which is responsible for originating and coordinating the broadcast of an emergency action notification for its area.
 
III. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
 
  This plan calls for:
 
  A.

The prompt reporting of emergency information and recommended protective actions by Federal, State, business, industry and utility officials to the County Warning Point. These reports include severe weather watches and warnings as well as other hazards, such as dam failures, hazardous materials and other threats to the citizens of Alexander County as shown in the Basic Plan.
 
  B. The prompt reporting of emergency information and recommended protective action to the County Warning Point by emergency service personnel or others at the scene of the emergency.
 
  C. The decision by local government to disseminate the emergency alerting, warning and protective actions instructions over the CPCS-l or over the primary stations serving Alexander County.
 
  D. The preparation of the information to be disseminated in written form.
 
  E. The activation of the EAS procedure.
 
  F. The termination of the procedure when it is no longer required.
 


APPENDIX 2


EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM BROADCAST PROCEDURE
 
I. PURPOSE
 
  This procedure provides a list by title of government persons who are authorized to activate the Emergency Alert System (EAS) at or from the local level and prescribes the steps to be followed by government and which should be followed by the broadcast media to disseminate emergency information to the general public.
 
II. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL
 
  The individuals shown below are authorized to request activation of the EAS in order to disseminate emergency information and instructions. A list of these individuals by title has been provided to the Charlotte Operational area CPCS-1 and a mutually agreeable method of authentication by code has been established. The EAS CPCS-1 has furnished the County with a list of telephone numbers to be used by the authorized personnel when requesting activation of the EAS.
 
  A. Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, or their designated representative.
  B. The Mayor, or their designated representative.
  C.

The Sheriff, or their designated representative.
  D. Town or County Managers.
  E. Emergency Management Coordinator, or their designated representative.
 
III. ACTIVATION REQUEST PROCEDURES
 
  A. Notification Procedure
 
    1. Prepare in writing the exact information to be broadcast.
 
    2. Call the State Warning Point (Emergency Management - Operations) and give title, name and political subdivision represented and request the EAS be activated for the operational area.
 
    3. Upon request, give authentication code.
 
    4. The State Warning Point will / should acknowledge the authentication code.
 
    5. Upon request of the Warning Point, read text prepared for emergency action notification.
 
    6. Follow other instructions as given by the State Warning Point (Emergency Management).
 
  B. Broadcast Activation Procedure
 
    1. CPCS-1 (or primary station) will disseminate the emergency information through AM-FM radio or TV according to the State Plan.
 
    2. A Primary Station will disseminate the emergency information only through its own facility.
 
    3. Follow-up messages as needed, upon request of the originating officials.
 
  C. Termination Procedure
 
    1. Have a written termination notice specifying the hazard to be terminated.
 
    2. Call  the State Warning Point and give title, name and political subdivision represented and request the EAS be terminated.
 
    3. Upon request, give authentication code.
 
    4. Upon request, read the termination message, concluding with the statement "This concludes this activation of the Emergency Action System".
 
IV. TESTING THE EAS PLAN
 
  Scheduled or random tests should be conducted so that a radio station and county operations become familiar with this procedure on all shifts.
 
V. PROCEDURES DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
 
  A. The North Carolina Division of Emergency Management will be responsible for updating the authentication code annually.
 
  B. Each County will be responsible for advising the stations of current warning point telephone numbers.
 
  C. Counties will confirm current authentication code lists with the stations.