Communication and Coordination
Communication

Command Center
index | page 1 of 11 | | |

In order to ensure efficient coordination during a response, participating parties should establish a command center that will serve as their headquarters for managing the incident. Equipment should include:

Dedicated phone line Computer access Fax machine Communication logs | cmd ctr

Command Center Staffing
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The command center should be staffed by the following, as needed:

- Laboratory's Point of Contact (POC): to communicate with other parties involved
- Back-up POC: to serve as alternate POC
- Clerical/phone support: to answer the phone at all times
- Quality Assurance Officer (QAO): to review data
- Information technology (IT) Support: to ensure phones, fax machines, and computers are functional
- Public Information Officer (PIO): to communicate with parties outside of the incident response

Primary Point of Contact (POC)
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Laboratories providing support for an incident should have a primary Point of Contact (POC) through which all communication for an incident should generally flow. If other laboratory staff is contacted about the incident, they should refer the caller to the POC. The POC is responsible for routing the calls from parties outside of the incident response to the appropriate person (e.g., IC or PIO).

If the primary POC is not available, there should be a process in place to designate a new POC and transfer authority. The laboratory should notify the ASR or PRL when the laboratory's POC has changed. Laboratories can keep all the participants in a response informed with a daily status report and/or daily briefing.

Laboratories participating in a response should establish procedures for incident-related calls, including:

- How calls will be handled
- How they will be forwarded
- How after-hours calls will be addressed

Lines of Communication
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Lines of communication and information flow should be established at the beginning of the response. Generally, the lines of communication will be established as illustrated in the graphic below.

lines of communication diagram. The ASR and the PRL have two way communication and the PRL and the MSL have two way communication

The ASR may be replaced in the figure above by someone from the EU that is designated to coordinate laboratory response.

Information Exchange
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It is important that all necessary information be communicated to the laboratory providing services when their support is first secured (either ASR to PRL, or PRL to MSL). This will ensure that the analytical services provided meet the needs of the incident.

The following information (including requirements and procedures) should be communicated when a laboratory first agrees to provide support:

- Communication information - POC, phone numbers, etc.
- Procedure for handling outside calls (e.g., media) - contact information for the PIO
- Site characterizations - including any field screening data
- General information about lab services requested
- Chain-of-custody (COC) requirements
- Sample shipments
- Data reporting and records retention
- Reimbursement
- Sample disposal

Support Tools
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The WLA-RP provides tools to the ASR and the laboratories providing support that can help facilitate exchange of information. Using these tools will help ensure that critical items are not missed and help reduce the number of times that the ASR and laboratory must go back and forth to make sure all information has been communicated.

- Checklist
  and Quick
  Reference Guide
- Help Sheet

Checklist and Quick Reference Guide

The Checklist and Quick Reference Guide for PRL and MSL Response During a Water Emergency (Appendix B of the WLA-RP) provides a fast way for the ASR and laboratory to make sure that critical items have been communicated.

Appendix B

Help Sheet

The Help Sheet for Requesting Analytical Support during Water Emergency Response (Appendix C) provides a format for recording the information that should be exchanged at the beginning of a response.

The help sheet is divided into two parts:

1. Form for communication between the ASR and the PRL
2. Form for communication between the PRL and MSLs

These forms can be completed electronically, and sent via a secure means to ensure that the laboratories have all necessary information.

Appendix C | Completed Help Sheet Example

Additional Support Tools
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In addition to using the help sheets, other activities the laboratories can undertake to ensure efficient communication during a response include: Maintaining communication logs to document all communication related to the incident Following phone conversations/conference calls with an email to document information that was provided, decisions that were made, and any follow-up action items Confirming receipt of data sent electronically through a follow-up fax, email, or phone call Considering establishing a secure portal for posting and transfer of data and other incident related information Posting Public Information Officer (PIO) contact information for any external inquiries | additional support tools

Outside Communication
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Laboratories may be contacted about an incident by many different organizations, which may include:

- Hospitals and clinical laboratories
- Local and state public health agencies
- State drinking water agencies
- Local, state, and federal law enforcement
- Department of Homeland Security
- Neighboring water systems

In many situations, an Incident Commander (IC) may appoint a designated PIO responsible for all communications with the press and public. There also may be a Liaison Officer (LNO) that is responsible for coordinating with other agencies and organizations. The Information Officer Report tool within the Water Contaminant Information Tool (WCIT) can be used by the IC, PIO, or LNO to facilitate communication with other entities, public, and press.

Each laboratory should follow their own local and state, as well as federal guidelines for communications with the press and the public. Sometimes communications may occur outside the structure chosen by the IC, but the laboratory POC should notify the appropriate person (e.g., IC, PIO, etc.) as soon as possible.

Knowledge Review
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A tornado rips through the town of Summerville's water treatment plant. The water utility manager calls the state laboratory to analyze the water samples that are collected. The state laboratory manager agrees to analyze the samples and sets up a command center notifying analysts, the Quality Assurance (QA) manager, and the shipping department about the incident and the need for potential sample analyses.

Who is the state laboratory Point of Contact (POC)?

Please enter your response below, then select "Submit" to compare your answer.

| The State laboratory manager is the Point of Contact (POC). Click Next to continue with the lesson.

Knowledge Review, continued
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An analyst at the state laboratory answers the phone and is bombarded by questions from a local news reporter. The laboratory is not required to follow any local, state and federal guidelines for communications. Ideally, who should answer these questions?

a. The governor
b. The analyst
c.The Public Information Officer (PIO) that the Incident Commander (IC) designated
d. None of the above

Knowledge Review, continued
comm_corr0350flash | page 10h of 11 | | |

An analyst at the state laboratory answers the phone and is bombarded by questions from a local news reporter. The laboratory is not required to follow any local, state and federal guidelines for communications. Ideally, who should answer these questions?

1. The governor
2. The analyst
3. The Public Information Officer (PIO) that the Incident Commander (IC) designated
4. None of the above

comm_corr0350flash_xml | page 10l of 11 | | |

700 430 ffffff false ffffff Arial 13 000000 2 multiplechoice false The governor false That is incorrect. The analyst false That is incorrect. The Public Information Officer (PIO) that the Incident Commander (IC) designated true Yes, that is correct. None of the above false That is incorrect. Sorry. That is incorrect. The correct answer is C - The Public Information Officer (PIO) that the Incident Commander (IC) designated.

Knowledge Review
comm_corr0360 | page 11 of 11 | | |

To set up a command center, what equipment should be collected in a central location? (Select all that apply)

a. Photocopier
b. Computer access
c. Communication logs
d. Dedicated phone line
e. Coffee machine
f. Fax machine

Knowledge Review
comm_corr0360flash | page 11h of 11 | | |

To set up a command center, what equipment should be collected in a central location? (Select all that apply)

1. Photocopier
2. Computer access
3. Communication logs
4. Dedicated phone line
5. Coffee machine
6. Fax machine

comm_corr0360flash_xml | page 11l of 11 | | |

700 430 ffffff false ffffff Arial 13 000000 2 multipleselect false Photocopier false Computer access true Communication logs true Dedicated phone line true Coffee machine false Fax machine true Yes, that is correct. The correct answers are B, C, D and F. Sorry, that is incorrect. The correct answers are B, C, D and F. Sorry, that is incorrect. That is incorrect.