HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe County of San Diego; 2020-08-18;I. PURPOSE
ALERT & WARNING
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO
AND THE
CITY OF CARLSBAD
This Agreement ("Agreement") is made by and between the County of San Diego ("County") and the City
of Carlsbad ("Jurisdiction"). It is intended to establish a regional agreement for the use of Alert & Warning
modalities capable of being initiated through the Office of Emergency Services (OES) mass notification
system. This agreement will allow the Jurisdiction to initiate Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) and
generate AlertSanDiego campaigns to their jurisdiction utilizing the OES Mass Notification
System("System").
County Office of Emergency Services (OES) recognizes that each San Diego County Operational Area
jurisdiction has a need to rapidly notify their residents during an emergency. County OES and the Sheriff
Communication Center are authorized to disseminate Alert & Warning messages to the Unincorporated
area.
Each jurisdiction will be responsible for initiating their own Alert & Warning messages to their jurisdiction.
This MOA replaces previous agreements regarding the AlertSanDiego mass notification system and
replaces previous WEA Memorandums of Agreement.
II. BACKGROUND
County OES is responsible for procuring and maintaining the System (i.e., software), used to connect to
the federal WEA aggregator and AlertSanDiego, the regional notification system used to send telephone,
text and email notifications to residents and businesses within San Diego County. The System is funded
by regional Homeland Security Grant Program funds or by Unified Disaster Council dues, as determined
by the Unified Disaster Council. Grant and Unified Disaster Council budgets are voted upon annually by
the Unified Disaster Council. System usage is unlimited. Jurisdictions are not billed for utilizing the System.
A. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA}
The Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, is a federally maintained alert and warning system, ava ilable
to all jurisdictions to notify residents in times of severe or extreme hazards within the framework,
agreements, rules and protocols agreed upon by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Unified Disaster Council and in agreement with
the Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan and the fifth amended Joint Powers Agreement, as
applicable.
On behalf of the San Diego County Operational Area, the County OES maintains a Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with the FEMA designating County OES as a Collaborative Operating Group (COG) with
the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS).
With access to IPAWS through the OES Mass Notification System, the Jurisdiction can initiate Wireless
Emergency Alert (WEA) messages. WEA messages are emergency notifications sent by authorized
Alert & Warning MOA -January 2020 Page 1 of 9
government alerting authorities, as determined by the Jurisdiction, through mobile carriers and
broadcast to mobile phones receiving a signal from cell towers within or in close proximity to the alert
area. Please see examples of 90-and 360-character WEA messages in Appendix A.
Because WEA messages leverage mobile carrier cell phone towers and the broadcast range of a particular
tower can be affected by many variables such as the height of antenna over surrounding terrain, the
frequency of signal in use, the transmitter's power, the directional characteristics of the site antenna
array, local geography and weather conditions, emergency notifications may occur outside of the
intended notification area. WEA version 3.0 from FEMA/FCC incorporates .10-mile geo-targeting
capability which allows jurisdictions to notify residents with greater accuracy.
Since WEA messages may have regional implications and may be received by residents in surrounding
jurisdictions, the initiation of WEA messages requires regional coordination which is the responsibility of
the Jurisdiction (See Section IV. Communication).
B. AlertSanDiego
The County of San Diego has instituted a regional notification system that is able to send telephone
notifications, texts and emails to residents and businesses within San Diego County impacted by, or in
danger of being impacted by, a disaster. This system (software), called AlertSanDiego, is used by
emergency response personnel to notify residents at risk with information about the event and/or
actions (such as evacuation, shelter in place, gas leak, missing person at risk, etc.) The system utilizes
the region's 9-1-1 database, provided by the local telephone companies, which includes both listed and
unlisted land line phone numbers. It is TTY/TDD capable.
Residents are also able to self-register their Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP}, cellular telephone
numbers, and/or email addresses to receive notifications via phone, text, email, and/or American Sign
Language with English voice and text.
Ill. POLICY
A. WEA
If a jurisdiction's public safety official (Incident Command, or other authorized alerting authority as
determined by the Jurisdiction) determines that the severity of an incident necessitates public alert
through WEA, the Public Safety Official will request that a WEA is devised and sent out through their
respective dispatch agency.
