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The Joint Information Center is a central location designed to facilitate operation of the Joint Information System (JIS). The JIC is simply a tool to facilitate the JIS. The JIS – or the sharing of information – is the key to many crisis communication efforts. Through the collocation of public information professionals the JIC speeds information release time, enhances information coordination and analysis, reduces misinformation, maximizes resources, and helps build public confidence in response efforts.

If possible, it is advised to have location(s) identified that could be used as a JIC before an incident occurs; ideally, in close proximity to the EOC. It is important that these locations meet the working needs of the Public Information Officer (PIO) function including easy access for the news media. Once the need for a JIC has been identified, it is recommended to have appropriate equipment and other resources available and operational.

• The JIC is a physical location with tools to enhance the flow of public information

• The JIC provides a central working facility where PIOs can gather.

• A JIC allows PIOs to handle increased information needs by the media and the public during and after a crisis

• Maximized communication between different PIOs while minimizing conflicting or inaccurate information being sent to the media and the public.

• Can provide “one stop shopping” for the media –this makes it more enticing for the media to focus on “official” information rather than scatter for other parts of the story.

• It is important to remember that a JIC is simply a tool to help facilitate the JIS – the JIS is the key.

The concept of using a JIC to facilitate the dissemination of emergency public information is not new. The idea initially emerged in the late 70’s after unsuccessful attempts to communicate crisis information to the media and public during the Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant incident. Since that time the concept and structure of JICs has grown and evolved – often taking a shape necessary to accomplish the task and necessitated by various local emergency plans, politics and the resources that are available. ________________________________________

The Need for Establishing A JIC

The need for establishing a JIC during a time of crisis is well documented. After the September 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon, the Federal Bureau of Investigation chose not to activate a JIC. According to the Arlington County After-Action Report on the Response to the September 11 Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon,

"The failure to establish a JIC proved to be an impediment to the presentation of coordinated, factual, and timely public information.”

Following the 2003 Southern California firestorms analysis of their crisis communication efforts found that,

“Where a JIC was established, it had a positive effect on the timeliness and quality information.” And “The JIC allowed a unified message to be presented to the public and the media. The JIC could communicate key fire management issues and address these issues proactively through public information while fires held the public’s attention.”

