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Course Welcome
Welcome to the Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions online course. This course will prepare Emergency Management Coordinators, senior officials, EOC
Directors, key EOC personnel, and others to function more effectively in an EOC environment.
After taking this course, you should understand the role and functions of the EOC during incident response and in the transition to recovery. You should also be able to describe
the common staffing and organizational models for EOCs.

Lesson Objectives

At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

Describe the course purpose.
Describe the course objectives.

Course Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this professional development course, is to prepare you to function effectively in an EOC environment.
At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to:
1. Describe the role EOCs play in overall multiagency coordination.
2. Describe the processes and procedures for activating the EOC.
3. Describe the factors involved in staffing and organizing the EOC.
4. Describe factors for effective EOCs.
5. Identify considerations for deactivating the EOC within the context of Recovery.
6. Given a scenario-based incident, utilize key EOC concepts to successfully complete the scenario.

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Lesson 1 Summary

You have completed the first lesson. This lesson introduced the course purpose and content.
Lesson 2 will cover Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) and Multiagency Coordination.

Lesson 2 Overview

In this lesson, you will explore the role Emergency Operations Centers play in multiagency coordination.

Lesson Objectives

At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

Describe the role of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Relate EOC operations to National Incident Management System (NIMS) requirements.
Describe the role that EOCs play in overall multiagency coordination.
Describe the relationship between MAC Groups, the EOC, and the on-scene Incident Command System (ICS) organization.
Identify the key factors for an effective EOC operation.

The Role of the EOC - Coordination

The EOC provides multiagency coordination of information and resources to support incident management (on-scene operations). This coordinated support can be provided
directly to an Incident Command or through another EOC.
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EOCs exist at all levels of government. EOCs are multidisciplinary, involving multiple disciplines such as fire, law enforcement, EMS, public works, and others. EOCs can be a
temporary or a permanently established physical or virtual facility.
The purpose and authorities of EOCs vary widely. EOCs demonstrate the NIMS Guiding Principle of Flexibility - they are adaptable to the requirements of the jurisdiction.
Generally, EOCs do not command the on-scene response. However, EOC Staff may share the load with the Incident Command by managing operations such as emergency
shelters or points of distribution. EOCs may also perform incident command functions when on-scene incident command is not established, such as in a snow emergency.
The EOC carries out the coordination function through:
Collection, analysis, and sharing of Information
Supporting Resource needs and requests
Coordinating plans and determining future needs
In some cases providing coordination and policy direction

The Role of the EOC - Coordination (Continued)

EOC Teams normally consolidate and exchange information, support decision-making, coordinate resources, and communicate with personnel on scene and at other EOCs.
The coordination and decision-making at the EOC affects the incident response as well as the public response. The decisions made at the EOC are not normally tactical
decisions; when an Incident Command is established, tactical decisions are made by the Incident Commander and the Command Staff at the incident scene.
The EOC is the facility from which the multiple agencies or organizations involved in an incident coordinate their support.
The EOC plays a critical role in support of the on-scene response.
This course will provide an introduction to basic EOC functions.

EOCs and NIMS

Every day in this nation, jurisdictions and organizations work together to share resources, integrate tactics, and act collaboratively.

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Whether these organizations are nearby or are supporting each other from across the country, their success depends on a common, interoperable approach to sharing resources,
coordinating and managing incidents, and communicating information.
The National Incident Management System (NIMS) defines this comprehensive approach.
EOCs are part of the standard, national framework for incident management described in the Command and Coordination component of the National Incident Management
System (NIMS).

EOCs and NIMS (Continued)

NIMS is a flexible framework that is applicable to all hazards and jurisdictions.

NIMS represents a core set of doctrine, concepts, principles, terminology, and organizational processes that enables effective, efficient, and collaborative incident management.
NIMS is NOT:
An operational incident management plan
A resource allocation plan
A terrorism-specific plan
An international plan

NIMS Framework - Major Components

NIMS consists of three major components:

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Resource Management
Command and Coordination
Communications and Information Management
The application of all three components is vital to successful NIMS implementation.

ICS Review - ICS Structure

The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of on-scene incident management. This system includes five major
functional areas: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance/Administration.
The standard Incident Command System (ICS) organizational structure is shown here. The Incident Commander leads the effort and assigns those Command Staff and General
Staff that are needed to effectively manage the incident.

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EOCs—The Critical Link in Emergency Response

EOCs coordinate with on-scene incident managers and other agencies and organizations to:
Acquire, allocate, and track resources.
Manage and share information.
Liaison and coordinate with other jurisdictions and other levels of government.
Provide legal, financial, and administrative support.
EOCs also coordinate with and support the Multiagency Coordination Group (MAC Group). The MAC Group, sometimes also called the policy group, consists of agency
administrators, executives, or their representatives from stakeholder organizations. MAC groups may not be at a physical location. MAC Groups make multiagency
decisions such as:
Determining resource prioritization and allocation among incidents
Enabling decision making among elected/appointed officials and the Incident Command

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EOCs—The Critical Link in Emergency Response (Continued)

Jurisdictions with well-organized EOCs have several distinct advantages over other jurisdictions during an emergency because they:
Serve as a conduit for information passed from the incident scene (sometimes through lower-level coordination agencies such as another operations center) to higher-level
coordination entities such as the MAC Group.
Serve as a conduit for information passed from higher-level coordination entities such as the MAC Group to the incident scene.
Allow the Incident Commander to focus on managing the incident.
Promote problem resolution at the lowest practical level.
Provide strategic guidance and direction, normally from the MAC Group, to support incident management activities.

EOC Functions

EOCs enable multiagency coordination by ensuring that response systems are interconnected and complementary. They reinforce interoperability among the various system
components, and make response more efficient and effective by coordinating available resources.
EOCs serve several main functions within NIMS Command and Coordination:
Information management—collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information from various sources and sharing essential information
Resource Management—coordinating support for resource needs and requests
Planning—coordinating plans and determining current and future needs
EOCs can make decisions based on established policies and procedures within the authority given to them by their jurisdiction.

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EOC Functions (Continued)

In some jurisdictions or some specific incidents EOCs may also:

Manage operations such as emergency shelters or points of distribution (used for distributing food, water, medication) to allow the Incident Command to focus on the
incident.
Direct tactical operations when an Incident Command is not established (such as in a snow emergency).
Coordinate the efforts of several geographically separated incidents or activities.
Provide coordination and policy direction.
In some cases, a jurisdiction may conduct Incident or Area Command from the EOC.

EOC Purpose

Remember, the purpose of an EOC is to establish a central location where government at any level can provide coordinated support to Incident Command.
Incidents are best managed at the lowest possible level:
Geographically
Organizationally
Jurisdictionally

EOC Purpose (Continued)

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Local EOCs provide resource coordination and support to the on-scene Incident Command. When local resources are not available, EOCs will request resources from other local
jurisdictions through mutual aid agreements or compacts.
When a resource is unavailable locally, State EOCs may provide additional expertise, resources, and support.
When State resources are exceeded, State EOCs may request additional resource support and coordination assistance from other States through mutual aid agreements or
compacts, or from the Federal Government.

EOC Benefits

An effective EOC:
Helps establish, maintain, and share situational awareness.
Facilitates long-term operations.
Improves continuity.
Provides ready access to essential information.
Simplifies information analysis and verification.
Promotes resource identification and assignment.
A single EOC (physical or virtual) functions more efficiently. With a single location for multiagency coordination, officials can more easily meet, make decisions, and coordinate
activities.

ICS/EOC Relationships

Incident Commanders have several critical needs with which EOC personnel can assist. These needs include:
Situational awareness—the EOC can collect and share essential information that provides a shared picture of the incident between all incident personnel. This is critical
during incidents that are large or complex, or involve personnel from multiple response agencies.
Policy direction—the EOC can identify policy issues and communicate policy decisions of the MAC Group to the Incident Command. This is critical when jurisdictions
with differing policies are involved in a response.
Communication support—The EOC can assist the Incident Command in resolving communications challenges through communications resource requests or
communicating policy decisions of the MAC group. Again, this can be critical in large, complex incidents or when multiple jurisdictions are involved in a response.
Resources—The EOC can support the Incident Command by understanding resource requests, acquiring the needed resources, and ensuring that the resources are delivered
to the Incident. Resources can includes people, teams, facilities, equipment, and supplies required for a response.
Strategic planning—By focusing on longer term planning, the EOC can enable the Incident Commander to focus on tactics.

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Legal and financial support—Some functions such as legal advisement, and financial or administrative support can be managed by the EOC. This frees on-scene
resources to focus on the response.

ICS/EOC Relationships (Continued)

EOCs can help meet the needs at the incident scene by:
Providing the “big picture” view of the incident.
Communicating current policy or policy decisions to resolve conflicting policies.
Providing communications and messaging support.
Managing public information issues and media requests.
Providing and prioritizing resources.
Authorizing emergency expenditures, when appropriate, and tracking incident costs or other administrative issues.

Factors for an Effective EOC

Some factors to consider when designing an effective EOC include:

Likely Threats and Hazards the jurisdiction faces
EOC Organizational Structure
Personnel/Staffing Requirements
Facility Requirements
Equipment Requirements
Established EOC Authorities and Procedures
Communication
Consider these factors when selecting an EOC or alternate EOC, when designing a floor plan for the EOC, or when evaluating EOC operations.

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Lesson 2 Summary

During this lesson, you reviewed:

The role of the EOC.
The relation of EOC operations to NIMS.
The role that EOCs play in overall multiagency coordination.
The relationship between MAC Groups, the EOC, and the on-scene Incident Command System (ICS) organization.
The key factors for an effective EOC operation.
Lesson 3 will focus on Activating the EOC.

Lesson 3 Overview

In this lesson, you will consider the processes and procedures for activating the EOC.

Lesson Objectives

At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

Determine when, how, and by whom the EOC will be activated.
Define “time-phased” activation and determine when it might be appropriate.
Describe EOC activation levels.

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Activating the EOC

EOCs are activated for various reasons based on the needs of a jurisdiction, organization, or Incident Commander. A jurisdiction normally defines circumstances and processes for
EOC activation in policy. Listed below are possible circumstances that might trigger an EOC activation:
More than one jurisdiction becomes involved in an incident or a Unified Command or Area Command is established.
The Incident Commander indicates the incident could expand rapidly, involve cascading effects, or require additional resources.
A similar incident led to EOC activation in the past.
The EOC director or appointed/ elected official directs EOC activation.
An incident is imminent, such as hurricane warnings, slow river flooding, predictions of hazardous weather, elevated threat levels.
Threshold events describes in the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) occur.
Significant impacts to the population are anticipated.

The Decision-making Process for Activation

All personnel need to be aware of:

Who makes the decision to activate the EOC
What are the circumstances for activation
When activation occurs
How the levels are defined by the jurisdiction
How the appropriate level of activation is determined
The decision-making process for EOC activation should be documented in policy.