Use of the WEA system is solely authorized for severe or extreme hazards.
Severe or extreme hazards are incidents where an emergency threatens, or is imminently expected to
threaten, life, health, or property. WEA messages must contain protective action instructions that
recipients will follow to reduce vulnerability to an imminent threat.
Protective action instructions include:
1. Shelter -Shelter in place
2. Evacuate -Relocate as instructed
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3. Prepare -Make preparations
4. Execute -Execute a pre-planned activity
5. Avoid -Avoid the hazard
6. Monitor -Attend to information sources
7. All clear -The event no longer poses a threat or concern
The system is generally not authorized for:
1. Missing person notifications, except AMBER alerts which are sent out by the Center for Missing
and Exploited Children in cooperation with California Highway Patrol
2. Non-emergency weather alerts
3. Traffic problems
4. Parking restrictions
5. Street closures
6. Structure fires impacting limited populations
7. Crime information
8. Notifications to update residents on important programs or special events
9. Routine, informational or educational messages
10. Other events with limited impact
The system is not authorized for:
1. Any message of commercial nature
2. Any message of a political nature
3. Any non-official business (e.g. articles, retirement announcements, etc.)
B. AlertSanDiego
If a jurisdiction's Public Safety Official, as determined by the Jurisdiction, determines that the severity of
an incident necessitates public alert through AlertSanDiego, the public safety official will be responsible
for processing and disseminating the AlertSanDiego message.
The Jurisdiction is authorized to develop pre-established notification lists (either spreadsheets or geo-
coded lists) and messages to meet their needs. These lists may include special populations (e.g. in-home
care, schools, etc.), those susceptible to certain risks (e.g. homes within dam inundation zone), or
employee call back lists. It is the responsibility of the Jurisdiction to create and maintain these lists.
Use of AlertSanDiego system is authorized for the following purposes:
1. Imminent or perceived threat to life or property
2. Disaster notifications
3. Evacuation notices
4. Public health emergencies
5. Any notification to provide emergency information to a defined community
Use of AlertSanDiego email and text alerts for registered mobile devices are authorized for the following
purposes:
Alert & Warning MOA -January 2020 Page 3 of 9
1. Missing Persons at risk
The system is not authorized for:
1. Routine, informational or educational messages
2. Any message of commercial nature
3. Any message of a political nature
4. Any non-official business (e.g. articles, event notifications, retirement announcements, etc.)
IV. COMMUNICATION
A. Cross Jurisdictional
Alerting Authorities, as determined by the Jurisdiction, responsible for disseminating Alert & Warning
messages must take into consideration the importance of message coordination, resource sharing, and
the need to minimize public alerting fatigue which may occur with system abuse or overuse.
Should the need for Alert & Warning be determined by public safety officials, notification will be made to
all potentially affected neighboring jurisdictions immediately. This may include Unified Disaster Council
member(s), Dispatch Agency(ies), Emergency Manager(s), and/or Special District(s), i.e. Universities.
B.. Public
It is a best practice for the Jurisdiction to refer the public to their Jurisdiction's official website or
Jurisdiction operated social media sites for further information regarding the emergency that warranted
the Alert & Warning. If the website AlertSD.org, SDCountyEmergency.com or any other registered
domain name that leads to SDCountyEmergency.com is used as part of an alert or warning message, the
Jurisdiction must provide County OES with information to update the site before the alert is sent. The
Jurisdiction is also responsible for providing regular updates to County OES so that the website can be
updated with the latest information about the disaster.
Incomplete or imperfect information is not a valid reason to delay or avoid issuing a warning. Time is of
the essence, as recipients of warnings will need time to consider, plan, and act after they receive a
warning message. This is particularly true among individuals with disabilities and people with access and
functional needs. They may require additional time to evacuate or may be at increased risk of harm
without notification.
For all Alert & Warning messages sent, the jurisdiction initiating the message shall be responsible for
managing public and media questions, comments or concerns arising from the message.
During a regional emergency, it is a best practice for all jurisdictions to coordinate Alert & Warning and
Public Information through the Operational Area Emergency Operations Center.
