Section 2. COMMAND
Subsection 2.7 Communications
2.7.1 Discovery
It is the spiller's responsibility to report all spills. The spiller or responsible party is required to immediately report all releases of oil and hazardous substances into or on navigable water, adjoining shorelines, or the contiguous zone, to the National Response Center (NRC). The NRC will notify the appropriate OSC. If NRC notification is not practicable, the responsible party should notify the US EPA or USCG predesignated OSC and the appropriate State environmental agency.
If US EPA or USCG is the first to be notified of a release or discharge, US EPA or USCG will notify the State and the NRC, the appropriate trustees for natural resources and other RRT5 members, as stated in Subsection 2.10.2 of this plan. OSC notification of trustees is accomplished through protocols developed via trustee-specific agreements. For spills of significance, if the State or other agency is the first to be notified, they shall notify the appropriate Federal Agencies.
All news releases or statements made by participating agencies shall be jointly coordinated and released through a public information office. The spokesperson shall notify, at a minimum, immediately affected citizens, local and State officials and, when appropriate, emergency management agencies. OSCs may consider use of the RRT5 to assist in media relations and other community involvement activities. Also, responsible parties may implement community involvement activities.
2.7.2.1 Public Information Assist Team (PIAT)
PIAT is one of the special forces mandated in the National Contingency Plan. The team provides emergency public information services to Federal On-Scene Coordinators, primarily during oil spills and hazardous material releases. The team also provides these services for natural disasters, domestic terrorism events and weapons of mass destruction events.
The Crisis Communication Plan can be viewed at TBD
2.7.2.2 Crisis Communication Plan
The Crisis Communication Plan identifies the responsibilities of those gathering, organizing and releasing this information and establishes the process for coordinating efforts and meeting these demands through a well-defined dissemination process.
The Crisis Communication Plan can be viewed at TBD
2.7.2.3 Emergency Support Function 15 – External Affairs (ESF 15)
ESF 15 ensures that sufficient Federal assets are deployed to the field during a potential or actual Incident of National Significance to provide accurate, coordinated, and timely information to affected audiences, including governments, media, the private sector, and the local populace. This annex details the establishment of support positions to coordinate communications to various audiences.
A description of ESF 15 can be found at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-esf-15.pdf
The Standard Operating Procedures for ESF 15 can be found at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/esf15_sop.pdf