Southern Region ACS Newsletter

State of California OES ACS Newsletter

January 13, 2003

Published weekly (except for vacations and emergencies) by the Auxiliary Communications Service, State of California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

Articles in this Issue

Bay Area Fire Units Head South
Emergency radio link established
Safe driving tip for fog & rain
EMCOMM Bulletin 376

Bay Area Fire Units Head South

The Califorinia Office of Emergency Services placed a call for asistance to the crew at San Francisco Fire Station 7 at 1:00 AM to help fight the wildfires in Malibu. This fire station was also joined by crews from Pacifica. In total OES asked for 65 firefighters and 15 trucks from the bay area . Fire companies from other bay area counties were also called upon to help. OES says although it is rare to call out help in January for wildfires due to the Santan Ana winds, the fires required the extra manpower. Fire crews will remain on station for about 2 weeks.

Emergency radio link established

Managers from the City of Carpinteria, Carpinteria Sanitary District, Carpinteria Unified School District, Carpinteria Water District and the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire District received training on their newly established emergency radio system. The radio system will provide a communication link among agency representatives in the event of a major emergency.

Activation of the radio system can be initiated by any of the agencies should an emergency arise or during Red Flag Fire Conditions. The purpose is to establish direct communication between agencies for coordination of resources and activities without relying on phone or cellular telephone systems.

Safe driving tips for rain & fog

Reminders for safe navigation of roads as rain and fog arrive. This information came from the San Jose Mercury News; however applys to all roadways. PLEASE BE SAFE. The terrible 198-vehicle pileup on the foggy Long Beach Freeway on Sunday and the promise of rain here later this week are reminders that when the weather changes, we need to alter our driving habits. .

No. 1: Sl-o-o-o-o-o-w down.
No. 2: In thick fog, drive with lights on low beam, reduce speed and crack open your window and listen for traffic you cannot see. Never drive with just your parking or fog lights on.
No. 3: If you are on Interstate 5, look for reflective dots on the right shoulder when approaching an exit. Three side-by-side dots will appear three-tenths of a mile from an exit. At two-tenths of a mile, two dots will appear and at one-tenth of a mile one dot will appear.
No. 4: Watch electronic warning signs. When visibility is less than 100 feet, Caltrans will flash ``Dense Fog Ahead'' messages.
No. 5: When visibility is less than 500 feet, Highway Patrol cars will turn on their flashing lights and lead traffic at a safe pace through major roads between Kern and San Joaquin counties.
No. 6: If an accident occurs or your vehicle stalls, pull as far off the road as possible, turn on flashing emergency lights, set out flares, and move to a safe area, preferably behind a guardrail. If there is no safe place next to the road, stay in your car and remain buckled up.
No. 7: S-l-o-o-w down. Driving too fast is the No. 1 cause of accidents on wet days.
No. 8: Know how to defrost your car. Before turning on the defroster and blower, move the heat control to ``hot'' and allow the engine to warm up first. If the windshield starts to fog on the inside, open a side window slightly and turn the defroster to a higher speed. If you have an air conditioner, use it to reduce humidity and moisture collecting on the window.
No. 9: If your car has anti-lock brakes and goes into a skid, you may feel a vibration when pressing the brake pedal. Don't panic. Hold the brake pedal down firmly. Sensors in anti-lock brakes are adjusting to the wet road, which is why the pedal vibrates. Nothing is wrong, as long as you hold the brake down. Don't pump or lift your foot off the pedal.
No. 10: Drive in the tire prints of the car ahead of you. When a car hydroplanes, it's riding on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road. The water in tire prints has already been displaced, so you get better traction..
No. 11: If your car hydroplanes, hold the steering wheel steady and lightly apply brakes. When you feel the tires touch the pavement, slow until regaining control.
No. 12: Don't speed through standing water.
No. 13: For motorcyclists, crosswalk lines and pavement arrows are super-slick. Ease up on the throttle on takeoff. And Botts Dots, the raised bumps that separate lanes, are also slippery, so limit lane-splitting. .
No. 14: Check tires and wipers. Traffic police say many drivers in accidents say they couldn't see because their wipers smeared their windshields on a rainy day.
No. 15: Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front. Your braking distance is greatly increased in wet driving.
No. 16: Don't brake while in a curve if at all possible. Brake before entering the curve.
No. 17: Use turn signals for all lane changes and turns well in advance so it does not surprise another driver and cause him to brake.
No. 18: Don't change lanes.
No. 19: Dark traffic signals or blinking red lights mean everyone must stop.
No. 20: You know the drill. S-l-o-o-w down.