Incident Complexity and Resource Needs

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As illustrated below, when incident complexity increases, your resource needs and ICS structure grow accordingly.
Factors that are considered when determining the appropriate EOC activation level for the incident include incident complexity, resource needs, and the ICS structure. The level of
activity within an EOC often grows as the size, scope, and complexity of the incident grow.

Incident Typing: Overview

Incidents, like resources, may be categorized into five types based on complexity.
The Incident Commander will normally categorize the incident based on incident "type" in order to help the ICS staff and other incident personnel understand the size,
complexity, and level of resources required to manage the incident.
EOC personnel should understand this common terminology.
Incident typing may be used to:
Make decisions about resource requirements.
Order Incident Management Teams (IMTs). An IMT is made up of the Command and General Staff members in an ICS organization.
Make decisions about appropriate EOC activation level and staffing requirements.
Type 5 incidents are the least complex and Type 1 the most complex. The next visuals briefly define each Incident Type.

Incident Typing: Overview (Continued)

The incident type corresponds to both the number of resources required and the anticipated incident duration. Clocks on image do not depict length of incident time.

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Clocks do not depict the length of the incident.

Type 5 Incident

Characteristics of a Type 5 Incident are as follows:

The incident can be handled with one or two single resources with up to six personnel.
Command and general staff positions (other than the incident commander) are not activated.
No written Incident Action Plan is required.
The incident is contained within the first operational period and often within an hour to a few hours after resources arrive on scene.
Examples include a vehicle fire, an injured person, or a police traffic stop.

Type 4 Incident

Characteristics of a Type 4 Incident are as follows:

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Command staff and general staff functions are activated only if needed.
Several resources are required to mitigate the incident, including a task force or strike team.
The incident is usually limited to one operational period in the control phase.
No written IAP is required but a documented operational briefing will be completed for all incoming resources.
The agency administrator may have briefings, and ensure the complexity analysis and delegation of authority is updated.
The role of the agency administrator may include operational plans, objectives, and priorities.

Type 3 Incident

Characteristics of a Type 3 Incident are as follows:

When incident needs exceed capabilities, the appropriate ICS positions should be added to match the complexity of the incident.
Some or all of the command and general staff positions may be activated, as well as division/group supervisor and/or unit leader level positions.
A Type 3 IMT or incident command organization manages initial action incidents with a significant number of resources, an extended attack incident until
containment/control is achieved, or an expanding incident until transition to a Type 1 or 2 IMT.
The incident may extend into multiple operational periods.
A written IAP may be required for each operational period.

Type 2 Incident

Characteristics of a Type 2 Incident are as follows:

This type of incident extends beyond the capabilities for local control and is expected to go into multiple operational periods. A Type 2 incident may require the response of
resources out of area, including regional and/or national resources, to effectively manage the operations, command, and general staffing.
Most or all of the command and general staff positions are filled.
A written IAP is required for each operational period.
Many of the functional units are needed and staffed.
Operations personnel normally do not exceed 200 per operational period and total incident personnel do not exceed 500 (guidelines only).
The agency administrator is responsible for the incident complexity analysis, agency administration briefings, and the written delegation of authority.
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Type 1 Incident

Characteristics of a Type 1 Incident are as follows:

This type of incident is the most complex, requiring national resources for safe and effective management and operation.
All command and general staff positions are filled.
Operations personnel often exceed 500 per operational period and total personnel will usually exceed 1,000.
Branches need to be established.
A written Incident Action Plan (IAP) is required for each operational period.
The agency administrator will have briefings, and ensure that the complexity analysis and delegation of authority are updated.
Use of resource advisors at the incident base is recommended.
There is a high impact on the local jurisdiction, requiring additional staff for office administrative and support functions.

Management by Objectives

Incidents are managed using objectives. Objectives are communicated throughout the entire ICS organization through the Incident Action Planning Process.
The Incident Commander establishes the objectives that drive incident operations.
Management by objectives includes the following:
Establishing specific, measurable objectives
Identifying strategies, tactics, tasks, and activities to achieve the objectives
Developing and issuing assignments, plans, procedures, and protocols for various incident management functional elements to accomplish the identified tasks
Documenting results against the objectives to measure performance, facilitate corrective actions, and inform development of incident objectives for the subsequent
operational period

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Establishing and Implementing Objectives

The steps utilized by an Incident Commander in establishing and implementing incident objectives include:
Step 1: Understand agency policy and direction.
Step 2: Assess incident situation.
Step 3: Establish incident objectives.
Step 4: Select appropriate strategies and tactics to achieve the objectives.
Step 5: Perform tactical direction of resources based on defined strategy and tactics.
Step 6: Provide necessary followup.
Remember that the Incident Objectives are used to manage the tactical execution of the response and are the responsibility of the Incident Commander.
EOC directors often use a similar objectives-based approach to managing the EOC, but these EOC objectives are directed toward fulfilling the EOCs role; they are not tactical
objectives for management of the incident.

Determining Incident Priority

When there are multiple incidents occurring simultaneously the same resource may be needed in more than one incident.
Establishing the priorities among ongoing incidents is normally a function of the MAC Group. The EOC will use this guidance to prioritize the incident demands for critical
resources.
Typically, a process or procedure is established by the EOC to coordinate resource requests from the Area or Incident Commands, and to allocate scarce resources based on the
priorities defined by the MAC Group.
Some considerations used in determining priorities include:
Life-threatening situations
Threat to property
High damage potential
Incident complexity
Environmental impact
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Economic impact
Other criteria established by the Multiagency Coordination Group

Activating the EOC: Authority

SAMPLE JURISDICTIONAL EOC ACTIVATION GUIDANCE:

Emergency Function (EF) 1
MANAGING EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
The Emergency Management Agency (EMA) is the county’s 24-hour “crisis monitor.” As emergency situations threaten to occur, the county EMA Coordinator may activate the
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to facilitate evaluation and incident planning and possible activation and implementation of emergency functions and resources. Certain
near instantaneous events may trigger immediate, full EOC activation. The EOC is the key to successful response and recovery operations. With decision-makers and
policymakers located together, personnel and resources can be used efficiently. Coordination of activities will ensure that all tasks are accomplished and minimize duplication of
efforts. (Excerpted from Jefferson County, AL EOP)

Note that this sample Jurisdictional EOC Activation Guidance clearly indicates:
Who has the authority to activate the EOC.
What are the circumstances under which the EOC is activated.

Activating the EOC: Roles and Responsibilities

This section, describing the EOC, clearly defines the role of the EOC and the EMA Coordinator.
D. Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
1. On behalf of the Emergency Management Council, the EMA Coordinator has the responsibility for coordinating the entire emergency management organization. The
Coordinator makes all routine decisions and advises the officials on courses of action available for major decisions. During emergency operations, the Coordinator is

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responsible for the proper functioning of the EOC. The Coordinator also acts as a liaison with the State and Federal emergency agencies and neighboring counties.
2. The EOC is the central point for emergency management operations….Coordination and supervision of all services will be through the EOC Manager and Section Chiefs to
provide for the most efficient management of resources.
3. During emergency situations, certain agencies will be required to relocate their center of control to the EOC. During large-scale emergencies, the EOC will become the
seat of government for the duration of the crisis….
(Excerpted from Jefferson County, AL EOP)
Under this policy, the EMA Coordinator has the responsibility and authority for managing the county’s emergency management organization and the EOC during an emergency or
disaster.

Determining When the EOC Should Be Activated

Timing of EOC activation depends on the nature of the incident. Many jurisdictions have phases of EOC activation.
Time-phased activation is appropriate:
When an incident occurs that is expected to build over time, such as wildfire.
When there is a warning period before an emergency, such as when a hurricane or riverine flooding has been forecasted.
In preparation for planned events.

Time-Phased Activation

As the size, scope, and complexity of the incident grow, the level of activity within an EOC often grows.
A jurisdiction or organization will often specify levels of activation for their EOC in the emergency operations plan. This will often include which organizations and/or personnel
will be in the EOC for specific hazards and activation levels. There is no one approach to EOC activation levels. Some organizations use numbers or color designations, and the
number of levels vary between EOCs.
If a jurisdiction has developed its own activation level definitions, it is recommended that EOC personnel use the standard NIMS activation level titles listed below for
communication outside their jurisdiction/organization. Use of common terminology helps to prevent confusion.

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Determining the Level of Activation

The level of EOC activation should be based on established triggers and communication with the Incident Commander or Unified Command.
Levels of activation are linked to the jurisdiction’s hazard analysis. The Hazard Analysis helps define triggers for activation, based on actual or anticipated levels of damage for
anticipated threats or hazards.
Communication between the Incident Commander (or Unified Command) and the EOC is a critical element of an activation decision. On-scene command has the most up-to-date
information about the on-scene situation, knows whether the situation is under control, and is aware of current and projected incident needs.

EOC Location Factors

Where the EOC will be located is important. A poor selection can impact EOC effectiveness.
The main factors involved in locating an EOC are shown below.

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Safety

Is the EOC in a safe location? Consider:

Is the EOC location safe from anticipated natural and other threats and hazards?
Is the EOC location safe from high-risk cascading events?
Is the EOC located away from any likely terrorist targets?
Can personnel walk safely to report to the EOC?
Can personnel walk safely for meals and other amenities during EOC operations?

Safety (Continued)

Other important EOC safety issues include:

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Removal of dangerous substances (i.e., asbestos)
Ensuring appropriate security for EOC staff and visitors
Adequate and sanitary restroom facilities and break areas
Compliance with building codes

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Size - Key Points to Consider

The EOC needs to accommodate the maximum number of staff members required for large, complex emergencies.
The number of staff members needed at any one
Rule of thumb: Allow between 50 and 85 square feet per staff member. This space allowance includes working, walking,
time
and meeting areas.

Space planning must include room for electronic equipment, file storage, maps, and any special equipment staff
The equipment the staff will use on the job
members need for EOC operations.

Consider operational requirements: needed line of sight, private communications, operational security, work groups. The
How the equipment is configured
optimum configuration for operations is not always the most space-efficient.

Additional equipment required to ensure Do current communications and information management systems have “plug and play” interoperability? If not,
interoperability and redundancy additional equipment must be planned for in the EOC.

Additional space for conferences, eating and Designate space (away from the noise of emergency operations) for private meetings and conferences. Staff working
sleeping, and other identified uses during extended operations require space for non-work needs.

Lesson 3 Summary

During this lesson, you reviewed:

When, how, and by whom the EOC will be activated
“Time-phased” activation and when it might be appropriate
EOC activation levels
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Lesson 4 will focus on staffing and organization.

Lesson 4 Overview

In this lesson, you will consider options for staffing and organizing the EOC.

Lesson Objectives

At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

Identify factors to consider when staffing an EOC.
Determine staff to meet the requirements of key EOC operations.
Describe three ways to organize the EOC staff.
Distinguish between day-to-day staffing and incident staffing.

EOC Staffing: Factors To Consider

There are several key factors to consider when staffing the EOC.

What must be done? The tasks to be performed are the critical driver for EOC staffing. Identifying the tasks will point to the staff needed.

What is the timeframe? Extended operations fuel a need for alternate and support staff for 24/7 coverage.

