Joint Field Office Activation and Operations - Federal Emergency ...

UNCLASSIFIEDparticipating agencies and organizations need to establish and agree on procedures for mediaaccess, issuing and verifying credentials, and briefing, escorting, and transporting mediamembers and their equipment. Common communication points and public affairs themesshould be developed as quickly as possible so that organizations are not perceived by themedia as working at cross purposes with one another. Responsibility for interaction with themedia should be established clearly so that, to the extent possible, the media hears from asingle voice. ESF #15 has primary responsibility for developing and executing the publicaffairs strategy, in close coordination with DHS Public Affairs. ESF #15 is also responsiblefor establishing the JIC.2.0 The JFO Coordination and Support Cycle2.1 Initial Coordination, Support, and AssessmentInitial Coordination and Assessment occurs in all incidents. Short-term coordination efforts,which are small in scope and/or duration (e.g., a few agencies supplying only a few resourcesto the Incident Command on-scene and completing adaptive changes to their routineoperations surrounding the incident in one coordination period) can often be coordinatedwithout developing a full Coordination Plan using only Initial Situation Reports (see Tab 2 toAnnex E of this SOP). The extent of the JFO role in resource and logistics support may varydepending on the needs of the ICP and funding mechanisms being used for the incident.2.1.1 Coordination Briefing (Situation Report and Agency/IncidentCoordination Plans)During the transfer of coordination responsibilities, a coordination briefing based on theexisting situation reports and Coordination Plans obtained through appropriate Federal,State, and local channels from Incident Commanders, Area Commanders, EOCs,coordinating agencies, and the ERT-A, if deployed, will provide the incoming JFOCoordination Group (or initial coordinating agency) with basic information regarding theincident situation, resource support requested, and relevant “wide-area” operations thathave been adapted because of the incident. Most importantly, the coordination briefingand situation report function as the Coordination Plan for initial coordination and supportand remain in force and continue to develop until the coordination effort ends or the JFOPlanning Section generates the first Coordination Plan. The coordination briefing andsituation report is also suitable for briefing individuals newly assigned to the JFOCoordination Staff as well as needed assessment briefings for the staff.The required situation report documents coordinated “wide-area” coordination objectives,incident support objectives, situational awareness, resource requests and deployment, andsignificant actions taken. This form is essential for future planning and the effectivemanagement of initial response activities.26Version 8.3Interim Approval April 28, 2006