1. CSULB: EMER548 – REDSCOPe Initial Group Project Landon Phillips, Dawn Essenmacher, Chris Kurtz, Andy Tran, Tim Nordquist Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers

2. To keep our tenants safe......to keep our tenants informed

3. Location Downtown Long Beach ¼ Mile from the Harbor Building is at sea level

4. Statistical Information Year Built: 1970 Year Built: 1970 Cement with class window walls Cement with class window walls Decks for each unit Decks for each unit 28 Stories 28 Stories  5 levels of underground parking 400 Units 400 Units 4 fire exits 4 fire exits 4 elevators 4 elevators Large swimming pool, recreation area and meeting room Large swimming pool, recreation area and meeting room 1500 Residents 1500 Residents Full-Time Employees: 12 (M-F) Full-Time Employees: 12 (M-F)

5. Potential Hazards Natural Earthquake Earthquake Tsunami Tsunami Hurricane Hurricane Tornado Tornado Thunderstorms Thunderstorms Flooding Flooding Extreme Heat Extreme Heat

6. Potential Hazards Criminal/Terrorist Building fire - Arson Building fire - Arson Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Attack Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Attack Vehicle/Truck bomb Vehicle/Truck bomb Active Shooter Active Shooter Multiple-Active Shooter Multiple-Active Shooter Place/Helicopter Crash Place/Helicopter Crash Power Outage Power Outage

7. Potential Hazards Accidental Hazardous Material Accident Hazardous Material Accident Plane/Helicopter Crash Plane/Helicopter Crash Building Fire Building Fire Power Outage Power Outage

8. Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers Plan Contents:

9. Endorsements/Agreements: Signed endorsement from the President of the Homeowner’s Association Written agreements for information release authorizations

10. Long Beach Towers Emergency Operations/Communications Center LOCATION: Building Meeting Room ALTERNATE LOCATION: Security Office STAFFING: Emergency Response Team COMMUNICATIONS: Phone/Internet/TV lines pre-installed FUNDING: HOA Emergency Fund EQUIPMENT: Computers/Printers from HOA Office SUPPLIES: Paper, pens, etc. from HOA Office FOOD/WATER: Pre-Stored Emergency Supply in HOA Office

11. Long Beach Towers Emergency Response Team Line Responsibilities HOA President: Communications Director (Designated Spokesperson) HOA Vice President: Director of Emergency Operations (Incident Commander) HOA Secretary: Liaison Officer (Coordinates with response entities) Building Security Director: Assistant Director of Emergency Operations Security Officer (Responsible for Security Operations)

12. Emergency Response Team Contact List: President of the Homeowner’s Association 562-xxx-xxxx Vice-President of the Homeowner’s Association 562-xxx-xxxx Secretary of the Homeowner’s Association 562-xxx-xxxx Security Director 562-xxx-xxxx Maintenance Director 562-xxx-xxxx Staff Contact List 562-xxx-xxxx

13. Emergency Response Partners Contact List: Mayor’s Office 562-xxx-xxxx Long Beach Fire Department/EMS 562-xxx-xxxx Long Beach Police Department 562-xxx-xxxx Port Police 562-xxx-xxxx Coast Guard 562-xxx-xxxx Public Works Department 562-xxx-xxxx Red Cross 562-xxx-xxxx Other Non-Governmental Entities 562-xxx-xxxx

14. Vehicles of Communication Media Press Releases Television Radio Newspapers Long Beach Towers’ Closed Circuit Television System Viewable by all tenants Email system All tenants have building supplied internet and must provide their email address for the purpose of emergency communication Tenant Newsletters/Brochures/Flyers/Posters

15. Regional and Local Media Contact List: Television stations 562-xxx-xxxx Radio stations 562-xxx-xxxx Newspapers 562-xxx-xxxx

16. Internal Information Verification and Clearance/Approval Procedures Prior to release, all information shall be verified and approved for release by all three of the following persons: 1.Director of Emergency Operations (HOA President) 2.Assistant Director of Emergency Ops (HOA Vice-Pres) 3.Liaison Officer (HOA Secretary) *NOTE: All three shall meet jointly prior to press releases to review, edit, verify, and approve all information.

17. Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers Pre-Crisis Phase

18. Education and Training Residents – Inform of possible hazards and why preparedness is important – Educate on how as a community we can prepare and explanations of each way – Explain leaders’ positions and their responsibilities during a disaster

19. Education and Training Residents (cont…) – Regularly inform of updates pertaining to disaster preparedness and safety at Long Beach Towers, such as new codes, procedures, and precautions – Regularly inform of local trainings, such as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) or American Red Cross trainings – Provide any information in multiple languages when possible

20. Education and Training Residents (cont…) – May be able to use experts occasionally to give presentations to residents on certain subject areas and hazards – Educate residents about specific considerations and procedures for special populations in Long Beach Towers, such as the elderly or disabled.