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Who has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to All personnel must have the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the duties assigned. If training or cross-training is
perform critical tasks? necessary, it must occur as part of the planning cycle.

Who has the authority to make critical decisions? All persons assigned to the EOC must have the authority to do what is required by their jobs.

What Must Be Done?

Begin by considering essential functions to be performed at the EOC. Proper identification of essential functions is critical for effective EOC operations. Other aspects of the EOC
are designed around these functions.
If an essential function is not properly identified, there will be no arrangements to perform that function.
On the other hand, identifying too many functions as essential can lead to confusion during EOC operations.

What Is the Timeframe?

The possibility of extended operations will require planning for second- and/or third-shift personnel, backup personnel, and support personnel for EOC operations.
Alternate staff assignments are necessary during extended operations to ensure an adequate level of staffing for 24/7 operations when needed.
EOC facility support staff is necessary to perform support tasks, such as systems and facility maintenance, trash collection, food preparation and cleanup, administrative
tasks, etc.

Who Has the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities To Perform EOC Functions?

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When considering EOC staffing, look at:

Knowledge of the functions that the EOC must perform
Understanding of the specific EOC Skillsets and tasks required to perform an assigned EOC function
The ability to:
Work under pressure
Interact well with others
Work extended hours, if necessary

Who Has the Authority To Make Critical Decisions?

Ensuring that all personnel have the authority to perform the tasks assigned is of paramount importance.
For example...
Many people may have the knowledge, skills, and ability to manage a contract; few have the authority to execute a contract.
Most staff have an opinion of what policy to implement; few have the authority to enact policy.

Who Has the Authority To Make Critical Decisions? (Continued)

The best way to ensure that EOC staff are authorized to perform their essential functions is to pre-delegate authorities for enacting policy or making decisions. Most agencies
routinely use Delegations of Authority so decisions can be made in the absence of key decision-makers.
Delegations of Authority:
Should be developed before an incident to define specific authorities that the EOC will be delegated during an incident.
Take effect when an emergency occurs that requires EOC activation or when normal channels of direction and control are disrupted.
Terminate when the emergency ends or when normal channels of direction and control are restored.

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Who Has the Authority To Make Critical Decisions? (Continued)

During an emergency situation, Delegations of Authority:

Effect a rapid response.
Establish a clear chain of command.

Orders of Succession

All agencies activated for EOC operations need to have a clearly defined order of succession in place. An order of succession takes effect when government or agency leaders are
incapacitated or unavailable in an emergency requiring EOC activation.
An order of succession should be deep enough to ensure an agency can continue managing and directing its operations while remaining viable during an emergency.

Staffing to Support EOC Functions

EOCs must retain the ability to perform its function even with reduced staffing. Plan for training and cross-training of all EOC staff. There are a variety of reasons why staffing
may be reduced:
Some primary staff may be injured or may not be available.
Transportation routes to the EOC may be disrupted, prohibiting primary staff from reaching the facility.
In longer term activations, some primary staff may need to be replaced for a shift or longer.
In longer term operations, staff may need to divided into two or more shifts to maintain 24/7 operations.
All personnel must be trained for their jobs in the EOC. As a contingency, specific staff should be cross-trained to ensure that EOC operations can continue with a smaller number
of staff than originally planned.

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Configuration of Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs)

EOC teams vary widely. Organization of the EOC staff can vary based on:
Jurisdictional/organizational authorities
Available staffing
Partners and stakeholders represented
EOC facilities and capabilities
Political considerations
The nature and complexity of the incident or situation
NIMS identifies three common ways of organizing EOC Teams:
1. ICS or ICS-like structure
2. Incident Support Model structure
3. Departmental structure
Like ICS, EOCs utilize the NIMS Management Characteristic Modular Organization.

ICS or ICS-like EOC Structure

Many jurisdictions/organizations configure their EOCs using the standard ICS organizational structure. The structure is familiar and it aligns with the on-scene incident
organization.
Some jurisdictions/organizations modify organizational titles to create an ICS-like organization that distinguishes EOC functions from ICS.

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Incident Support Model (ISM) EOC Structure

Jurisdictions/organizations that focus their EOC team's efforts on information, planning, and resource support may choose to separate the situational awareness function from
planning and combine operations and logistics functions into an incident support structure.
In an ISM EOC situational awareness/information management reports directly to the EOC director and resource sourcing, ordering, and tracking is streamlined.

Departmental EOC Structure

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Jurisdictions/organizations may opt instead to use their day-to-day departmental/agency structure and relationships in their EOC. By operating in the context of their normal
relationships, department/agency representatives can function in the EOC with minimal preparation or startup time.
In this configuration, the organization’s emergency manager or a senior official typically coordinates EOC efforts among the departments and agencies.

Staffing the EOC

Planning for EOC staffing is an important aspect of EOC management. Just as you must plan for surge capacity during complex, extended incidents, you also need to develop
staffing for day-to-day EOC operations. Actual staffing for your EOC must be determined based on an analysis of the minimum staffing needed to perform the defined day-to-day
(non-incident) functions for your specific EOC.

Designing an EOC Structure - EOC Skillsets

There is no single NIMS organizational model for EOCs.

EOC leaders determine EOC structure.
EOCs normally perform common functions.
There are common EOC Skillsets.

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EOC Skillsets Concept

EOC skillsets support EOC personnel qualifications while remaining flexible for the diversity of EOC organization structures.
EOC leaders choose which skillset(s) to assign to specific positions in their EOCs, and combine them together to form task books that reflect the needs of their EOCs.
Unlike standard ICS Position Task Books, skillsets combine in multiple ways to create a wide variety of positions.
EOC Skillsets can be used to clarify requirements for mutual aid requests.

EOC Skillsets

Action Tracking Public Affairs Coordination

Center Management Recovery Coordination

Document and Records Management Resource Ordering and Acquiring

EOC Facility Management Resource Sourcing

Finance Resource Tracking

Legal Counseling Safety Advising

Organizational Representation Situational Awareness

Performance Improvement Understanding the Resource Requirement

Planning

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Click on EOC Skillsets User Guide for more information.

Day-To-Day Staffing Considerations

What functions may be performed in the EOC between incidents?

Although day-to-day functions vary among jurisdictions of various sizes and threat levels, minimal day-to-day functions can include:
Maintaining situational awareness
Maintaining communications
Developing plans
Process improvement
Training and exercising the EOC
Coordinating and developing agreements
Developing and disseminating Public Information
Finance and Administration
Logistics support for the EOC facility and staff
Security of the EOC facility and staff
There may be additional functions needed for your EOC.
One staff person may have responsibilities for multiple functions.

Incident Staffing

EOC staffing should expand and contract with the needs of the incident. The composition of the EOC team can vary depending on the nature and complexity of the incident or
situation.
Larger and/or more complex incidents will normally require a greater level of activation and a larger number of staff.
In day-to-day operations or partial activation, one staff member may perform multiple skillsets in the EOC. At full activation, the staff members may be focused on a single
EOC function, position or skillset, and some functions may require multiple personnel.
For example, in activation for a small, less complex incident, one EOC staff member may handle all resource-related tasks and may be assigned other duties as well. In a larger,
more complex incident, the EOC may require multiple people to efficiently perform resource tasks; some may focus on receiving orders, while others acquire resources and others
track those resources.

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Lesson 4 Summary

During this lesson, you reviewed:

Factors to consider when staffing an EOC.
Staff requirements of key EOC operations.
Three common ways to organize the EOC staff.
The difference between day-to-day staffing and incident staffing.
Lesson 5 will focus on EOC operations.

Lesson 5 Overview

In this lesson, you will look at EOC operations and the ICS/EOC interface. We will also address functions performed during EOC operations including communications,
information management, situational awareness, and resource management.
Resource: The EOP Resource Management Annex for your jurisdiction is needed to complete an activity.

Lesson Objectives

At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

Describe how NIMS Command and Coordination structures are interconnected.
Identify NIMS communications principles.
Describe the types of information managed by the EOC.
Explain Situational Awareness (SA).
Explain how resource management is provided by the EOC.

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Interconnectivity of NIMS Command and Coordination Structures

NIMS structures enable incident managers to manage incidents in a unified, consistent manner.
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Interconnectivity of NIMS structures is important to allow personnel in diverse geographic areas, with differing roles and responsibilities, and operating within various functions
of ICS and/or EOCs to integrate their efforts through common organizational structures, terminology, and processes.
When an incident occurs or threatens, local emergency personnel manage response using NIMS principles and ICS.
If the incident is or becomes large or complex, local EOCs activate.
EOCs receive senior level guidance from MAC Groups.
A Joint Information Center (JIC) manages the Joint Information System (JIS) operations to ensure coordinated and accurate public messaging among all levels: ICS,
EOC, and MAC Group.
If required resources are not available locally, they can be obtained under mutual aid agreements from neighboring jurisdictions, or State, tribal, territorial, and interstate sources
and assigned to the control of the Incident Commander or Unified Command.

EOC Function Review

The most common ICS/EOC interface issues center around roles and delegated authorities, communications, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), resource management,
personnel training and experience, and shared information. Communication and Information Management concerns were covered in an earlier lesson. This topic will focus on
SOPs, resource management, and personnel training.

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National Response Framework

The National Response Framework (NRF) is a guide to how the Nation responds to all types of disasters and emergencies. The NRF describes specific authorities and best
practices for managing incidents that range from local emergencies to large-scale terrorist attacks and catastrophic natural disasters with national-level impacts.
The National Response Framework is always in effect, and elements can be implemented at any time. It is built on scalable, flexible, and adaptable concepts identified in the
National Incident Management System (NIMS). The structures, roles, and responsibilities described in the NRF can be partially or fully implemented in the context of a threat or
hazard, in anticipation of a significant event, or in response to an incident. Selective implementation of NRF structures and procedures allows for a scaled response, delivery of
the specific resources and capabilities, and a level of coordination appropriate to each incident.
Click on NRF access a copy of the National Response Framework

NIMS Principles for Communications and Information Management

NIMS identifies four principles of communications and information management:

Interoperability
Reliability, Scalability and Portability
Resilience and Redundancy
Security
Each of these requirements will be described on the screens that follow.

Interoperability

Many jurisdictions believe that their communications systems are interoperable, but interoperability problems often emerge in a large-scale emergency or disaster.

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Interoperable communications systems enable personnel and organizations to communicate within and across jurisdictions and organizations via voice, data, and video systems in
real time. Interoperability plans address governance, standard operating procedures (SOPs), technology, training and exercises, and usage during routine operations and major
incidents.