C. Multi-Modal
A highly effective Alert & Warning program will use as many delivery methods as appropriate and
necessary. Alert & Warning is comprised of multiple modalities which may include: EAS (Emergency
Alert System), WEA (Wireless Emergency Alert), AlertSanDiego, San Diego County Emergency Website
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(AlertSD.org), and Social Media. Jurisdictions should use all modality levels as appropriate to reach the
widest audience.
By utilizing multiple modalities, there is a greater likelihood that people with disabilities or other access
and functional needs will receive the Alert & Warning message.
V. RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Jurisdictions
All jurisdictions in the San Diego County Operational Area are responsible for the Alerting & Warning of
their residents of severe or extreme hazards that currently threaten or pose an imminent threat to life
or property.
Jurisdiction will ensure that trained and authorized personnel are available to issue Alert & Warning 24
hours a day, 7 days a week through dispatch and/or other means. Jurisdiction Program Administrator
will be responsible for vetting and verifying which employees have completed required trainings in order
to obtain access to the AlertSanDiego and WEA system (see Appendix A). Jurisdiction Program
Administrators must be approved by the Jurisdiction Unified Disaster Council representative.
Jurisdictions will notify the County's Office of Emergency Services without delay, any and all employees
no longer employed or otherwise unauthorized to issue Alert & Warning messages on behalf of the
Jurisdiction.
B. State of California Alert & Warning Guidelines
All users agree to abide by the State of California Alert & Warning Guidelines. The guidelines may be
found online at www.CalAlerts.org
C. Training
FEMA requires specific training for alert originators. For a step-by-step guide, please see Appendix A -
Training.
D. Security
Per Federal Requirements, to ensure the joint security of the systems and the message data they store,
process, and transmit, both parties agree to adhere to and enforce the Rules of Behavior (as specified in
Appendix B). In addition, both parties agree to the following:
1. Ensure authorized users accessing the interoperable system(s) receive, agree to abide
by and sign (electronically or in paper form) the IPAWS-OPEN Rules of Behavior as specified in
Appendix B. The Jurisdiction is responsible for keeping the signed Rules of Behavior on file or
stored electronically for each system user.
2. Document and maintain jurisdictional specific security policies and procedures and
produce such documentation in response to official inquiries and/or requests.
Alert & Warning MOA -January 2020 Page 5 of 9
3. Provide physical security and system environmental safeguards for devices supporting
system interoperability with I PAWS-OPEN.
4. Where applicable, ensure that only individuals who have successfully completed FEMA-
required training can utilize the alert and warning systems addressed in this agreement.
5. Where applicable, document and maintain records of successful completion of FEMA-
required training and produce such documentation in response to official inquiries and/or
requests.
E. County OES and Sheriff
The Sheriff's Communications Center and County OES are available to initiate requested WEA and
AlertSanDiego messages from a Public Safety Official for emergencies affecting the unincorporated area.
If a WEA message is initiated, the County OES Staff Duty Officer (SDO) and Sheriff Watch Commander will
coordinate the Communication requirements as outlined above in section Ill. Communication.
Should the need for Alert & Warning be determined by public safety officials, notification will be made to
all potentially affected neighboring jurisdictions immediately. This may include Unified Disaster Council
member(s), Dispatch Agency(ies), Emergency Manager(s), and/or Special District(s), i.e. Universities.
The Sheriff's Communications Center and County OES may be available to initiate requested WEA and
AlertSanDiego messages from a Public Safety Official for emergencies in incorporated areas if the
Jurisdiction is unable to do so.
County OES will conduct an annual audit of trained and authorized users to ensure users are still
employed or otherwise still authorized to issue Alert & Warning on behalf of the Jurisdiction.
F. Unified Disaster Council (UDC} Alert & Warning Subcommittee
The UDC Alert & Warning Subcommittee is a County-wide working group composed of participating City
and County Agency Representatives. Coordinated by County OES, the UDC Alert & Warning Sub-
committee shall meet semi-annually, following a major event, or as determined by the Unified Disaster
Council and/or the Subcommittee, to conduct after action reviews of system usage, coordinate ongoing
administration, modify policies and guidelines, or to address other issues related to Alert & Warning
messages. All recommendations for substantive changes to this MOA shall be submitted to the Unified
Disaster Council for approval.