21. Education and Training Home Owners Association, Leaders, and Employees – Educate on leadership roles and responsibilities – Provide training for these expected leadership roles, such as training for the President and Vice-President of the Home Owners Association on being spokespersons – Attempt to provide training or presentations from local responding agencies in Long Beach – Educate about specific considerations and procedures for special populations in Long Beach Towers, such as the elderly or disabled.

22. Involvement The Long Beach Towers community – Include the residents, employees, and Home Owners Association in the planning process to make sure their concerns and ideas are considered – Constantly have open lines of communication with the community and determine the best ways to communicate, such as the closed circuit television channel – Test predetermined messages and anticipated questions on an audience of residents and take feedback

23. Involvement The Long Beach Towers community (cont…) – Have regular drills and exercises that include the community and get their feedback after each one to make any needed adjustments – Promote the “neighbor helping neighbor” concept within the community, especially for at risk populations

24. Involvement Outside community and agencies – Form partnerships and lines of communication with outside agencies and groups, such as local response agencies, CERT, and the American Red Cross. – Create a continually updated master contact list of these agencies and groups for the Long Beach Towers leaders, employees, and Home Owners Association

25. Involvement Outside community and agencies (cont…) – Involve these outside agencies and groups in the regular drills and exercises – Attempt to set up pre-crisis agreements with the outside community for psychological, financial, and other support programs for the residents of Long Beach Towers

26. Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers Initial Phase

27. Initial Phase Goals and Objectives Acknowledge the crisis Appoint a spokesperson and quickly establish credibility Explain and inform the residents of the risks Provide the residents with an emergency course of action and where to get additional information Give the residents our commitment to continued communication

28. Spokesperson Designated spokesperson: President of the Home Owners Association – Backup spokesperson: Vice President of the HOA Primary duties for the spokesperson: – Immediately coordinate with security, maintenance, and grounds personnel to get a basic assessment of the situation – Contact and coordinate with local emergency responders such as Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach Police Department, State and Federal emergency response personnel – Contact media partners using the established contacts list to arrange for a media release – Establish contact with experts such as a medical advisor if dealing with a disease outbreak

29. Spokesperson duties continued As soon as practical issue a press release and broadcast an informative speech which addresses the needs of the residents The speech will also be broadcast through the Long Beach Towers closed circuit channel which is viewable by all residents The closed circuit channel will loop the message until new information and/or updates are received

30. Speech Items to cover Empathetically acknowledge the crisis and related tragedies Explain the risks and how residents can protect themselves – utilize experts where necessary to establish credibility Briefly explain the emergency response plan that is in place and being utilized Advise residents of a list of action items such as evacuation, shelter in place, or seeking medical care

31. Speech Continued Inform residents where they can receive more information such as a telephone hotline or website Advise residents that they will be updated through the closed circuit channel as new information becomes available

32. Other considerations Don’t over-reassure the residents Acknowledge any uncertainties Don’t ally panic Be open and empathetic with the residents

33. Local Emergency Services During the initial phase any combination of the following agencies will be coordinated with Long Beach Fire Department Long Beach Police Department LA Port Police LA Port Fireboats LAPD Harbor Division Coast Guard American Red Cross Long Beach Public Works Department

34. Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers Maintenance Phase

35. Maintenance Phase Communication Plan The spokesperson selected for the initial phase shall continue to be the spokesperson for the early stages of the maintenance phase Gradually phase in an alternate spokesperson to relieve the primary spokesperson Continue daily press briefings as long as demanded by media interest As demand decreases, adjust frequency of press briefings Continue daily press briefings on the building’s Closed Circuit Television Channel viewable by all tenants

36. Maintenance Phase Communication Plan In addition to press briefings, recorded messages with further detailed and updated information shall be replayed on the building’s Closed Circuit Television System viewable by all tenants Provide updated risk assessments Provide additional recommendations for tasks to reduce risks Provide support and rationale for maintenance phase activities Provide coping information to deal with the psychological stresses caused by the crisis Provide support to reduce fear and anxiety

37. Maintenance Phase Communication Plan The Emergency Management Team shall conduct daily staff meetings with all building employees All building employees shall be provided with the most up to date and accurate information at the beginning of their work shift so they can accurately respond to questions from tenants throughout the day. The Emergency Management Team shall conduct daily meetings with the floor captains Two-Way communication Listen for feedback and assess needs accordingly

38. Maintenance Phase Goals and Objectives of the Communication Plan Provide information to the tenants that will assist them to accurately understand the risks they are facing. Provide background and encompassing information: How did this happen? How has this same crisis been handled by others? How can it be prevented in the future? Will we be all right eventually and will we recover? Reynolds, B. (2002). Crisis and emergency risk communication. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, p. 9.