Interoperability Video Transcript

The ability for first responders and those who support them to communicate with each other is a longstanding issue.
Interoperability-the ability for public safety agencies to exchange voice and/or data on demand and in real time has been pointed to as an issue in emergencies as diverse as
hurricanes and floods…earthquakes… and terrorist attacks.
Lack of redundant, interoperable communications can delay a response make even the most urgent response inefficient and, ultimately, cost lives.
Why is interoperability such a difficult issue to solve? Recent studies have identified five key reasons for lack of interoperability:
· Aging or incompatible communications infrastructure.
· Limited funding to update or replace equipment, coupled with different funding priorities and budget cycles.
· Limited and fragmented planning.
· The reluctance of agencies to give up control over their communications systems.
· Limited and fragmented radio spectrum availability.
The communication infrastructure in many jurisdictions is antiquated. Old equipment means higher maintenance costs, reduced reliability, and obsolescence for public safety
agencies. Many systems in use today are obsolete or will become obsolete as manufacturer support is discontinued. Some newer digital communications systems lack
interoperability with other systems because of proprietary software. Additionally, standards for technology and equipment are limited.
There is limited funding to replace and update communications equipment- and different communities and levels of government have different funding schedules and budget
priorities. Additionally, regulations in one jurisdiction may conflict with those in another, funding is often stovepiped to meet individual agency needs, and spending decisions
may be based on old strategies that did not consider the need for interoperability.
Planning for interoperability remains limited and fragmented. Without adequate planning, time and money can be wasted, and end results can be disappointing.
Competition among agencies, jurisdictions, and different levels of government inhibit the partnership and leadership required to develop interoperability. Interoperability requires
a certain amount of shared management, control, and coordination of policies and procedures. Agencies are naturally reluctant to give up management and control of their
communications system.
Finally, as public safety agencies share radio frequencies with television and radio, government users, and commercial users, the amount of radio spectrum available to public
safety agencies has become fragmented. Advancing technology is placing greater requirements on spectrum, making it more scarce and more valuable-at a time when public
safety agencies need additional spectrum to support emerging technologies.
So how can your public safety agencies, your jurisdiction, and your State improve its communications interoperability? First, determine your current level of interoperability.
After determining where you are, you can work on what you need, and how to get it. This unit will help you with each of these steps.

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Reliability, Scalability, and Portability

Communications and information systems should be reliable and scalable to function in any type of incident. This means they should be suitable for use within a single
jurisdiction or agency, a single jurisdiction with multiagency involvement, or multiple jurisdictions with multiagency involvement.
Reliability means that regular use of communications and information systems helps ensure that they are familiar, applicable, and acceptable to users; readily adaptable to
new technology; and reliable in any situation.
Scalability means that systems can be expanded to support any situation—including a major incident or several incidents that involve numerous responders and support
personnel from multiple jurisdictions and organizations—and that the number of users on a system can be readily increased. Portable technologies and equipment ensure the
effective integration, transport, and deployment of communications systems.
Portability includes the standardized assignment of radio channels across jurisdictions, which allows incident personnel to participate in an incident outside their
jurisdiction and still use familiar equipment.

Resilience and Redundancy

Resilience and redundancy in communications help to ensure the uninterrupted flow of information. Resilience is the ability of systems to withstand and continue to perform after
damage or loss of infrastructure. Redundancy is achieved through the duplication of services. It enables the continuity of communication when primary communications
capabilities suffer damage through diverse alternative methods.
What will you do if your primary communications system fails?
Much of the communications infrastructure in the Gulf Coast region was heavily damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, making emergency communications difficult or
impossible for some period of time.
Having redundant systems in place and ensuring that all agencies involved in a response know what those systems are and how they will be notified to switch to the backup
system may be critical to maintaining communications.

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The EOC will likely be responsible for implementing backup communications systems and notifying personnel to switch to the backup system.

Security

Some information communicated from, among, and to incident personnel is sensitive. Additionally, EOC and incident personnel may have access to critical assets, such as
industrial control systems, that could cause widespread impacts if compromised.
Incident personnel should work with IT and security experts to incorporate data, network, and systems protection best practices into incident communications and data sharing.
Intelligence/investigations function staff, for example, may discuss sensitive, personally identifiable, or classified information and must shield this information in accordance with
applicable law.
Incident communications and information sharing should comply with data protection and privacy laws.

Information Management: What you need to determine

Before you can manage information, you need to determine:

What information you need
What you will do with it
How you will protect it
How you will preserve it

Types of Information

The types of information managed in the EOC fall into two categories:

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1. Emergency operating records include records in various mediums/formats (print, electronic), that are essential to EOC operations and response support.
2. Legal and financial records include records, regardless of media, that are critical to carrying out the legal and financial responsibilities for the response.

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Identifying and Reviewing Required Information

Identify the information needed during EOC operations by compiling a detailed list of the records. This list needs to be reviewed and updated routinely, at least on an annual
basis.
Other events that should trigger a review include:
Changes in key personnel in the jurisdiction. Personnel changes can necessitate changes to orders of succession, delegations of authority, call-down rosters, and other
records.
EOC activation. After-action reports document past incidents and can provide information needed to prepare to support future incident response.

Meeting Information Needs

How you use information, will determine how you manage it. Look at the information used, how it is used, and by whom it is used to determine whether your current
management strategy is the best available.

Information Use Information Management Strategy

Information many people need access to

or Provide easy access, allowing for ease of update and sharing. Version control is critical for this information.
Information that is used at several different locations

Secure or classified information Secure storage and controlled access are critical considerations for this type of information.

Information transmitted to the public Provide ready accessibility to those with authority to speak to the media. This information must be kept current.

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Providing Information to Key Personnel

During an incident, key personnel rely on timely, accurate information. An effective operation at the EOC will help to manage and provide access to the essential information
needed to make good, timely decisions. Key personnel must have access to:
Email and shared electronics systems or drives access.
All information that they would have at the incident scene or at department headquarters such as incident situation reports, objectives, resources committed,
communications used, etc...
Operational data from departmental or other databases such as resources available.
Information needed from other key personnel in the Incident Command, EOC, MAC Group, and Joint Information Center (JIC).

Sharing Situational Awareness - Video Transcript

[Pre-Video Text]: This is a recording of Lori Hodges from the State of Colorado from an appearance on “Viewpoints.” In the clip, Lori is talking about the role of an Emergency
Operations Center and development of situational awareness.
[Lori:] Yeah, what I've seen most, I work in a lot of local Emergency Operations Centers as it's part of my job. I'm the direct connection to the State so I go to where they are, and
what I’ve seen with communities that don't have an Emergency Operations Center is that there is no hub of information, there's no one place where people can get that full picture,
again, of the whole community. So, if I have the nongovernmental entities, the private sector, the traditional governmental departments, if they don't have a place to go to share
information, you're gonna have a lot of stovepipes going on, you're not gonna have a good one-stop situational awareness. So, what the Emergency Operations Center can do is,
number one, they're gonna get a good idea about that incident footprint. What is the Incident Commander doing, what are their objectives, what do they need? Because obviously
that's one of the primary focuses of an Emergency Operations Center.
[Lori:] But outside of that, you have that consequence management piece, which is now, we're looking at globally what is going on in the community. How are they reacting? Are
we meeting the needs of the community as a whole? And with that, you have multiple partners that aren't in your traditional response. So, in order to get good situational
awareness, you need to have those people who can come to a place and say, "here's what's going on in our organization, here's how we're supporting this incident." And then you
can feed that information then up to those policy group members so that they have a better idea and can inform the public about what's going on.

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Review: Situational Awareness

Situational Awareness is the ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical information about an incident.
More simply, it is knowing what is going on around you.
Situational Awareness requires continuous monitoring of relevant sources of information regarding actual incidents and developing hazards.
A common core function of EOCs is gaining, maintaining, and sharing Situational Awareness and developing a Situational Picture (SitPic) that is shared between ICS, EOC,
MAC Group, and JIS participants in the incident.
In the early stages of activation the EOC will obtain Situational Awareness. This is important because accurate, timely information will enable more informed, effective decision-
making.

Review: Shared Situational Picture

Shared information supports a common understanding of the incident. A Shared Situational Picture (SitPic) refers to a continuously updated overview of an
incident.

The SitPic includes the key information needed for incident planning, tracking, and decision-making. This information is shared so that all personnel from all
organizations at all locations have a common set of information about the incident.

The Shared Situational Picture is based on Situational Awareness of a number of elements including:
Incident Objectives and progress in meeting objectives
Current status (what is happening now)
Evolving Situation (what is anticipated to happen)
Availability and location of resources
Needed resources
Policy Guidance and delegations in effect for the incident
Public/Media perceptions of the incident
An EOC's responsibility in the development of a Shared Situational Picture usually begins following the initial stages of an incident. The EOC develops a Shared
Situational Picture for those who are participating command and coordination for the incident. The EOCs also share Situational Awareness with neighboring
jurisdictions and States.

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Information Elements

Properly managed information enables effective, consistent, coordinated, and timely decision-making. There are several information terms that EOC personnel
should be familiar with:

Data is unprocessed material that may be incorrect, irrelevant, redundant, or useful. Data must be validated and analyzed to become meaningful
information or intelligence.
Information is processed data that is presented in a context which makes it useful. Data is turned into information through validation and analysis. Incident-
related information is used to support decision-making.
Essential Elements of Information (EEI) are those important and standard information items, which support timely and informed decisions. All
information is not useful for decision-making. EEI provides context, informs decision-making, and contributes to analysis and population of the Shared
Situational Picture
Intelligence in NIMS refers exclusively to threat-related information developed by law enforcement, medical surveillance, and other investigative
organizations. Intelligence normally has special access and handling requirements.

Visualizing Information Management

This graphic depicts the management of incident information to support situational awareness.
Data is received by the EOC. The top left shows the gathering of data from different sources.
In the top middle, the EOC staff verifies the data is correct and analyzes it to determine if it is pertinent to the situation. Processed data is called information or intelligence.
All information is not equally useful. On the right side, the EOC “filters” data based on defined Essential Elements of Information (EEI) to make information that is most
useful available. The bottom of the graphic depicts EEI being used to update the Shared Situational Picture (SitPic).
This common source of incident information is used to inform those who have contributed, those who are impacted, and those who may become impacted by the event.

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Documentation Tools

There are several ways to capture information from an EOC’s activation. Some of the documentation tools include:
EOC management software (off the shelf or internally developed)
Online information portals and/or shared data storage
Internal EOC plans, logs, and forms
Incident Action Plan/ICS Forms developed by the Incident Commander/Unified Command
State and Federal Disaster assistance forms
Video, still pictures, and audio recordings
Geographic Information System and hazard modeling software and products
Delegations of Authority and Policy Statements
Public Information/Media Releases
And, when all else fails, a pencil and a piece of paper can be used for documentation.
After documenting information, it must be archived for future use. Do not delete documentation until it is properly archived!

MAC Group Policies and Procedures

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Policies are high-level guidance that are generally developed by senior management. Policies provide goals and direction to all agencies that may respond to an incident.
Procedures specify the methods or steps to be followed routinely for the performance of designated operations or in specific situations. Procedures describe how policies will be
implemented.
Together, policies and procedures clarify:
What key players will do
How they will interact
How they will be held accountable
The jurisdiction or organization's Senior Official/Executive normally develops standing policies and procedures for incident response. During an incident the Senior Official or
the MAC Group makes policy decisions when existing policy does not address the specific circumstance, or when a multijurisdictional policy approach must be defined.