EMCOMM Bulletin

EMC376 EMCOMM Officers Handbook 10

To: Emergency Communications Units - Information Bulletin
To: Emergency Management Agencies via Internet and Radio
By: Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services

EMC376 EMCOMM Officers Hdbk 10 Release 1/13/03

INCIDENT INFORMATION AND WORKING WITH THE MEDIA

The important thing to remember about the following is to check with the agency information officer before using it, or even doing any final training, as some agencies have very definite public info policies and REQUIRE all media contact to be made through agency paid staff that is trained in media relations as formal policy.

Therefore, the following is ONLY an example of how to work with the media and some is even printed "with tongue-in- cheek". Most of us will never have to worry about talking to the media without being trained and then briefed before each interview.

1. If you don't have a media relations policy, draft one.
2. If you don't want it printed or broadcast don't say it.
3. Say it in 30 seconds.
4. Record all sensitive media interviews.
5. Maintain a good balance in your media relations account.
6. Release bad news after the 6 p.m. TV news broadcast on Friday

BE
1. in charge, and organized.
2. wary of still photographers.
3. alert for the "waiting tactic".
4. aware of newspaper deadlines.
5. prepared for a media blitz.

ALWAYS
1. be 100 percent right in a confrontation with the media.
2. convey the impression to reporters that you are trying to help them.
3. get your story out first.
A. A good statement in the original story is worth a half-dozen "letters to the editor" later.
B. Dribbling out information keeps the "embarrassing story" alive.

NEVER
1. change the ground rules in the middle of the game.
2. say "no comment".
3. wear dark glasses during an interview.
4. give reporters your personal opinion.
5. voluntarily submit to an interview with 60 Minutes or 20/20.

DON'T
1. give or expect favoritism.
2. attempt to talk "off the record".
3. make off hand remarks in front of reporters.
4. hide behind technical jargon.
5. disappear when unfavorable news breaks.
6. stonewall. When you can't disclose information, say so and explain why.
7. try to fool the press.
8. try to be a news personality.
9. propagandize.
10. tolerate any openly belligerent or abusive behavior.
11. make "wise crack" statements.
12. be misled by "off the record".
13. let the media take over your administration.
14. assume the interview is over until the TV crew drives away.
15. fight with people who have ink delivered by the tank car.
16. mess-up on a slow news day.

AVOID
1. being openly hostile toward the media.
2. the appearance of "cover-up"

DELUSIONS:
1. I am safe from big city reporters.
2. The out-of-state media will treat you just like the local media.
3. I can respond to the media in my own good time and in my own way.
4. I can wing it.
5. I can retreat into the sanctuary of silence.

REMEMBER:
1. Deadlines sometimes assume more importance than the need to gather "complete" information.
2. Take care of the local media first.
3. You don't have to respond immediately to a telephone call from a reporter.
4. Under pressure, the mouth speaks when the mind is disengaged.

(PLEASE re-read opening paragraph!!)
Continues next week: MUTUAL AID OPERATIONS CHECK LIST

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California OES ACS HQ facility contact information: Auxiliary Communications Service Program, Room A-139 Governor's Office of Emergency Services P.O. Box 419047, Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-9047

Copyright 2002 by State of California OES ACS. All or any part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or quoted, provided that credit be given to this issue of the State of California "ACS Newsletter."

Opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of State of California OES ACS. State of California Office of Emergency Services and its "ACS Newsletter" editor, Gary Crowe, Ph.D. KG6HIM, do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material contained herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident, or any other cause whatsoever.

73, Gary Crowe, Ph.D. "ACS Newsletter" Editor State of California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Operations Support Branch Auxiliary Communications Service Tel: (916) 489-8709 Fax: (916) 488-0148 E-mail: