Appendix A: External Communication

DEQ Business Continuity Plan
Version 2
Appendix A: External Communication

Business Function: Provide expert/professional information through a variety of media about consequence management phase of a large scale emergency, environmental or public health concerns. Provide information to business partners, other agencies, the Environmental Quality Commission, and the Governors Office on the status of the Agencys recovery of normal operations. Coordinate with other applicable agencies as necessary. Recovery Time Objective: During an incident, communication is our most critical function. Our most critical communication types will need to be operational with a few hours while less critical communication could be delayed for up to two weeks. External communication of event-related information to media, other agencies, and the public should be restored within 6 hours. External communication on the status of the Agencys recovery of normal operations should be restored within 6 hours. Key Staff Necessary to Continue Business Function:
1. Staff Member Communications and Outreach Manager or Regional Public Information Representative Communications Outreach Lead Staff Communications Outreach Web Specialist Role / Responsibilities Oversight of External Communications Line of Succession Team Lead
2. 3.
External Communications Specialist Web Communications
Primary Team Lead Backup Secondary Team Lead Backup
Key Processes Necessary to Continue Business Function:

Business Process 1. Ability to craft press release Ability to contact media (see page 22 for key contact information) Ability to establish a hotline phone number for outgoing message and to receive incoming voicemail messages Ability to use the autoemail utility Point of contact and Contact information Communications Team Leader External Communications Specialist External Communications Specialist Recovery Time Objective and Rationale Within 4 hours to meet a preferred goal of releasing information within 6 hours to the media, the ability to begin work must be within 4 hours. Within 6 hours -- External communication to the media will be expected very soon after an event. Within 6 hours hotline message based on press release
2.
3.
4.
Web Communications Specialist
Within 8 hours needed to rapidly spread word to interested news outlets
Key Dependencies:
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DEQ Business Continuity Plan Upon what functions and processes is this business process dependent? 4 Telephone lines Point of contact and Contact information Computer and Communication Systems Team Leader Web Communications Specialist
Version 2
Recovery Time Objective for the dependency Within 6 hours - at least one phone technology must be made available Within 24 hours It is critical to be able to monitor what is being broadcast about the event via the media.
1.
2.
Television
Vital Records:
Description News Media Web file Auto Email Utility Where Office of Communications shared directory in folder named Media Office of Communications shared directory in folder named media Contact Primary Contact Person: Web Specialist Primary Contact Person: Web Specialist
Equipment/Office Supplies:
Description Television (cable TV connectivity preferred) Laptop and Printer Where No specific unit is required. The location of the set should be at the alternate location for the Communications Team. Cable TV connection is important. Laptop with standard DEQ applications that can be networked by cable or wirelessly. Contact Web Specialist
Web Specialist
Facilities:
Description Office space for 8 people Meeting room space for 5 people Where See appendix E See appendix E
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Scenario #1: Loss of Facility

Our plan to ensure continuity of operations if a DEQ office building is temporarily or permanently unavailable. Examples: The facility destroyed by fire and smoke damage The facility temporarily unavailable due to flooding The facility temporarily unavailable due to contamination Recovery Procedure The Communication Team needs to assemble at the designated alternate site rapidly and have phone or radio communication with other recovery teams to keep abreast of progress. Beyond keeping abreast of progress, the Communication Team will begin crafting press releases and establish a hotline phone number with outgoing message and the ability to record incoming voice-mail messages. Recovery Location See appendix E Dependencies This plan is dependent on at least one of the designated alternate worksites being available during the time our facility is not available. This plan is dependent on some manner of phone system being available. Recovery Steps - Summary Step 1 - Contact backup Communication Team members and arrange meeting at alternate site. Step 2 Communication Team meets and reviews plan. Step 3 Assign staff to communicate with other DEQ Recovery teams Step 4 Assign staff to deploy necessary computer equipment Step 5 Assign staff to deploy necessary television equipment Step 6 Begin work on crafting answers to likely media questions Step 7 Establish hotline with outgoing message and can receive incoming messages Step 8 Submit press release to Business Continuation Coordination Center and other agencies if applicable for review Step 9 Issue press release regarding current recovery status and post information to Web Site Step 10 Conduct interviews/participate in and arrange for news conferences as appropriate
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Recovery Steps - Detail