Policies and Guidelines: Examples

The following are examples of agency policies and guidelines that can affect management of an incident:
Pre-incident plans
Standard operating procedures
Emergency operations plans
Continuity of operations plans
Community preparedness plans
Mutual aid and assistance agreements
Wildland Fire Situation Analysis (WFSA)
Wildland Fire Implementation Plan (WFIP)
Corrective action plans
Mitigation plans
Recovery plans
Tribal, State, regional, and national mobilization guides
Field operations guides
Delegations of authority

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SOPs

Develop Standard Operating Procedures for every EOC position. Be sure to include:
What is required of the position.
When the SOP is effective.
The timeframe for mobilization, operations, and demobilization.
When the SOP is no longer effective.

Meeting the Public’s Information Needs

The public also has information needs. The Joint Information System (JIS) must include:
Protocols for coordinating information dissemination to the public.
Templates for key communications, such as warnings, public-service announcements (PSAs), and other emergency information.
A Joint Information Center (JIC) as a central location for disseminating information to the media.
Staff at the JIC trained as Public Information Officers (PIOs).

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Incident Resource Management Process

Incident resource management includes standardized procedures, methodologies, and functions. The EOC works with the Incident Command to ensure that these tasks are
completed. The following six resource management tasks are performed during an incident:
Identify Resource Requirements
Order and Acquire Resources
Mobilize Resources
Track Resources and Report Resource Status
Demobilize Resources
Reimburse Resource Providers and Restock Supplies
In addition to the activities conducted during an incident, there are Resource Management activities that take place in preparation for incidents including:
Identifying and Typing Resources
Qualifying, Certifying and Credentialing Personnel
Planning for Resources
Acquiring, Storing and Inventorying Resources
Developing Mutual Aid Agreements and Compacts

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Anticipating Incident Resource Needs

The graphic illustrates that the resource needs of an incident may build faster than resources can arrive. It is important for both the Incident Command and the EOC to think ahead
and anticipate what resources will be needed.
During the Incident Action Planning Process, in the Tactics Meeting, the Incident Command staff forecast resource requirements for the next operational period. EOCs need to
understand these potential resource requests as early as possible in order to begin determining where they can acquire the resources.
Experience and training will increase the ability of an EOC staff to predict workloads and corresponding staffing and resource needs.
On the right of the graphic we see the other side of the resource challenge in an incident. Eventually, a sufficient number of resources arrive and begin to control the incident.
However, as the incident workload declines, resources can exceed incident needs. It is important for both the Incident Command and the EOC to think ahead here as well in order
to begin planning for demobilization of resources that are no longer needed.

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Asking for Help

The Incident Commander identifies resource requirements as part of the Incident Action Planning Process. Then the Incident Commander will process and submit the resource
order according to the jurisdiction’s protocols. EOCs may also make resource requests to support the ongoing EOC activation.
The Incident Commander or EOC director makes a request that describes the:
Kind of resource (personnel, teams, facilities, equipment, or supplies)
Type of resource (minimum level of capability required to perform a function based on size, power and capacity for equipment, and experience and qualifications for
personnel or teams)
Mission requirement or task(s) to be accomplished
The Incident Commander or EOC director may delegate the responsibility for placing resource orders.
The EOC is normally the location that receives these resource requests, finds a source to fill the resource request, and tracks the resource until it is delivered to the Incident
Command (or EOC).

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Asking for Help (Continued)

The Incident Commander's resource request, identified using kind and type definitions, is processed by the EOC according to the jurisdiction or organization's defined ordering
processes (commonly described in the Emergency Operations Plan).
The EOC staff may consult with other experts to determine the specific resource required. For scarce resources, The MAC Group may have to prioritize where a resource is
assigned.
The EOC Staff determine whether to:
Fill the request internally with a resource controlled by a participating jurisdiction or organization.
Request the resource externally under an existing mutual aid agreement or compact.
Pass the request to the State or Federal government as a mission request.
This topic is explored in much greater detail in the IS-703 NIMS Resource Management course.

Resource Management

Resource management can be an area of confusion between the on-scene command structure and the EOC. As shown in the table below, however, the role of the EOC
complements that of the ICS structure.
Compare resource management at the Incident Command Post (ICP) versus the EOC:

Incident Command Post (ICS) EOC:

Identify resource needs Receive resource requests

Order resources Prioritize resource requests based on incident priorities MAC Group guidance

Check in resources Locate/order resources

Assign resources Assign according to priorities

Track resources Track resource use

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Incident Command Post (ICS) EOC:

Demobilize resources Pay for resources

Resource Management (Continued)

The on-scene Incident Command manages resources based on:

Initial Incident Sizeup
Subsequent Incident Objectives
Tactics
The principles of ICS ensure an orderly approach to identifying incident resource needs.
When incidents grow in size and/or complexity and more tactical resources are required, the EOC and the MAC Group play an increasingly important role in resource
management.

Criteria for Determining Priorities

The following criteria are commonly used for setting priorities:

Life Safety
Threat to responders
Threat to public
Incident Stabilization
Damage potential
Incident complexity
Infrastructure protection
Property Conservation
Real property threatened
Environmental impact
Economic impact
Other criteria may be established by the coordinating organization.

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Switching Resource Ordering to the EOC

One common issue around resource managers is the question of when the Incident Commander should request resources from the EOC rather than from the dispatch center. Many
jurisdictions have established triggers to help the Incident Commander make that decision. Possible triggers are shown in the table below.

Activation of the EOC Some jurisdictions automatically switch their resource ordering and tracking to the EOC as soon as it is fully operational.

Dispatch workload increases beyond The call load for dispatch rises as an incident expands. Dispatch may reach a point where it cannot provide dispatch services
specified threshold and/or cannot provide large-incident logistical support.

Establishment of a Unified Command or Multiple agencies with shared responsibility for a response, or multiple incidents with separate Incident Command structures,
Area Command will need resource management from the EOC.

Normal mutual aid resources are exhausted There is a need for increased delegation of authority to commit finances.

Switching Resource Ordering To the EOC (Continued)

To help all personnel recognize triggers for switching resource ordering to the EOC, the process should be:
Stated clearly in the jurisdiction’s Emergency Operations Plan.
Implemented through the jurisdiction’s chain of command.
Supported by dependable communications.
The procedures for switching resource ordering to the EOC should be trained and exercised regularly.

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Planning for Incident Support

EOC Staff conduct planning activities in support of EOC and Incident Command.
The Incident Command Planning Section is focused on planning future operational cycles and developing the IAP.
The EOC Plans Function develops near term plans to achieve EOC support of an incident.
The EOC Plans Function can also develop longer term plans that anticipate future requirements for incident response and recovery.
Continuity of Operation Planning (COOP) and contingency planning for incidents can also be performed by an EOC.

The Operational Period Planning Cycle (Planning P)

The Operational Period Planning Cycle is the process used in the incident to develop the Incident Action Plan for the next operational period. The Incident Action Plan is
completed each operational period utilizing the progression of meetings and briefings shown in the Planning P.
The EOC will also have a defined Operational Cycle of information updates, meetings, briefings, and reports.
The operational period for the incident and the EOC may not be the same. For example, in a rapidly changing incident the Incident Command may have a four hour operational
cycle, but the EOC may be operating on 8 or 12 hour operational periods to facilitate shift work.
The key is synchronizing inputs and outputs between the EOC and Incident Command so that each has the information necessary for situational awareness, decision support, and
proactive actions.

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Coordinating With Other EOCs

Typically, coordination with other EOCs occurs when:

Mutual aid is requested. The provision of mutual aid is a trigger for coordination between or among the EOCs of the jurisdictions involved.
Technical specialists are required. The provision of technical specialists, such as those provided by State environmental agencies, research universities, and/or outside
contractors, often triggers coordination between EOCs and other NIMS multiagency coordination entities.
The emergency is widespread or a Federal disaster is declared. Widespread emergencies or federally declared disasters automatically trigger the activation of NIMS
Command and Coordination elements and entities in multiple jurisdictions and organizations.

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Coordinating With Other EOCs (Continued)

The most common coordination point with other parts of the NIMS Command and Coordination structure is when external assistance is needed. Commonly, this is done through
mutual aid agreements. A model process for requesting external assistance is shown below.

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In this model, requests for mutual aid may be made directly to another EOC, or processed through the State EOC. Resource orders to the next higher level of government may
first need a formal request for assistance.

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Requesting Assistance From Other EOCs and Multiagency Coordination

Partners

When requesting assistance from outside of the organizations represented in your EOC, it is important to make the request as complete as possible. All requests should be made
formally and include:
The type of incident
The time the incident occurred (or is expected to occur)
Actions already taken
Areas and number of people involved
Estimates of loss of life, injuries, and extent of damage
The type and amount of assistance required
The time and place for delivery
Contact information for follow-up questions
A formal request for assistance should always be followed up by the actual resource order. The resource order provides detailed information on the kind and type of resource that
is needed—what, where, and when.

Tips for Requesting External Assistance

When requesting assistance:

Ask sooner rather than later. Coordination takes time. There will be some delay between the time that a resource is requested and the time it arrives and can be assigned.
Make all resource requests based on the mission, task, incident objectives, and established priorities.
Follow established procedures for requesting external resources to ensure that the resource assignments can be made and tracked accurately.

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Lesson 5 Summary

During this lesson, you looked at key aspects of EOC operations. Additional topics addressed:
How NIMS Command and Coordination structures are interconnected.
The NIMS communications principles.
The types of information managed by the EOC.
Situational Awareness (SA).
How resource management is provided by the EOC.
Lesson 6 will cover transitioning to recovery and deactivation.

Lesson 6 Overview

In this lesson, you will examine the role of the EOC in the Transition from Response to Recovery, and considerations for deactivating the EOC.

Lesson Objectives

At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

Describe the Recovery Continuum.
Explain the role of the EOC in the Recovery Continuum.
Describe considerations for deactivating the EOC.

Definition: Recovery
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Recovery is defined as "those capabilities necessary to assist communities affected by an incident to recover effectively."
Recovery is focused on a timely restoration, strengthening, and revitalization of communities affected by a catastrophic incident:
Infrastructure Systems
Housing
Economic Recovery
Health and Social Services
Natural and Cultural Resources

Successful recovery ensures that we emerge from any threat or hazard stronger and positioned to meet the recovery needs of the future.
You can find more information about these Recovery core capabilities from National Preparedness Goal.

National Disaster Recovery Framework

The National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) is a guide that enables effective recovery support to disaster-impacted States, Tribes, Territorial and local jurisdictions. It
provides a flexible structure that enables disaster recovery managers to operate in a unified and collaborative manner. It also focuses on how best to restore, redevelop and
revitalize the health, social, economic, natural and environmental fabric of the community and build a more resilient Nation. The NDRF includes:
Core Recovery Principles
Roles and responsibilities of recovery coordinators and other stakeholders
Coordinating structure that facilitates communication and collaboration among all stakeholders
Guidance for pre-disaster and post-disaster recovery planning
Overall process by which communities can capitalize on opportunities to rebuild
To learn more about Recovery, you can read the National Disaster Recovery Framework at this link: National Disaster Recovery Framework.

The Recovery Continuum

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The recovery process is a sequence of activities that move a community toward recovery. These activities are interdependent and may overlap. For example, some aspects of
short-term recovery may begin before the response to an incident or event has been completed; some large scale, long term recovery activities may need to be initiated within days
after a disaster.
Because there is a need for recovery action immediately following a disaster, communities benefit from pre-disaster preparation. Decisions and priorities established before a
disaster and early in the recovery process will impact how quickly and comprehensively the community will be able to recover from an incident.
The graphic shows the interconnectedness of recovery activities from pre-incident recovery preparation through the long term recovery.

Transition to Recovery: EOC Role

At some point the incident is over and the community must work to recover from the impacts. EOCs have a role in transitioning a community from response toward recovery.
Some activities that an EOC may perform to support this transition include:
Coordination of incident documentation (gathering and archiving all documents regarding the incident).
Archiving of data and contact information (ensuring that data and information is available for use through the recovery process).
Conducting after-action reviews.
Advocating for State and Federal Assistance (documenting the incident for the purpose of obtaining Federal assistance).
Managing Emergency Shelters.
Establishing Disaster Recovery Centers (normally the responsibility of the impacted community).

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Working with FEMA, the State, and other Federal entities. (EOC staff liaison with State and Federal officials as the jurisdiction conducts joint damage
assessments and seeks Federal assistance under the Stafford Act).
Helping the community to manage expectations for recovery through Public Information.

Deactivating the EOC

The on-scene commander is aware of the current incident status and knows:
Current incident status and requirements for continued coordination and support.
Ongoing and future requirements to meet incident objectives.
Length of time required to meet incident objectives.
When the demand for resources and coordination slows down.
The EOC leadership must also consider recovery needs. Often, the EOC must remain activated to facilitate recovery needs after the Incident Command completes its on-scene
mission.

Deactivating the EOC

The decision-maker for deactivating EOC functions will vary by jurisdiction. In many cases, this will be the Emergency Management Coordinator or EOC Director will make the
decision jointly with agency key personnel and the Senior Officials of the jurisdiction.
As previously discussed, EOC decision-makers should make the decision to release personnel and other resources only after discussion with on-scene commanders.

Deactivating the EOC (Continued)

The authority to begin full or partial deactivation should be clearly stated in the jurisdiction’s EOP, and all personnel should know:

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Who has the authority.
The process that will be followed for deactivation.
Recommendation: Deactivate in phases. It is more efficient and cost effective to deactivate personnel as they are no longer needed.

Post-Incident Evaluation

EOC operations should be evaluated after every activation, and every aspect of operations should be evaluated. The persons listed below should be included in the evaluation
process:
All key EOC personnel
The Incident Commander(s)
Jurisdiction leadership or their designees who were involved at the EOC
Others as appropriate under the circumstances, such as utility company representatives, members of the media, and representatives from nongovernmental organizations

After-Action Analysis and Reporting Process

As a minimum, the following activities should be included as part of after-action analysis and reporting:
Report EOC performance completely
Develop solutions, rather than merely listing problems
Develop a plan to train, test, and exercise the proposed solutions
Carry after-action results over to the EOP
Recommendation: Adopt a “nonattribution rule” to encourage open and honest discussion of what worked well and what didn’t.

Lesson 6 Summary
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During this lesson, you looked at the Recovery Continuum, the role of the EOC in the transition to recovery, and considerations for deactivating the EOC.
Lesson 7 will provide an opportunity for you to apply what you have learned about EOCs in an activity.

Lesson 7: Application Activity

Lesson Objective
At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to successfully apply key course concepts in a scenario-based activity.
Through the scenario, you will have the opportunity to:
Determine incident complexity and incident typing.
Determine EOC objectives.
Determine appropriate level of EOC activation.
Determine staffing requirements for the EOC.
Describe information requirements for situational awareness and decision support.
Identify appropriate EOC actions to support resource management.
Identify considerations for deactivating the EOC.

Scenario: Liberty County

The scenario for this activity takes place in Liberty County.

Liberty County is located in the fictional State of Columbia, on the Atlantic Coast between Canada and Mexico.
Liberty County is primarily rural with large tracts of forests, grazing lands, and farmlands.
The population of the county is 302,412. Almost half of the population resides in Central City, and another quarter of the county’s permanent residents live in four smaller cities:
Fisherville, Harvest Junction, Kingston, and Bayport.
Liberty County government includes a Sheriff’s Department, Emergency Management Center, Public Health Department, Public Works Department, and Board of Schools. The
county infrastructure includes a dam and reservoir, a seaport, and two airports.

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Liberty County Map

Central City

Central City is the county seat for Liberty County and houses a population of 149,000. It is a diverse city with industrial areas, commercial areas, multi-family housing
complexes, and single family sub-divisions.
Central City government includes a Fire Department, Police Department, and Public Works Department. The city has a separate School District, four Hospitals, and Two
Universities.

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Your Role

You are a member of the emergency management community within Liberty County.
You are senior supervisory level person in the EOC during this incident. In this activity, you will apply what you have learned in this course to choose the appropriate EOC
actions to support the initial response by the Incident Command.

Liberty County Fairgrounds

The Liberty County Fairgrounds are located northwest of Central City. Fairgrounds Avenue, the southern boundary of the fairgrounds, is one street north of the city limits, within
the jurisdiction of Liberty County.
The indoor and outdoor facilities at the Liberty County Fairgrounds are utilized throughout most of the year.

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Liberty County Fair and Rodeo

It is the week of the annual Liberty County Fair and Rodeo. This event is hosted at the fairgrounds and attracts several thousands of visitors daily.
Early in the evening large crowds fill the 127 acre complex. People stream to and from the parking areas; traffic is congested; and the Midway area, outdoor stage, and
Grandstand are filled to capacity.
Small elements of the County Sheriff’s office, the Central City Police Department, the Central City Fire Department and County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are located
in and around the fairgrounds to provide for public safety at the event. These organizations are operating cooperatively, but no centralized incident command structure has been
established.

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Tanker Truck Crash

At about 5 p.m., a large truck traveling fast heading west on Fairgrounds Avenue veered off the road, jumped the curb near the fairgrounds entrance, and passed through the
crowd. The vehicle stopped when it collided with an exhibit hall next to the outdoor stage.
A few moments later, as the crowd began to react, the large truck caught fire. Several people were injured as the tanker truck passed through the crowd. The scene was chaotic as
some attempted to flee and others tried to help.
Public safety personnel on scene, law enforcement, fire, and EMS responded immediately to the incident. Both the Central City and Liberty County Emergency Operations
Centers were notified of these events.
At the time of the incident, the city and county EOCs were at a normal/steady state activation level. EOCs are assessing any additional resources or other support required for the
incident. The State of Columbia EOC is at normal/steady state activation level and has not yet been notified of this incident.

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Establish Command

It is now 5:15 pm, 15 minutes after the incident began.

The Central City Fire Department established Incident Command.
Several single resources such as fire trucks, ambulances, and law enforcement have responded to the incident.
The incident is anticipated to be resolved within a few hours (a single operational period).

Hazards and Safety Concerns

The Incident Commander has identified the following hazards:

Vehicle fire with a potential to spread to structures
Potential for explosions if the fire encounters fuel or compressed gas cylinders
Damaged utilities that could harm incident survivors and responders
Potential structural collapse of the building hit by the tanker truck
The identified safety concerns include:
Harm to survivors or responders from the hazards
Injured people unable to self-evacuate from the immediate area of the fire
Uninjured people fleeing the incident scene
Traffic congestion that restricts responder vehicle access to the incident

Incident Typing

You should recall from this course that a useful way of characterizing incidents is by Incident Typing based on complexity.
Incidents are categorized into five types based on complexity. Type 5 incidents are the least complex and Type 1 incidents are the most complex.

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Factors that impact the determination of incident type include size of the ICS structure, number of resources employed, and the length of time the incident response is anticipated
to last.

Incident Typing (Continued)

Review the following definitions and determine what Incident Type is appropriate for the incident in this scenario.
TYPE 5 INCIDENT: One or two single response resources with up to 6 response personnel, the incident is expected to last only a few hours, no ICS Command and
General Staff positions activated
TYPE 4 INCIDENT: Several single response resources required, response will be limited to one operational period, select ICS Command and General Staff activated only
as needed
TYPE 3 INCIDENT: Resource requirements will exceed the initial response resources, may extend into multiple operational periods, some or all ICS Command and
General Staff are activated
TYPE 2 INCIDENT: Regional or National resources will be required, the incident will extend into multiple operational periods, most or all ICS Command and General
Staff positions are filled
TYPE 1 INCIDENT: National level resources are required, the incident will extend into multiple operational periods, all ICS Command and General Staff positions are
utilized and Branches need to be established

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Clocks do not depict the length of the incident.

Activation Levels

EOCs are activated for various reasons based on the needs of a jurisdiction, organization, or Incident Commander; the context of a threat; the anticipation of events; or in response
to an incident.
The level of activity within an EOC often grows as the size, scope, and complexity of the incident grow.
Based on your assessment of Incident Type, what would you recommend as an appropriate activation level for the Liberty County EOC?

Activation Level Description

Activities that are normal for the EOC when no incident or specific risk or hazard has been identified
3 Normal Operations/Steady State
Routine watch and warning activities if the EOC normally houses this function

Enhanced Steady-State/Partial Certain EOC team members/organizations are activated to monitor a credible threat, risk, or hazard and/or to support the
2
Activation response to a new and potentially evolving incident

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Activation Level Description

EOC team is activated, including personnel from all assisting agencies, to support the response to a major incident or credible
1 Full Activation
threat

Media Attention

As you increase your EOCs activation level to Level 2 partial activation to better support the incident, you receive additional information about media attention to the incident.
Numerous first-hand reports of the incident are on social media. One local TV station was on-scene when the incident occurred, but has not yet interrupted normally scheduled
programming to report on the incident.
The incident has not yet been reported through online news sources but the EOC is receiving initial media inquiries.
It is anticipated that there will be reporting on this incident by the news media no later than the next news cycle at 6 pm.

Incident Objectives

You also receive information from the Incident Commander on incident objectives.
The Incident Command has not yet developed a written IAP for the incident.

The Incident Commander identified the top priorities were to evacuate and treat the injured personnel. He identified the following initial incident objectives:
1. Evacuate all injured personnel from the vicinity of the crashed tanker truck to the on-scene medical personnel within 15 minutes (by 5:30 pm)
2. Provide on-site triage, stabilization, and hospital transport for incident survivors within 30 minutes (by 5:45 pm)
3. Extinguish vehicle fire within 30 minutes (by 5:45 pm)
4. Mitigate leaks of flammable fuels and compressed gas to prevent expansion of the fire within 1 hour (by 6:15 pm)
5. Establish a controlled perimeter around the incident within 45 minutes (by 6 pm)
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6. Manage traffic on Fairgrounds Avenue, C Street, and E Street to ensure responder access within 30 minutes (by 6:45 pm)

EOC Functions

From this course you have learned that the primary functions of staff in EOCs include:
Collecting, analyzing, and sharing information
Supporting resource needs and requests, including allocation and tracking
Coordinating plans and determining current and future needs
In some cases, providing coordination and policy direction
We will explore these functions from your perspective as the supervisor in the Liberty County EOC.

EOC Objectives

As the EOC supervisor, you must direct the actions of the EOC staff. This includes defining what the EOC staff should be focused on.
Think about what you know about the incident and the Incident Commander’s objectives. Then, based on your knowledge of EOC functions, develop some initial guidance, or
objectives, for the EOC staff.

Incident Objectives

Evacuate all injured personnel from the vicinity of the crashed tanker truck to the on-scene medical personnel within 15 minutes (by 5:30 pm)

Provide on-site triage, stabilization, and hospital transport for incident survivors within 30 minutes (by 5:45 pm)

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Extinguish vehicle fire within 30 minutes (by 5:45 pm)

Mitigate leaks of flammable fuels and compressed gas to prevent expansion of the fire within 1 hour (by 6:15 pm)

Establish a controlled perimeter around the incident within 45 minutes (by 6 pm)

Manage traffic on Fairgrounds Avenue, C Street, and E Street to ensure responder access within 30 minutes (by 6:45 pm)

Incident Information Requirements

Collecting, analyzing, and sharing information is an EOC function.

EOCs need appropriate information to develop and maintain situational awareness and to support decision making.
Remembering that the EOC is supporting the incident, what important information do you assess the EOC should be seeking for this incident?

Incident Resource Requirements

Supporting resource needs and requests and planning for current and future needs are functions of EOCs.
The Incident Commander has identified the following additional incident resource requirements that must be met:
Ambulances with medical personnel
Fire trucks with firefighter personnel
Law enforcement for traffic control
These are resource requirements that can currently be met using the internal resources of Liberty County and Center City.
The EOC is in partial activation and resource requests are increasing so resource requests will now be handled by the EOC.
At this point in the scenario, do you see any actions related to resources that the EOC can take to support the incident?

Incident Action Planning Process

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You can see that anticipating requirements is important for an effective EOC.
In this course, you learned about the Operational Period Planning Cycle, a sequence of meetings and briefings followed by the Incident Command to develop an Incident Action
Plan for the next Operational period.

Incident Command Structure

As the Incident commands is established, the Incident Commander informs the EOC that the following ICS functions were activated:
A Public Information Officer (PIO) to interface with the media and others needing incident information.
A Safety Officer to monitor incident operations and advise the Incident Commander on health and safety.
An Operations Section to plan and perform tactical activities to achieve the incident objectives.
A Logistics Section has not been established, but a staging area manager was designated under the Operations Section to meet the incident’s initial resource management
needs.
The Incident Commander did not establish Planning, Intelligence/ Investigations, Logistics and Finance/Administration because he assessed they were not needed based on the
size, complexity, and expected duration of the incident.

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EOC Staffing

Acting as the EOC supervisor, you have set objectives and determined your initial information and resources support requirements.
Now that you understand what you are trying to accomplish and what support is needed for the Incident Command, you need to think about how to ensure that your EOC
structure will meet the support requirements.
There are several NIMS Management Characteristics that can be applied to determining the appropriate EOC staffing for an incident:
Manageable Span of Control: The EOC structure must be of a sufficient size to assist the EOC director in effectively supporting the incident. A key to this is controlling
the number of subordinates or functions that each supervisor manages.
Modular Organization: What pieces of the EOC structure are needed to support the incident? Think ahead to the next operational period because what you need then often
must be asked for now.

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EOC Staffing (Continued)

The Liberty County EOC uses an ICS-like EOC Model. You are in the position of the EOC Director. The EOC is at a partial activation and you have limited staff.
Review the EOC Graphic and select two other functions that - based on what you know about the incident and the EOC role - you assess should be prioritized to be filled with
available staff.
Keep in mind that all of these functions will be needed – the question here is what functions will need the greatest level of staffing at this point in the incident?

Scenario Update

It is now just after 6 p.m. and the situation appears to be contained and improving.
There were over a dozen casualties and one death. All casualties were successfully stabilized and transported to local hospitals.
The vehicle fire initially spread to the building, but was extinguished before it could spread to surrounding structures.
The crowds are under control, but traffic has not yet completely cleared from the area and continues to slow the ingress and egress of emergency management resources.
The vehicle driver was located and the origin and contents of the large truck have been identified. Concerns that this could have been an intentional act or that the truck could
have been transporting something hazardous have been eliminated.
This incident is decreasing in complexity and will transition to recovery.

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EOC Deactivation

Based on the scenario update, what are some considerations for deactivating the EOC?
As the EOC Director, assess the following items:
Incident Command
Nature and magnitude of the incident
Hazards and safety concerns
Priorities and resource requirements
EOC activation level and staffing

Lesson 7 Summary

This concludes the scenario based activity for ICS 2200.

In this lesson, you applied key course concepts from this course in a scenario based activity including:
Determine incident complexity and incident typing.
Determine EOC Objectives.
Determine appropriate level of EOC activation.
Determine primary functions of EOC staff.
Determine staffing requirements for the EOC.
Describe information requirements for situational awareness and decision support.
Identify appropriate EOC actions to support resource management.
Identify considerations for deactivating the EOC.

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Lesson 8 Overview

This lesson provides a brief summary of the Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions course content. After reviewing the summary information, you will receive
instructions for taking the course Final Exam.
At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:
Summarize concepts from the course.
Complete the final exam for the course.

The Role of the EOC - Coordination

The EOC provides multiagency coordination of information and resources to support incident management (on-scene operations). This coordinated support can be provided
directly to an Incident Command, or through another EOC.
EOCs exist at all levels of government. EOCs are multidisciplinary, involving multiple disciplines such as fire, law enforcement, EMS, public works, and others. EOCs can be a
temporary or a permanently established physical or virtual facility.
The purpose and authorities of EOCs vary widely. EOCs demonstrate the NIMS Guiding Principle of Flexibility - they are adaptable to the requirements of the
jurisdiction. Generally, EOCs do not command the on-scene response. However, EOC Staff may share the load with the Incident Command by managing operations such as
emergency shelters or points of distribution. EOCs may also perform incident command functions when on-scene incident command is not established, such as in a snow
emergency.
The EOC carries out the coordination function through:
Collection, analysis, and sharing of Information
Supporting Resource needs and requests
Coordinating plans and determining future needs
In some cases providing coordination and policy direction

EOC Functions
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EOCs enable multiagency coordination by ensuring that response systems are interconnected and complementary. They reinforce interoperability among the various system
components, and make response more efficient and effective by coordinating available resources.
EOCs serve several main functions within NIMS Command and Coordination:
Information management—collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information from various sources and sharing essential information
Resource Management—coordinating support for resource needs and requests
Planning—coordinating plans and determining current and future needs
EOCs can make decisions based on established policies and procedures within the authority given to them by their jurisdiction.
In some jurisdictions or some specific incidents EOCs may also:
Manage Operations such as emergency shelters or points of distribution to allow the Incident Command to focus on the incident
Direct tactical operations when an Incident Command is not established (such as in a snow emergency).
Coordinate the efforts of several geographically separated incidents or activities.
Provide coordination and policy direction.
In some cases a jurisdiction may conduct incident or Area Command from the EOC.

Incident Typing: Review

Incidents, like resources, may be categorized into five types based on complexity.
The Incident Commander will normally categorize the incident based on incident "type" in order to help the ICS staff and other incident personnel understand the size,
complexity, and level of resources required to manage the incident.
EOC personnel should understand this common terminology.
Incident typing may be used to:
Make decisions about resource requirements.
Order Incident Management Teams (IMTs). An IMT is made up of the Command and General Staff members in an ICS organization.
Make decisions about appropriate EOM activation level and staffing requirements.
Type 5 incidents are the least complex and Type 1 the most complex.

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Configuration of Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs)

EOC teams vary widely. Organization of the EOC staff can vary based on:
Jurisdictional/organizational authorities
Available staffing
Partners and stakeholders represented
EOC facilities and capabilities
Political considerations
The nature and complexity of the incident or situation
NIMS identifies three common ways of organizing EOC Teams:
1. ICS or ICS-like structure
2. Incident Support Model structure
3. Departmental structure
Like ICS, EOCs utilize the NIMS Management Characteristic Modular Organization.

Interconnectivity of NIMS Command and Coordination Structures

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NIMS structures enable incident managers to manage incidents in a unified, consistent manner.
Interconnectivity of NIMS structures is important to allow personnel in diverse geographic areas, with differing roles and responsibilities, and operating within various functions
of ICS and/or EOCs to integrate their efforts through common organizational structures, terminology, and processes.
When an incident occurs or threatens, local emergency personnel manage response using NIMS principles and ICS.
If the incident is or becomes large or complex, local EOCs activate.
EOCs receive senior level guidance from MAC Groups.
A Joint Information Center (JIC) manages the Joint Information System (JIS) operations to ensure coordinated and accurate public messaging among all levels: ICS,
EOC, and MAC Group.
If required resources are not available locally, they can be obtained under mutual aid agreements from neighboring jurisdictions, or State, tribal, territorial, and interstate sources
and assigned to the control of the Incident Commander or Unified Command.

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NIMS Principles for Communications and Information Management

NIMS identifies four principles of communications and information management:

Interoperability
Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
Resilience and Redundancy
Security

Visualizing Information Management

This graphic depicts the management of incident information to support situational awareness.
Data is received by the EOC. The top left shows the gathering of data from different sources.
In the top middle, the EOC staff verifies the data is correct and analyzes it to determine if it is pertinent to the situation. Processed data is called information or intelligence.
All information is not equally useful. On the right side, the EOC “filters” data based on defined Essential Elements of Information (EEI) to make information that is most
useful available. The bottom of the graphic depicts EEI being used to update the Shared Situational Picture (SitPic).
This common source of incident information is used to inform those who have contributed, those who are impacted, and those who may become impacted by the event.

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Meeting Information Needs

How you use information will determine how you manage it. Look at the information used, how it is used, and by whom it is used to determine whether your current management
strategy is the best available.

Information Use Information Management Strategy

Information many people need access to

or Provide easy access, allowing for ease of update and sharing. Version control is critical for this information.
Information that is used at several different locations

Secure or classified information Secure storage and controlled access are critical considerations for this type of information.

Information transmitted to the public Provide ready accessibility to those with authority to speak to the media. This information must be kept current.