VI. GOVERNANCE
County OES will advise on Alert and Warning, in conjunction with the UDC Alert & Warning Subcommittee.
A. DEFENSE AND INDEMNITY
1. Claims Arising from Sole Acts or Omissions of County
The County hereby agrees to defend and indemnify the City of Carlsbad, its agents, officers and
employees (hereinafter collectively referred to in this paragraph as 'Jurisdiction'), from any claim,
Alert & Warning MOA -January 2020 Page 6 of 9
action or proceeding against the Jurisdiction, arising solely out of the acts or omissions of County
in the performance of this Agreement. At its sole discretion, the Jurisdiction may participate at
its own expense in the defense of any claim, action or proceeding, but such participation shall not
relieve County of any obligation imposed by this Agreement. The Jurisdiction shall notify County
promptly of any claim, action or proceeding and cooperate fully in the defense.
2. Clai ms Arising from Sole Acts or Omissions of the Jurisdiction
The Jurisdiction hereby agrees to defend and indemnify the County, its agents, officers and
employees (hereafter collectively referred to in this paragraph as "County") from any claim, action
or proceeding against County, arising solely out of the acts or omissions of the Jurisdiction in the
performance of this Agreement. At its sole discretion, County may participate at its own expense
in the defense of any such claim, action or proceeding, but such participation shall not relieve the
Jurisdiction of any obligation imposed by this Agreement. County shall notify the Jurisdiction
promptly of any claim, action or proceeding and cooperate fully in the defense.
3. Claims Arising from Concu rrent Acts or Omissions
County hereby agrees to defend itself, and the Jurisdiction hereby agrees to defend itself, from
any claim, action or proceeding arising out of the concurrent acts or omissions of County and the
Jurisdiction. In such cases, County and the Jurisdiction agree to retain their own legal counsel,
bear their own defense costs, and waive their right to seek reimbursement of such costs, except
as provided in paragraph E below.
4. Joint Defense
Notwithstanding paragraph C above, in cases where County and the Jurisdiction agree in writing
to a joint defense, County and the Jurisdiction may appoint joint defense counsel to defend the
claim, action or proceeding arising out of the concurrent acts or omissions of the Jurisdiction and
County. Joint defense counsel shall be selected by mutual agreement of County and the
Jurisdiction. County and the Jurisdiction agree to share the costs of such joint defense and any
agreed settlement in equal amounts, except as provided in paragraph ,5 below. County and the
Jurisdiction further agree that neither party may bind the other to a settlement agreement
without the written consent of both County and the Jurisdiction.
5. Reimbursement and/or Reallocation
Where a trial verdict or arbitration award allocates or determines the comparative fault of the
parties, County and the Jurisdiction may seek reimbursement and/or reallocation of defense
costs, settlement payments, judgments and awards, consistent with such comparative fault.
6. Application of California Law
Nothing in the Agreement is intended to nor shall it limit or alter the application of California law
as it relates to actions against, or liability of, government entities under the California law,
including, but not limited to, the California Government Claims Act (Government Code Section
810 et. seq.).
Alert & Warning MOA -January 2020 Page 7 of 9
7. Notice and Modification
This Agreement may be modified at any time with the prior written consent of both Parties. All
modifications shall be in writing and signed by both parties. Any communication or notices to be
provided pursuant to this Agreement must be sent to the attention of the signatories below, or
their designees.
8. No Third-Pa rty Beneficiaries
Except as may be expressly provided herein, no provision of this Agreement is intended, nor shall
it be interpreted, to provide or create any third party right or any other rights of any kind in any
person or entity.
9. Choice of Law
This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California. Venue for all actions arising out
of this Agreement must be exclusively in the state or federal courts located in San Diego County,
California.
10. Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed in multiple copies or in one or more counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original with the same effect as if all the signatures were on the same
instrument.
11. Severability
The invalidity in whole or in part of any provision of this Agreement will not void or affect the
validity of any other provisions of this Agreement.
12. Anti-assignment Clause
No Party may assign or delegate any duty or right under this Agreement. Any such purported
assignment or delegation will void this entire Agreement, unless the Parties have previously
approved such action in writing.