39. Maintenance Phase Goals and Objectives of the Communication Plan Provide information that will help the tenants understand and support the response and recovery plans. Listen to feedback from the tenants and correct any misinformation. Explain the recommendations for courses of action. Provide information that will enable the tenants to make decisions on courses of action based on the risk vs. benefits. Reynolds, B. (2002). Crisis and emergency risk communication. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, p. 9.

40. Maintenance Phase What the Communication Plan Must Anticipate Sustained interest by the media and the tenants Unexpected developments Rumors and misinformation Scrutiny and criticism Including analysis by experts who may contradict your messages and response plan Ongoing assessment of the event and allocation of resources Reynolds, B. (2002). Crisis and emergency risk communication. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, p. 9.

41. Maintenance Phase Psychological Reactions to Consider in Communicating Early Stages of the Maintenance Phase: Many will feel a sense of relief, despite the destruction and losses around them, simply because they survived. As the Maintenance Phase is Prolonged: Once basic survival needs are met, emotional needs begin to re-emerge. The longer it takes to return to normal, the more psychological stress the tenants will experience. Reynolds, B. (2002). Crisis and emergency risk communication. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pp. 27-29.

42. Maintenance Phase Psychological Reactions to Consider in Communicating Advanced Stages of the Maintenance Phase: The tenants may experience: Numbness Denial Flashbacks Grief Anger Despair Sadness Hopelessness Reynolds, B. (2002). Crisis and emergency risk communication. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pp. 27-29.

43. Maintenance Phase Risk Communication Principles to Incorporate Acknowledge that it’s normal to be fearful Express wishes such as, “I wish we knew more.” Recommend courses of action and things to do Acknowledge the shared misery Let tenants know what to expect even if it’s bad news Be willing to address “what if” questions with aid of experts Be a role model of appropriate response Not a false sense of security but a willingness to endure Reynolds, B. (2002). Crisis and emergency risk communication. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pp. 27-29.

44. Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers Resolution Phase

45. Long Beach Towers Where we are now and what we know – An evaluation of where in the crisis we have transitioned to – A briefing of the situation with the Home Owners’ Association – An increased understanding of the crisis as the complete recovery plans are implemented – Reinforcement of any public health messages to be conducted during this phase while the incident is still fresh

46. Floor Captains’ Post Incident Meeting It will be beneficial to sit down with floor captains and analyze their experience – What went well for them – What went wrong or needs to be improved upon – Is there anything that can be prepared for or stocked-up prior to the next incident – It is important to conduct these meetings with the Home Owners’ Association present so everyone feels involved and is supportive of the plan

47. City, State, Federal Response City – Police, Fire, EMS, Port Authority, and Public Works State – Relief efforts, financial support, and mental health recovery efforts The Red Cross encourages their workers to debrief the critical incident with a mental health counselor (Reynolds, 2002). Federal – Response will be dictated by the type of disaster experienced. Declaration of Disaster Areas will also dictate Federal response and assistance – In the case of a terrorist attack the Federal Government will take over the command and control of the incident

48. What went right and what can be done better Response to incident was judged on its organizational efforts Implementation of pre-planned response efforts were immediately conducted Obstacles encountered were x,y, and z Obstacles were overcome and mitigated by 1,2,and 3 Improvements for future incident responses will be adjusted and implemented

49. Where we go from here and future ideas Monthly or quarterly drills Introduction to new tenants by Home Owners’ Association and Floor Captains Identification of needed resources – Health equipment sustainment for elderly or special needs patients i.e. oxygen, respirators, and wheelchairs

50. Post Incident Media Analysis of incident – Information flow to media from: Press assistants and Media Information Officers Prior to press conference have a frequently asked questions document released with the most predicted questions answered Designate a spokesperson, usually the Home Owners’ Association President – Correction of inaccuracies in prior reports – Location of Conference held at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

51. Questions Open forum for questions concerning the incident will be handled at this time.

52. *Reynolds (2007) Goals Improve appropriate public response in future similar incidents through education Honestly examine what happened (good and bad) and then reinforce what worked through the recovery efforts Persuade the public to support public policy and resource allocation to the problem Promote the activities and capabilities of the organization, externally and internally.

53. Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers Evaluation Phase

54. Evaluation Phase Goals and Objectives When a crisis is over the following should be reviewed with the President of the Homeowners association and all leaders involved: Evaluate communication plan performance Document, formalize, and communicate lessons learned Determine specific actions to improve crisis systems or the crisis plan. Determine specific actions to improve crisis communication and crisis response capability

55. Evaluation Phase (continued) Evaluate the effectiveness of risk messages and communication channels. Emphasize action to monitor, manage, and reduce risk. Plan carefully and evaluate efforts.

56. Evaluation Phase (continued) Add an evaluation component into risk communication strategy. Test the clarity and understanding of the message with a representative segment of the target audience. Integrate risk communication with risk assessment and risk management activities in order to increase the effectiveness of risk analysis and ensure proper utilization of resources.

57. Evaluation Phase (continued) Educate and train risk assessors and risk managers in the principles and uses of risk communication. Be aware that effective risk communication can break through traditional boundaries within government sectors, between governmental and non-governmental organizations and between the public and private sectors.

58. Post Crisis Review 1. Secure loose ends such as verifying information 2. Recognition of key personnel involved in responding 3. Crisis communication review 4. Media coverage assessment to make sure that the media has accurate and factual information 5. File and update information as appropriate to be ready for the next possible incident

59. Recovery Planning Tools After the incident, recovery planning tools should be reviewed. Example of recovery planning tools use post incident is the devastating 1993 Midwest Floods that occurred again in 1995, this had a minimal impact, because of buyouts and relocation programs that were undertaken after the 1993 flood.

60. Recovery Planning Tools (continued) Available recovery planning tools that should be considered post incident: – Land use planning techniques include acquisition, easements, annexation, storm water management, environmental reviews. – Zoning recovery planning tools include special use permits, historic preservation, setbacks, density controls, wetlands protection, floodplain and coastal zone management. – Building codes in recovery planning include design controls, design review, height and type, special study areas( soil stability ratings). – Financial recovery planning involves: special districts, tax exemptions, special bonds, development rights, property transfer or use change fees. – Information and Oversight recovery planning includes: public awareness and education, regional approaches and agreements, GIS systems, town hall meetings and public hearings.

61. Consider the Psychology of a Crisis Post incident Positive responses following a disaster should be acknowledged to those involved in the incident and may include: – Resilience and coping – Altruism – Relief and elation at surviving the disaster – Sense of excitement – Greater self-worth – Changes in the way the future is viewed, and feelings of strength and growth from the experience.

62. Psychology of a Crisis Post incident (continued) Negative responses following a crisis may be addressed by mental health professionals and could include: – The development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – PTSD is a mental disorder resulting from exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor. – PTSD features include the following: – Exposure to a traumatic stressor – Re-experiencing symptoms – Avoidance and numbing symptoms – Symptoms of increased arousal – Duration of at least one month

63. Psychology of a Crisis Post incident (continued) Additional negative responses that may need to be addressed by mental health professionals and could occur after an incident include: – Bereavement may occur and is understood to be a normal, natural experience, although it is traumatic and emotionally disruptive. – Grief may occur which will should involve mourning in order to honor the victims involved. – Anticipatory grief may occur, which is an experience that occurs before the expected death of a loved one and is a projection of emotional pain and the life change that the loss will bring. Growth should be the outcome of the grief process. The individual and the context of the death will affect the grief process.

64. Psychology of a Crisis Post incident (continued) The tasks of grief work include: – Acceptance of the reality of the loss – Experiencing the pain of grief – Adjusting to an environment without the deceased – Withdrawing emotional energy for the relationship with the deceased and investing it in new or existing relationships.

65. Seven cardinal rules for the practice of Risk Communication Following the seven cardinal rules of risk communication after a crisis situation should help build a stronger relationship with the community. 1) Accept and involve the public as a legitimate partner. 2) Plan carefully and evaluate your efforts. 3) Listen to the public's specific concerns. 4) Be honest, frank, and open. 5) Coordinate and collaborate with other credible sources. 6) Meet the needs of the media. 7) Speak clearly and with compassion

66. Emergency Communication Plan Long Beach Towers To keep our tenants safe......to keep our tenants informed

67. References  Reynolds, B., Galdo, J. H., & Sokler, L. (2002). Crisis and emergency risk communication. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Reynolds, B., Crawford, S., Deitch, S., DeFrancis, S., Garland, D., Hall, W., et al. (2007). Crisis and emergency risk communication: Pandemic influenza. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.