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| I. |
PURPOSE
This annex presents a plan of action to provide prompt,
authoritative and understandable emergency information
to the public for natural, technological, and civil
disturbance emergencies.
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| II. |
SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
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A. |
Situation
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1. |
The county is vulnerable to a variety of
hazards. Media
outlets, if effectively employed, can be used to inform
the population of the events that are occurring and how
they may best respond to them.
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2. |
The county is served by the news media outlets listed in
Attachment 1.
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3. |
During periods of emergency, the public needs and
generally desires detailed information regarding
protective action to be taken for minimizing loss of
life and property. There are times, however, when
disaster strikes without warning and the public
information system cannot react rapidly enough to
properly inform the public about the hazard. For this
reason, it is important that prior to the occurrence of
an emergency, the public is made aware of potential
hazards and the protective measures that can be
employed.
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4. |
The public may accept as valid rumors, hearsay, and
half-truth information that may cause unnecessary fear
and confusion.
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B. |
Assumptions
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1. |
Local print and broadcast media will cooperate in
broadcasting and publishing detailed disaster‑related
instructions to the public.
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2. |
Depending on the severity of the emergency, telephone
communication may be disrupted. Local and regional
radio/television stations without emergency power may
also be off the air. If this occurs, public address
systems on emergency vehicles and door‑to‑door sweeps
may be initiated.
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3. |
Demand for information may be very heavy; therefore,
sufficient staff will be provided and trained for this.
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4. |
Within the National Response Framework, public
information operates as an Emergency Support Function (ESF-15)
and is referred to as External Affairs. This ESF
incorporates emergency public information and protective
action guidance as well as media and community
relations, Congressional and internal affairs, tribal
and insular affair.
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| III. |
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
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A. |
General
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1. |
Emergency Public Information (EPI) efforts will focus on
specific, event‑related information.
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2. |
This information generally will be of an instructional
nature focusing on such things as warning, evacuation,
and shelter. It also is important to keep the public
informed of the general progress of events. A special
effort will be made to report the facts as accurately as
possible and provide advice concerning necessary
protective actions.
Rumor control will be a major aspect
of the information program and will operate from the
EOC.
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B. |
Execution
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1. |
Ongoing public education programs will be conducted to
increase public awareness of potential hazards and
necessary responses.
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2. |
The County
Emergency Management Administrator will
coordinate with media to provide information and
education programs relating to emergency management.
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3. |
Emergency Public Information documents for major hazards
will be prepared and maintained during normal periods of
readiness. When evacuation is imminent, public
information will expand its capabilities to answer
public inquiries and prepare or modified public
announcements.
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4. |
The Gaston County
Public Information Officer will
coordinate, as needed, a bank of phones to assist county
residents with problems associated with the disaster.
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5. |
Support staff to the Public Information Officer will
come from different county agencies, which will reassign
staff to be used temporarily. Expansion and
demobilization of this assignment will be made depending
on demand of the general public.
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6. |
The Public Information Officer will coordinate locations
and time for press briefings and releases. A briefing
area will be set up for this purpose. Normally, the
media briefing area will be the conference room,
upstairs in the EOC building at
615 N.
Highland Street, Gastonia.
Alternately, or if the conference room is not available,
the media briefing location will be determined at the
time of the event.
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7. |
The Incident Commander of each incident will designate
on-scene Public Information Officers. If needed, the
on-scene information officer will coordinate their
information releases with the County PIO. The Incident
Commander may also request public information personnel
through the County Emergency Management office.
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| IV. |
DIRECTION AND CONTROL
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A. |
General - The Public Information Officer, at the
approval of the County Manager or Emergency Management
Administrator, is responsible for all news releases and
public information disseminated at the county level. In
times of emergency the Public Information Officer will
operate from the EOC or other appropriate location.
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B. |
Educational and Public Information Programs - The
Emergency Management Administrator will provide the
media with information on new developments affecting
emergency management. The Emergency Management
Administrator may also utilize other types of
information and programs on emergency management such as
delivering lectures or presentations, organizing tours
of the EOC, distributing education brochures and showing
films.
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| V. |
CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT
The line of succession is:
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A. |
Public Information Officer
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B. |
Emergency Management Administrator
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C. |
Fire Marshal |
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Attachment 1
Media Outlets
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NEWSPAPER |
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Office |
Fax |
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Gaston Gazette |
P.O. Box 1538 |
Gastonia, NC 28053 |
704-864-3291 |
704-884-3031 |
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Charlotte Observer |
407 East Long Ave. |
Gastonia, NC 28054 |
704-868-7730 |
704-868-7755 |
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Business Journal |
120 West Morehead
St. |
Charlotte, NC 28202 |
704-973-1100 |
704-973-1102 |
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Cherryville Eagle |
P.O. Box 699 |
Cherryville, NC
28021 |
704-435-6752 |
704-435-8293 |
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RADIO |
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Office |
Fax |
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WCGC |
6021 W. Wilkinson
Blvd |
Belmont, NC 28012 |
704-825-2812 |
704-825-2127 |
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WGNC / WOHS |
1511 W. Dixon Blvd. |
Shelby, NC 28152 |
704-435-3297 |
704-487-6313 |
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WZRH |
P.O. Box 477 |
Dallas, NC 28034 |
704-922-5960 |
704-922-6998 |
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WCSL / WLON |
1366 Startown Rd. |
Lincolnton, NC 28092 |
704-735-8072 |
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WLNK (Nuclear LP-1) |
1 Julian Price Place |
Charlotte, NC 28208 |
704-374-3500 |
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TELEVISION |
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Office |
Fax |
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WCNC |
1001 Wood Ridge
Center Dr |
Charlotte, NC 28217 |
704-329-3602 |
704-357-4975 |
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WSOC |
P.O. Box 34665 |
Charlotte, NC 28234 |
704-867-4513 |
704-335-4736 |
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WBTV |
1 Julian Price Place |
Charlotte, NC 28208 |
704-374-3691 |
704-374-3671 |
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