13. Authority to Enter into Agreement
Each of the signatories below represent that they have authority from their respective governing
bodies to execute this Agreement and bind the parties to the terms of this Agreement.
VII. TERM AND TERMINATION
This Agreement shall become effective when it is signed by both parties. This Agreement may be
terminated upon mutual consent at any time. Additionally, either party may terminate this Agreement
following six (6) months' written notice to the other party.
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VIII. SIGNATORY
Jeff Toney, Director, County of San Diego OES
Date: '0-ft.EL!)
Alert & Warning MOA -January 2020 Page 9 of 9
VIII. SIGNATORY
Jeff Toney, Director, County of San Diego OES
Date: Date: '0.ftJ::2D
Alert & Warning MOA -January 2020 Page 9 of 9
Appendix A
TRAINING
I. PURPOSE
11.
To ensure effective and efficient use of Alert & Warning, agencies must regularly train and exercise their
Alert & Warning policies and procedures. It is recommended that jurisdictions create a training program
consisting of readily available coursework divided into sections of system access and responsibilities.
POLICY
A. County of San Diego
The County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services and/or the Sheriff's Department will offer the
below training to those authorized to initiate Alert & Warning, upon completion of training
requirements as outlined in Section Ill, Training in this Appendix.
1. In person or video course on Wireless Emergency Alerts utilizing the AlertSanDiego
system.
B. Jurisdiction
The Jurisdiction will ensure that staff they authorize to initiate Alert & Warning complete the minimum
training requirements as identified by the Federal Government in Section Ill of this Appendix. Training is
outlined below.
Ill. TRAINING
The FEMA Individual Study (IS) course can be taken online at https://training.fema.gov/is/
For all other courses, please go to the San Diego Urban Area Security Initiative Training and Exercise
Calendar at https://sduasi.org/ or the California Specialized Training Institute Course Calendar at
http:ljcsti.org
A. Technician -is a level designed for those authorized to physically access and send Alert &
Warnings (i.e. Dispatchers or other Public Safety Officials as determined by the Jurisdiction). Technician
level training is required by FEMA and FCC for WEA and recommended for AlertSanDiego
1. IS-247a: IPAWS Alerting Authority Online Training (required under FEMA MOU)
2. IPAWS Rules of Behavior: Read, understand, and sign the IPAWS Rules of Behavior.
B. Practitioner -is a level designed for those authorized to request message sends and craft
messages (i.e. Incident Command or other Public Safety Officials as determined by the Jurisdiction). All
coursework under the previous level as well as:
Alert & Warning MOA January 2020 Page 1 of 5
1. PER-304: Social Media for Natural Disaster Response and Recovery
2. G290-291: Basic PIO and JIC-JIS
C. Program Administrator -is a level designed for those overseeing the entire Alert & Warning
program (i.e. Emergency Manager or other Public Safety Officials as determined by the Jurisdiction). All
coursework under the previous two levels as well as:
1. Training from the system vendors designed to teach technical skill sets within the
system specific to data refresh and management.
2. Training from local GIS professionals within the jurisdiction, as the system(s) in
use requires gee-coding and/or shape files. San Diego utilizes the Regional Public Safety
Grid (RPSG) and all users should be comfortable with this GIS function.
3. The individual should be knowledgeable in cross-jurisdictional coordination
techniques within the jurisdiction. Recommended courses are:
a) L0388: Advanced Public Information Officer
b} L-402: Liaison Officer
Program Administrators must be approved by the Jurisdiction's Unified Disaster Council representative.
Program Administrator will be responsible for vetting and verifying which employees have completed
required trainings as outlined above in order to obtain access to the AlertSanDiego and WEA system.
Additionally, San Diego County OES also recommends an in person or video course on Wireless Emergency
Alerts utilizing the AlertSanDiego system, coordinated through the County's OES.
Additional information and tips to the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (!PAWS) can be found
at https://www.fema.gov/best-practices
IV. SYSTEM TESTING
A. Jurisdiction
There is no required system testing at the Jurisdictional level. It is recommended that Technicians,
Practitioners, and Program Administrators, as outlined above, perform skills testing on a quarterly basis.
Internal AlertSanDiego testing may be performed by the Jurisdiction. All WEA System Tests should be
coordinated through County OES.
