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<br />.J ,,' 0/( <br />'''~I''I <br />~~]~,__J. <br />:::i -....) \0 <br />o( ''''' <br />U ~ "".;" <br />'. ',. .;:r'., <br />""-'-'~}Jk, ,_ <br />r',- "}',;' ,'\ <br />;'I/fO\''''' <br /> <br />County Executive Office <br />Countywide Public Mass Notification System <br />Policy and Guideline <br /> <br />V. AUTHORIZED USE <br />The Mass Notification System is designed to be a countywide asset, available to all <br />Agencies that have a dedicated public safety answering point (PSAP) and resident <br />population they are responsible to make protective action recommendations for. <br /> <br />An Agency may participate in the countywide System at no charge when used for <br />emergency purposes. Agencies wishing to participate may do so by having an authoritative <br />representative sign the "Orange County Public Mass Notification System' MOU. Upon <br />signing the agreement, the Agency will be provided a local administrator account, a vendor <br />provided user manual and initial training. Throughout the term of the agreement, the <br />Agency may use the System to send an unlimited number of emergency notifications to the <br />public as well as an unlimited number of emergency and non-emergency inter-department <br />messages. It is recommended that each participating Agency develop and maintain written <br />procedures to identify and address the Agency's specific use of the System within the scope <br />of this policy guide. <br /> <br />Agencies authorized to join the system at no cost are limited to the incorporated cities in the <br />Orange County Operational Area, County agencies and departments, California State <br />University, Fullerton and University of California, Irvine. Each participating Agency will <br />maintain, at minimum, a Local Agency Administrator responsible for implementing and <br />administering use of the System at the local level. <br /> <br />A. Emergency Use <br />Use of the Mass Notification System for emergency activity contains two components: (1) <br />the need to disseminate critical, safety-related information to individuals within a short <br />timeframe, and (2) communicating with safety-responder staff, volunteers and involved <br />parties about an approaching or present emergency event. <br /> <br />Emergency Public Notifications are limited to: <br /> <br />1. Imminent or perceived threat to life or property <br />2. Disaster notifications <br />3. Evacuation notices <br />4. Public health emergencies <br />5. Public safety emergencies <br />6. Any notification to provide emergency information to a defined community <br /> <br />As a general rule, the System is to be used when the public is being asked to take some <br />action (e.g. evacuate, prepare to evacuate, shelter in place, boil tap water before drinking, <br />missing child, notification of closure of the incident). The following criteria should be utilized <br />to assist with determining the need to issue an alert: <br /> <br />1. Severity. Is there a significant threat to public life and safety? <br />2. Public Protection. Is there a need for members of the public to take a protective <br />action in order to reduce loss of life or substantial loss of property? <br /> <br />Page 3 of9 <br />711112008 <br />