Step 1 Contact Team members and arrange meeting at alternate site Communication Team meets and reviews plan. Assign staff to communicate with other DEQ Recovery teams Deploy necessary computers Step Detail Team leader will determine which backup facility is available and contact other team members to arrange time for meeting Determine parts of BCP that fit the current situation, modify it as necessary and review with the team. Essential to keep abreast of events and other recovery team efforts. Assign this responsibility to someone. Equipment should be deployed early. If network connectivity is available, set up available laptops or other computers to the network. Configure them for printing. Equipment should be deployed early. Connect TV to Cable connection if available. Determine list of likely questions from media and determine responses appropriate for depicting Agencys efforts in positive manner Early deployment of a hotline is important. This can be someones existing telephone number and voice-mail, if necessary. Establish an outgoing message that summarizes the situation. Publicize the phone number through news release / media contacts. The Business Continuity Coordination Center must aware of press releases and approve them before they are issued. Additionally, when appropriate, contact other agencies for review of information to be released. Depending on situation, the State my have one central communication center. Additional Resources Required Responsibility Communications Team Leader Date Cmplt Initials
Communications Team Leader
Contact numbers for the BC Executive team for gathering information and relaying updates 1 to 3 laptops as available. Network connections.
Communications Web Specialist
Deploy television for tracking media reporting Begin work on crafting answers to likely media questions
Communications Outreach Specialist Crosswalk with DEQ content experts Communications Team Leader
Establish hotline with outgoing message and can receive incoming messages
Media contacts for publicizing the hotline number
Submit press release to Business Continuation Coordination Center and other agencies if applicable for review
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DEQ Business Continuity Plan Step 9 Submit press release regarding current recovery status Conduct interviews/particip ate in and arrange for news conferences as appropriate Additional Resources Required Normal methods as available.
Version 2 Date Cmplt Initials
Step Detail At appropriate time within 6 hours after recovery of communications began, submit a press release describing the agencys situation.
Responsibility Communications Team Leader
10
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Scenario #2: Loss of Workforce

Our plan to plan to ensure continuity of operations if a facility is disabled by the loss of workforce. Examples: The workforce is on strike. There is a major disaster in the area and workforce members have taken time off to care for families and their homes. Several members of the workforce are injured on the job or become ill. Recovery Procedure The Communication Team will work with available staff to resume functions. Depending on the extent of workforce outage, we may need to use temporary staffing to assist in operations. Recovery Location Not applicable: Recovery will take place onsite. Dependencies This plan is dependent upon some key staff being available to resume the communication function and having the knowledge to ensure continuity of operations. This plan is dependent upon temporary staffing being available which may not be the case in the event of a wide-scale disaster. Other Considerations None Recovery Steps - Summary Step 1 - Contact backup Communication Team members and arrange meeting at alternate site. Step 2 Communication Team meets and reviews plan. Step 3 Assign staff to communicate with other DEQ Recovery teams Step 4 Begin work on crafting answers to likely media questions Step 5 Establish hotline with outgoing message and can receive incoming messages Step 6 Submit press release to Business Continuation Coordination Center and other agencies if applicable for review Step 7 Issue press release regarding current recovery status and post information to Web Site Step 8 Conduct interviews/participate in and arrange for news conferences as appropriate Recovery Steps - Detail
Step 1 Contact Team members and arrange meeting at alternate site Communication Team meets and reviews plan. Step Detail Team leader will determine which backup facility is available and contact other team members to arrange time for meeting Determine parts of BCP that fit the current situation, modify it as necessary and review with the team. Additional Resources Responsibility Communications Team Leader Date Cmplt Initials
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DEQ Business Continuity Plan Step 3 Assign staff to communicate with other DEQ Recovery teams Additional Resources Contact numbers for the BC Executive team for gathering information and relaying updates Crosswalk with DEQ content experts
Version 2 Date Cmplt Initials
Step Detail Essential to keep abreast of events and other recovery team efforts. Assign this responsibility to someone.
Responsibility Communications Team Leader
Begin work on crafting answers to likely media questions Establish hotline with outgoing message and can receive incoming messages
Submit press release to Business Continuation Coordination Center and other agencies if applicable for review Submit press release regarding current recovery status Conduct interviews / participate in and arrange for news conferences as appropriate
Determine list of likely questions from media and determine responses appropriate for depicting Agencys efforts in positive manner Early deployment of a hotline is important. This can be someones existing telephone number and voice-mail, if necessary. Establish an outgoing message that summarizes the situation. Publicize the phone number through news release / media contacts. The Business Continuity Coordination Center must aware of press releases and approve them before they are issued. Additionally, when appropriate, contact other agencies for review of information to be released. Depending on situation, the State my have one central communication center. At appropriate time within 6 hours after recovery of communications began, submit a press release describing the agencys situation.
Media contacts for publicizing the hotline number
Normal methods as available.
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Version 2
Event Log
Team activation date/time:_________________________________ Team Leader:____________________________________________
August 28, 2008
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DEQ Business Continuity Plan