Any public facing Alert & Warning test must be coordinated through the Unified Disaster Council.
B. County OES and Sheriff
The AlertSanDiego system will be tested no less than once per week by the County OES Staff Duty
Officer. This test will not be public facing. No public Alert & Warning shall be sent as part of the test.
Alert & Warning MOA January 2020 Page 2 of 5
In coordination with Federal Requirements, the IPAWS (WEA) system will be tested no less than once
per month by the County OES Staff Duty Officer. This test will not be public facing. No public Alert &
Warning shall be sent as part of the test.
V. ALERT AND WARNING GUIDELINES
Agencies should always maintain alerting capability. Maintaining the capability is imperative as disasters
may strike at any time, and jurisdictions are responsible for informing the public in a timely manner of
the threat and protective actions to take.
Agencies should issue alert and warning messages as soon as feasible given the circumstances of the
situation. Designated alerting staff should have ready and reasonable access to the AlertSanDiego
system and be properly trained and well versed in how to operate the equipment.
Warning messages sent in error should be updated, clarified, or retracted immediately once the
message has been confirmed as erroneous.
VI. MESSAGE DETAILS
It is recommended that Jurisdictions continue to utilize the Wireless Emergency Alert Request
Form. This form has been standardized and used by dispatch agencies across San Diego.
A. Descriptors and Parameters for WEA
1. Standard Alert & Warning Descriptors:
Event Type
CDW: Civil Danger Warning
CEM: Civil Emergency Message
EQW: Earthquake Warning
EVI: Evacuation Immediate
FRW: Fire Warning
HMW: Hazardous Materials
Warning
Category
Geo: Geophysical (inc. landslide)
Met: Meteorological (inc. flood)
Safety: General emergency and
public safety
Security: Law Enforcement, military,
homeland and local/private security
Rescue: Rescue and recovery
Fire: Fire suppression and rescue
Health: Medical and public health
Alert & Warning MOA January 2020
LEW: Law Enforcement Warning
LAE: Local Area Emergency
NUW: Nuclear Power Plant Warning
RHW: Radiological Hazard Warning
SPW: Shelter in Place Warning
Env: Pollution and other
environmental
Transport: Public and private
transportation
Infra: Utility, telecommunication,
other non-transport infrastructure
CBRNE: Chemical, Biological,
Radiological, Nuclear or High-Yield
Explosive threat or attack
Other: Other events
Page 3 of 5
Response
Shelter: Take shelter in place
Evacuate: Relocate as instructed
Prepare: Make Preparations
Execute: Execute a pre-planned activity
Avoid: Avoid the Subject events
Monitor: Attend to information sources
2. Standard Alert & Warning Parameters:
Urgency
Immediate
Expected
B. Message Requirements
Severity
Extreme
Severe
Certainty
Observed
Likely
1. Duration of WEA Message Broadcast -Minimum 15 minutes -Maximum 24 hours
2. WEA Messages must provide clear direction on protective actions and include:
a) Source; This will be the agency sending the Alert & Warning
b) Threat; This will be the reason why the Alert & Warning is being issued
c) Location; Be as specific as possible about the area affected
d) Guidance; Use plain language when guiding the public to take action, if
applicable identify timing
e) Where residents can go for additional information; This can be issuing
Jurisdiction's website/social media
*Note: It is a best practice for the Jurisdiction to refer the public to their Jurisdiction's official
website or Jurisdiction operated social media sites for further information regarding the
emergency that warranted the Alert & Warning. If the website AlertSD.org,
SDCountyEmergency.com or any other registered domain name that leads to
SDCountyEmergency.com is used as part of an alert or warning message, Jurisdiction must
provide County OES with information to update the site before the alert is sent. The Jurisdiction
is also responsible for providing regular updates to County OES so that the website can be
updated with the latest information about the disaster.