Hurricane Katrina is by far one of the most glaringly visible examples of what can go wrong when there is no coordination of information or structured efforts to disseminate messages to the public. In the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General’s Performance Review of FEMA’s Disaster Management Activities In Response to Hurricane Katrina they found that “...after a verbal altercation on August 31, 2005, between the Under Secretary for EP&R and a communications staff member from the Louisiana Governor’s office, Louisiana elected not to conduct external affairs jointly...The Governor held separate briefings and did not participate in the Louisiana Joint Information Center through most of September 2005.” Additionally, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report on Hurricane Katrina found that, “... the DHS reported that its federal JIC was not established until September 6 – over a week after Hurricane Katrina made landfall...it is not clear whether during the response to Hurricane Katrina a state JIC was established…LA EOP envisions the integration of federal communications activities into the state JIC. However, it appears this goal was not immediately carried out, or even understood, during the response to Hurricane Katrina.” And the October, 2006 earthquake in Hawaii that led to extensive damage and widespread power blackouts, the Governor’s Comprehensive Communications Review Committee noted far-reaching communication failures and made the key recommendation to, “Establish a “media center” or Joint Information Center … in Diamond Head Crater to provide reporters a working area, telephone lines, Internet access, electrical access, and a place to obtain timely information from State and Federal officials.” ________________________________________ In order to successfully create a JIC – which is a tool to support the JIS –a structure is needed that will cover all of the necessary functions in information gathering, production and dissemination. The most efficient way to accomplish this is to create a scalable function based organization that mirrors the entity that it is created to support – the Incident Command System (ICS). So by using the concepts provided by ICS officials can effectively establish and operate a successful JIC. What about Public Information? The Public Information Officer (PIO) is a key staff member who supports the incident command structure and represents and advises Incident Command on all public information matters relating to the management of the incident. The PIO handles media and public inquiries, emergency public information and warnings, rumor monitoring and response, media monitoring, and other functions required to gather, verify, coordinate, and disseminate accurate, accessible, and timely information related to the incident, particularly regarding information on public health and safety and protection The primary tool to assist the PIO in accomplishing their tasks is the JIS which provides the mechanism to organize, integrate, and coordinate to ensure timely, accurate, accessible, and consistent messaging activities across multiple jurisdictions and/or disciplines with the private sector and NGOs. It includes the plans, protocols, procedures, and structures used to provide public information. Key elements include the following: • interagency coordination and integration • gathering, verifying, coordinating, and disseminating consistent messages • support for decision makers within the IC • flexibility, modularity, and adaptability The PIO, using the JIS, ensures that decision makers—and the public—are fully informed throughout the incident response. But doing all of that is a big job – more than one person can handle. That’s why NIMS advises that to facilitate the JIS there should be a Joint Information Center (JIC) established. A JIC is the mechanism to perform the functions of the JIS. It is a location where personnel with public information responsibilities perform critical emergency information, crisis communications, and public affairs functions. JICs may be established at various levels of government or at incident sites. Typically, an incident-specific JIC is established at a single, on-scene location in coordination with Federal, State, and local agencies (depending on the requirements of the incident) or at the national level, if the situation warrants. A single JIC location is preferable, but the system is flexible and adaptable enough to accommodate virtual or multiple JIC locations, as required. For example, multiple JICs may be needed for a complex incident spanning a wide geographic area or multiple jurisdictions. In instances when multiple JICs are activated, information must be coordinated among all appropriate JICs; however, each JIC must have procedures and protocols to communicate and coordinate effectively with one another. A national JIC may be used when an incident requires Federal coordination and is expected to be of long duration (i.e., weeks or months) or when the incident affects a large area of the country. The JIC facility itself should be located close to the best sources of information such as an EOC, without compromising security. Also, the facility should: • Be located in a safe area and provide special parking for media vehicles (including satellite trucks) with signs directing the media to the JIC • Be designed so that functional areas that must communicate frequently can do so • Contain the necessary equipment Other Types of JICs A single JIC location is preferable, but the system is flexible and adaptable enough to accommodate virtual or multiple JIC locations, as required. A potential list of different types of JICs is below: JIC Type Description Incident Typically, an incident specific JIC is established at a single, on scene location in coordination with Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies or at the national level, if the situation warrants. It provides easy media access, which is paramount to success. This is a typical JIC. Virtual A virtual JIC is established when a physical co-location is not feasible. It connects PIOs through e-mail, cell/land-line phones, faxes, video teleconferencing, web-based information systems, etc. For a pandemic incident where PIOs at different locations communicate and coordinate public information electronically, it may be appropriate to establish a virtual JIC. Satellite A satellite JIC is smaller in scale than other JICs. It is established primarily to support the incident JIC and to operate under their direction. These are subordinate JICs, which are typically located closer to the scene. Area An area JIC supports multiple-incident ICS structures that are spread over a wide geographic area. It is typically located near the largest media market and can be established on a local, State, or multi-state basis. Multiple States experiencing storm damage may participate in an area JIC. Support A support JIC is established to supplement the efforts of several Incident JICs in multiple States. It offers additional staff and resources outside of the disaster area. National A national JIC is established when an incident requires Federal coordination and is expected to be of long duration (weeks or months) or when the incident affects a large area of the country. A national JIC is staffed by numerous Federal departments and/or agencies.

A Sample JIC As mentioned before, ICS is based on proven management characteristics and each contributes to the strength and efficiency of the overall system. It has several characteristics that make it well suited to managing incidents including: • Common Terminology including common titles based on function • Clear Chain of Command and Unity of Command that clarify reporting relationships and eliminate confusion. • Modular Organization structure that develops in a top-down fashion and separate functional elements which may be further subdivided to enhance management and coordination. These same characteristics can be used in the creation and operation of a complex organization such as the Joint Information Center. A Scaleable Function Based JIC Model for Everyone The following JIC structure, like NIMS and ICS itself, is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of a variety of crises. Each box on a JIC organization chart represents a function to be performed. One person may do many functions or one function may be staffed by many people, depending on the size and scope of the incident. It is important to remember that many PIOs perform all of these functions by themselves on a daily basis. But the nature of a large scale and expanding event will necessitate assistance and so the functions are split out and assigned as needed. The structure also provides a clear “chain of command” within the JIC to minimize confusion and enhance information flow.