Resource Management
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Resource management can be an area of confusion between the on-scene command structure and the EOC. As shown in the table below, however, the role of the EOC
complements that of the ICS structure.
Compare resource management at the Incident Command Post (ICP) versus the EOC:

Incident Command Post (ICS) EOC

Identify resource needs Receive resource requests

Order resources Prioritize resource requests based on incident priorities MAC Group guidnce

Check in resources Locate/order resources

Assign resources Assign according to priorities

Track resources Track resource use

Demobilize resources Pay for resources

The Operational Period Planning Cycle (Planning P)

The Operational Period Planning Cycle is the process used in the incident to develop the Incident Action Plan for the next operational period. The Incident Action Plan is
completed each operational period utilizing the progression of meetings and briefings shown in the Planning P.
The EOC will also have a defined Operational Cycle of information updates, meetings, briefings, and reports.
The operational period for the incident and the EOC may not be the same. For example, in a rapidly changing incident the Incident Command may have a four hour operational
cycle, but the EOC may be operating on 8 or 12 hour operational periods to facilitate shift work.
The key is synchronizing inputs and outputs between the EOC and Incident Command so that each has the information necessary for situational awareness, decision support ,and
proactive actions.

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Transition to Recovery: EOC Role

At some point the incident is over and the community must work to recover from the impacts. EOCs have a role in transitioning a community from response toward recovery.
Some activities that an EOC may perform to support this transition include:
Coordination of incident documentation (gathering and archiving all documents regarding the incident).
Archiving of data and contact information (ensuring that data and information is available for use through the recovery process).
Conducting after-action reviews.
Advocating for State and Federal Assistance (documenting the incident for the purpose of obtaining Federal assistance).
Managing Emergency Shelters.
Establishing Disaster Recovery Centers (normally the responsibility of the impacted community).
Working with FEMA, the State, and other Federal entities. (EOC staff liaison with State and Federal officials as the jurisdiction conducts joint damage
assessments and seeks Federal assistance under the Stafford Act).
Helping the community to manage expectations for recovery through Public Information.

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Deactivating the EOC

The on-scene commander is aware of the current incident status and knows:
Current incident status and requirements for continued coordination and support.
Ongoing and future requirements to meet incident objectives.
Length of time required to meet incident objectives.
When the demand for resources and coordination slows down.
The EOC leadership must also consider recovery needs. Often, the EOC must remain activated to facilitate recovery needs after the Incident Command completes its on-scene
mission.

Course Summary

You have completed the Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions Course.
You should now be able to:
Describe the role EOCs play in overall multiagency coordination.
Identify requirements to activate the EOC.
Identify staffing needs and organizational structure at the EOC.
Determine whether your EOC organization is conducive to effective coordination.
Describe the role of the EOC in transitioning to Recovery and deactivation.
Apply concepts learned in the course to your jurisdiction.
You may now take the final course exam. You will also have an opportunity to provide feedback about the course.

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Lesson 8 Overview

This lesson provides a brief summary of the Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions course content. After reviewing the summary information, you will receive
instructions for taking the course Final Exam.

The Role of the EOC - Coordination

The EOC provides multiagency coordination of information and resources to support incident management (on-scene operations). This coordinated support can be provided
directly to an Incident Command, or through another EOC.
EOCs exist at all levels of government. EOCs are multidisciplinary, involving multiple disciplines such as fire, law enforcement, EMS, public works, and others. EOCs can be a
temporary or a permanently established physical or virtual facility.
The purpose and authorities of EOCs vary widely. EOCs demonstrate the NIMS Guiding Principle of Flexibility - they are adaptable to the requirements of the
jurisdiction. Generally, EOCs do not command the on-scene response. However, EOC Staff may share the load with the Incident Command by managing operations such as
emergency shelters or points of distribution. EOCs may also perform incident command functions when on-scene incident command is not established, such as in a snow
emergency.
The EOC carries out the coordination function through:
Collection, analysis, and sharing of Information
Supporting Resource needs and requests
Coordinating plans and determining future needs
In some cases providing coordination and policy direction

EOC Functions

EOCs enable multiagency coordination by ensuring that response systems are interconnected and complementary. They reinforce interoperability among the various system
components, and make response more efficient and effective by coordinating available resources.

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EOCs serve several main functions within NIMS Command and Coordination:
Information management—collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information from various sources and sharing essential information
Resource Management—coordinating support for resource needs and requests
Planning—coordinating plans and determining current and future needs
EOCs can make decisions based on established policies and procedures within the authority given to them by their jurisdiction.
In some jurisdictions or some specific incidents EOCs may also:
Manage Operations such as emergency shelters or points of distribution to allow the Incident Command to focus on the incident
Direct tactical operations when an Incident Command is not established (such as in a snow emergency).
Coordinate the efforts of several geographically separated incidents or activities.
Provide coordination and policy direction.
In some cases a jurisdiction may conduct incident or Area Command from the EOC.

Determining the Level of Activation

The level of EOC activation should be based on established triggers and communication with the Incident Commander or Unified Command.
Levels of activation are linked to the jurisdiction’s hazard analysis. The Hazard Analysis helps define triggers for activation, based on actual or anticipated levels of damage for
anticipated threats or hazards.
Communication between the Incident Commander (or Unified Command) and the EOC is a critical element of an activation decision. On-scene command has the most up-to-date
information about the on-scene situation, knows whether the situation is under control, and is aware of current and projected incident needs.

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Clocks do not depict the length of the incident.

Incident Typing: Review

Incidents, like resources, may be categorized into five types based on complexity.

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The Incident Commander will normally categorize the incident based on incident "type" in order to help the ICS staff and other incident personnel understand the size,
complexity, and level of resources required to manage the incident.
EOC personnel should understand this common terminology.
Incident typing may be used to:
Make decisions about resource requirements.
Order Incident Management Teams (IMTs). An IMT is made up of the Command and General Staff members in an ICS organization.
Make decisions about appropriate EOM activation level and staffing requirements.
Type 5 incidents are the least complex and Type 1 the most complex.

Configuration of Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs)

EOC teams vary widely. Organization of the EOC staff can vary based on:
Jurisdictional/organizational authorities
Available staffing
Partners and stakeholders represented
EOC facilities and capabilities
Political considerations
The nature and complexity of the incident or situation
NIMS identifies three common ways of organizing EOC Teams:
1. ICS or ICS-like structure
2. Incident Support Model structure
3. Departmental structure
Like ICS, EOCs utilize the NIMS Management Characteristic M odular Organization.

EOC Skillsets

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Action Tracking Public Affairs Coordination

Center Management Recovery Coordination

Document and Records Management Resource Ordering and Acquiring

EOC Facility Management Resource Sourcing

Finance Resource Tracking

Legal Counseling Safety Advising

Organizational Representation Situational Awareness

Performance Improvement Understanding the Resource Requirement

Planning

Interconnectivity of NIMS Command and Coordination Structures

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NIMS structures enable incident managers to manage incidents in a unified, consistent manner.
Interconnectivity of NIMS structures is important to allow personnel in diverse geographic areas, with differing roles and responsibilities, and operating within various functions
of ICS and/or EOCs to integrate their efforts through common organizational structures, terminology, and processes.
When an incident occurs or threatens, local emergency personnel manage response using NIMS principles and ICS.
If the incident is or becomes large or complex, local EOCs activate.
EOCs receive senior level guidance from MAC Groups.
A Joint Information Center (JIC) manages the Joint Information System (JIS) operations to ensure coordinated and accurate public messaging among all levels: ICS,
EOC, and MAC Group.
If required resources are not available locally, they can be obtained under mutual aid agreements from neighboring jurisdictions, or State, tribal, territorial, and interstate sources
and assigned to the control of the Incident Commander or Unified Command.

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NIMS Principles for Communications and Information Management

NIMS identifies four principles of communications and information management:

Interoperability
Reliability, Scalability, and Portability
Resilience and Redundancy
Security

Visualizing Information Management

This graphic depicts the management of incident information to support situational awareness.
Data is received by the EOC. The top left shows the gathering of data from different sources.
In the top middle, the EOC staff verifies the data is correct and analyzes it to determine if it is pertinent to the situation. Processed data is called information or intelligence.
All information is not equally useful. On the right side, the EOC “filters” data based on defined Essential Elements of Information (EEI) to make information that is most
useful available. The bottom of the graphic depicts EEI being used to update the Shared Situational Picture (SitPic).
This common source of incident information is used to inform those who have contributed, those who are impacted, and those who may become impacted by the event.

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Meeting Information Needs

How you use information will determine how you manage it. Look at the information used, how it is used, and by whom it is used to determine whether your current management
strategy is the best available.

Information Use Information Management Strategy

Information many people need access to

or Provide easy access, allowing for ease of update and sharing. Version control is critical for this information.
Information that is used at several different locations

Secure or classified information Secure storage and controlled access are critical considerations for this type of information.

Information transmitted to the public Provide ready accessibility to those with authority to speak to the media. This information must be kept current.

Resource Management
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Resource management can be an area of confusion between the on-scene command structure and the EOC. As shown in the table below, however, the role of the EOC
complements that of the ICS structure.
Compare resource management at the Incident Command Post (ICP) versus the EOC:

Incident Command Post (ICS) EOC

Identify resource needs Receive resource requests

Order resources Prioritize resource requests based on incident priorities MAC Group guidnce

Check in resources Locate/order resources

Assign resources Assign according to priorities

Track resources Track resource use

Demobilize resources Pay for resources

The Operational Period Planning Cycle (Planning P)

The Operational Period Planning Cycle is the process used in the incident to develop the Incident Action Plan for the next operational period. The Incident Action Plan is
completed each operational period utilizing the progression of meetings and briefings shown in the Planning P.
The EOC will also have a defined Operational Cycle of information updates, meetings, briefings, and reports.
The operational period for the incident and the EOC may not be the same. For example, in a rapidly changing incident the Incident Command may have a four hour operational
cycle, but the EOC may be operating on 8 or 12 hour operational periods to facilitate shift work.
The key is synchronizing inputs and outputs between the EOC and Incident Command so that each has the information necessary for situational awareness, decision support ,and
proactive actions.

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Transition to Recovery: EOC Role

At some point the incident is over and the community must work to recover from the impacts. EOCs have a role in transitioning a community from response toward recovery.
Some activities that an EOC may perform to support this transition include:
Coordination of incident documentation (gathering and archiving all documents regarding the incident).
Archiving of data and contact information (ensuring that data and information is available for use through the recovery process).
Conducting after-action reviews.
Advocating for State and Federal Assistance (documenting the incident for the purpose of obtaining Federal assistance).
Managing Emergency Shelters.
Establishing Disaster Recovery Centers (normally the responsibility of the impacted community).
Working with FEMA, the State, and other Federal entities. (EOC staff liaison with State and Federal officials as the jurisdiction conducts joint damage
assessments and seeks Federal assistance under the Stafford Act).
Helping the community to manage expectations for recovery through Public Information.

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Deactivating the EOC

The on-scene commander is aware of the current incident status and knows:
Current incident status and requirements for continued coordination and support.
Ongoing and future requirements to meet incident objectives.
Length of time required to meet incident objectives.
When the demand for resources and coordination slows down.
The EOC leadership must also consider recovery needs. Often, the EOC must remain activated to facilitate recovery needs after the Incident Command completes its on-scene
mission.

Course Summary

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