Alert & Warning MOA January 2020 Page 4 of 5
C. Examples
SOURCE
Say who the mes~age ,s from
THREAT
Describe the event and its 1mpilct
LOCATION
State the impact area boundaries
in~ way that c~n he understood
(P.G-use '-itreet rldf1HH,.
l;indmarks. 11<1turc1I features. ,llld
pol1t1cc1I bounri,111,,s)
GUIDANCE/TIME
Tell people what protective
dctio11 tu Ldv' th1_' t"1:1w \,v!1t-,n to
do it. htn~: to ,H nnnpl1c..,h 11, ,~rid
how do111t; rt r ,·drd cs , i,k
ADDITIONAL INFO
Te ll people where to get more
inform;:it,on le(; wf'h,,tP)
Alert & Warning MOA
EXAMPLE (90 characters):
SD Sheriff-Wildfire affecting Ramona-Evacuate via
SR67-Tune to local media and AlertSD.org
SOURCE THREAT LOCATION
SD Sheriff---Affecting Ramona-
Tune to local media and
AlertSD.org GUIDANCE/TIME
ADDITIONAL INFO
EXAMPLE (360 characters):
The National Weather Service has issued a TSUNAMI WARNING
for San Diego County. A series of powerful waves and strong
currents may impact beaches in San Diego. Get away from
coastal waters, you are in danger. Move to high ground or
inland now. Keep away from the coasts until local officials say it
is safe to return. For more information go to www.AlertSD.org
January 2020 Page 5 of 5
Appendix B
IPAWS-OPEN Rules of Behavior
*Note: The below Rules of Behavior have been established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The following rules of behavior apply to all persons with application access to San Diego County
Office of Emergency Services Alert and Warning System{s) These individuals shall be held
accountable for their actions related to the public alert and warning resources entrusted to them
and must comply with the following rules or risk losing access privileges. The Rules of Behavior
apply to users on official travel as well as at their primary workplace (e.g., Emergency Operations
Center -EOC) and at any alternative workplace (e.g., telecommuting from a remote or satellite
site) using any electronic device including laptop computers and portable electronic devices
(PED's). PED's include cell phones, tablets, and plug-in and wireless peripherals that employ
removable media (e.g. CDs, DVDs, etc.). PEDs also encompass USB flash memory (thumb) drives
and external drives. These Rules of Behavior are consistent with existing OHS policies and OHS
Information Technology (IT) Security directives and are intended to enhance the awareness of each
user's responsibilities regarding accessing, storing, receiving and/or transmitting information using
I PAWS-OPEN.
2.0 APPLICATION RULES
2.1 Official Use
• !PAWS-OPEN is a Federal application to be used only in the performance of the user's
official duties in support of public safety as described in the National Incident
Management System {NIMS).
• The use of the !PAWS-OPE N for unauthorized activities is prohibited and could result in
verbal or written warning, loss of access rights, and/or criminal or civil prosecution.
• By utilizing I PAWS-OPEN, the user of the interoperable system(s) consents to allow
system monitoring to ensure appropriate usage for public safety is being observed.
• If software interoperating with I PAWS-OPEN enables users to geo-target public alert
messages by means of geospatial polygons or circles, then the user shall restrict any such
geospatial boundaries so as to remain within the geographical limits of their public warning
authority (or as near as possible).
2.2 Access Security
• All Email addresses provided in connection with interoperable system(s) user accounts
must be associated to an approved email, approved by the user's emergency management
organization. The use of personal email accounts to support emergency messaging
through !PAWS-OPEN is prohibited.
• Every interoperable system user is responsible for remote access security as it
relates to their use of IPAWS-OPEN and shall abide by these Rules of Behavior.
2.3 Interoperable System User Accounts and Passwords
• All users must have a discrete user account ID which cannot be the user's social security
number. To protect against unauthorized access, passwords linked to the user ID are used
to identify and authenticate authorized users.
• Accounts and passwords shall not be transferred or shared. The sharing of both a user ID
and associated password with anyone (including administrators) is prohibited.
• Accounts and passwords shall be protected from disclosure and writing passwords down
or electronically storing them on a medium that is accessible by others is prohibited.
• The selection of passwords must be complex and include:
o At least eight characters in length
o At least two (02) upper case and two (02) lower case letters
o At least two (02) numbers and one (01) special character.
• Passwords must not contain names, repetitive patterns, dictionary words, product
names, personal identifying information (e.g., birthdates, SSN, phone number), and
must not be the same as the user ID.
• Users are required to change their passwords at least once every 90 days.
• Passwords must be promptly changed whenever a compromise of a password is known or
suspected.
2.4 Integrity Controls & Data Protection
• All computer workstations accessing I PAWS-OPEN must be protected by up-to-date
anti-virus software. Virus scans must be performed on a periodic basis and when
notified by the anti-virus software.
• Users accessing interoperable system(s) to utilize IPAWS-OPEN must:
o Physically protect computing devices such as laptops, PEDs, smartphones, etc;
o Protect sensitive data sent to or received from IPAWS-OPEN;
o Not use peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, which can provide a mechanism for
the spreading of viruses and put sensitive information at risk;
o Not program computing devices with automatic sign-on sequences,
passwords or access credentials when utilizing IPAWS-OPEN.
Users may not provide personal or official IPAWS-OPEN information solicited by e-mail. If e-mail
messages are received from any source requesting personal information or asking to verify
accounts or other authentication credentials, immediately report this and provide the questionable
e-mail to the Local System Administrator and/or the San Diego County Office of Emergency
Services Help Desk.
• Only devices officially issued through or approved by OHS, FEMA and/or approved
emergency management organizations are authorized for use to interoperate with IPAWS-
OPEN and use of personal devices to access and/or store !PAWS-OPEN data and
information is prohibited.
• If a smartphone or other PED is used to access the interoperable system(s) to utilize
IPAWS-OPEN, the device must be password protected and configured to timeout or lock
after 10 minutes of inactivity.
• If sensitive information is processed, stored, or transmitted on wireless devices, it must
be encrypted using approved encryption methods.
2.5 System Access Agreement
• I understand that I am given access to the interoperable system(s) and IPAWS-OPEN to
perform my official duties.
• I will not attempt to access data, information or applications I am not authorized to
access nor bypass access control measures.
• I will not provide or knowingly allow other individuals to use· my account
credentials to access the interoperable system(s) and I PAWS-OPEN.
• To prevent and deter others from gaining unauthorized access to sensitive resources, I will
log off or lock my computer workstation or will use a password-protected screensaver
whenever I step away from my work area, even for a short time and I will log off when I
leave for the day.
• To prevent others from obtaining my password via "shoulder surfing", I will shield my
keyboard from view as I enter my password.
• I will not engage in, encourage, or conceal any hacking or cracking, denial of service,
unauthorized tampering, or unauthorized attempted use of (or deliberate disruption of)
any data or component within the interoperable system(s) and !PAWS-OPEN.
• I agree to inform my Local System Administrator when access to the interoperable
system(s) and/or !PAWS-OPEN is no longer required.
• I agree that I have completed a locally delivered Computer Security Awareness type
tr.aining prior to my initial access to the interoperable system(s) and I PAWS-OPEN and
that as long as I have continued access, I will complete a locally delivered Computer
Security Awareness type training on an annual basis. Locally delivered trainings are
trainings delivered by your local jurisdiction, a local jurisdiction within the County, the
County, or the State.
2.6 Accountability
• I understand that I have no expectation of privacy while using any services or programs
interoperating with IPAWS-OPEN.
• I understand that I will be held accountable for my actions while accessing and
using interoperable system(s} and IPAWS-OPEN, including any other connected
systems and IT resources.
• I understand it is my responsibility to protect sensitive information from disclosure to
unauthorized persons or groups.
• I understand that I must comply with all software copyrights and licenses pertaining to
the use of IPAWS-OPEN.
2. 7 Incident Reporting
• I will promptly report IT security incidents, or any incidents of suspected fraud, waste or
misuse of systems to the Local System Administrator and the San Diego County Office of
Emergency Services.
3.0 IPAWS-OPEN Rules of Behavior Statement of Acknowledgement
I have read and agree to comply with the requirements of these Rules of Behavior. I understand
that the terms of this agreement are a condition of my initial and continued access to San Diego
County Office of Emergency Services Alert and Warning System(s} and /PAWS-OPEN and related
services and that if I fail to abide by the terms of these Rules of Behavior, my access to any and all
IPAWS-OPEJ$:.r:tr mation systems may be terminated and I may be subject to criminal or civil
prosecuti n. I have read and presently understand the above conditions and restrictions concerning
my access.