The JIC Facility The JIC facility should be located as close as possible to the best sources of information, such as an EOC, without compromising safety or security. Also, the facility should: • Provide special parking for media vehicles (including satellite trucks), with signs directing the media to the JIC; • Be designed so that functional areas needing to communicate frequently can do so; and • Contain all necessary equipment. Who's Who in the JIC Lead Public Information Officer: The Lead Public Information Officer (PIO) comes from the agency that has the lead in handling the crisis. They report to the Incident Commander/Unified Command and act as an advisor on all issues relating to public information. The Lead PIO may assign deputy PIOs to assist them as they feel they need. The Lead PIO is a management position, should provide overall direction and policy and should not get involved in “hands on” details. Unlike other functions, there can be only one Lead PIO. PIOs from other agencies do not report to the lead PIO. They represent their own agency but work with the Lead PIO to provide support. The Lead PIO provides overall guidance and direction to the Group Supervisors to assist with the Emergency Public Information function. He/she acts as a liaison between the function and other sections in the organization. The Lead PIO reports directly to the EOC Director or Incident Commander. If at all possible that person should NOT be the on camera spokesperson or the JIC Manager/Logistics Liaison. He/she will not have the time to do both. The Lead PIO must make the big decisions needed, such as overall strategy, wording in critical releases, staffing, and resolving conflicts. If the PIO team is small, the lead has no choice but to fulfill most of the positions needed. If he/she has a good sized team, the lead must be careful not to over manage, but to rely on Group Supervisors to manage their units. The lead must make sure each group has the people and tools they need to do their job. Under ICS/NIMS the Lead PIO can have assistants. These assistants may keep a journal, documenting decisions and actions; act as liaison between other functions, or other duties as needed. Ultimately the Lead PIO is responsible for 1. Managing the JIC; 2. Advisor to IC/UC; 3. Provides overall communication policy direction; 4. Recommends and develops strategy for messages, briefings, and news releases; 5. Obtains approval from those in authority before releases are made; and 6. Conducts JIS/JIC internal briefings (live or virtual) to update staff regarding Incident Command activities. Facility Liaison: In NIMS, the Logistics Facilities Unit is responsible for all facilities used in the crisis response. This function receives requests for people or equipment and relays them to Logistics. The JIC Facilities Liaison reports to the Lead PIO and is responsible for the JIC facility and operations. The Liaison keeps the JIC running smoothly from a logistical standpoint and provides support, as needed, to the Lead PIO, agency public information staff, Group Supervisor and all functional areas of the JIC. Support includes everything from toilet paper to security to computers. Their responsibilities may include: • Coordinating the opening, setup and closing of the JIC • Ensuring all JIC equipment is operational • Ensuring adequate supplies are on hand • Coordinating JIC security, janitorial support, equipment maintenance/repair and food services • Assigning staff to copy and distribute materials to JIC staff and other designated locations • Maintaining a resource library accessible to JIC members for reference of all hard copy coming into and going out of the JIC Information Gathering: Information Gathering must gather, analyze and triage information. This position is responsible for the research and development of all written, print, photographic, audio, video and web-based material for use by the JIC. In the initial stages of an emergency, PIOs may be required to gather information and produce materials for the media and public by themselves. However, because of the many duties they will need to perform, it is hoped that each participating JIC organization will attempt to recruit and/or provide personnel that are trained to assist with this function. Such personnel may be drawn from various agency administrative support staff. Additionally, many organizations have information technology staff with considerable skill in web site design, working with digital images and video production. Not all gatherers need to be in the JIC. Often gatherers are stationed at an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or Incident Command Post (ICP), in the field or at other agencies involved in the crisis. Gatherers may be employees of the agencies that have critical information that needs to get to the JIC. The gatherers use any means possible to quickly feed information back to the group at the JIC. Information Gathering tasks include; • EOC/ICP Unit is assigned to the EOC(s) or Incident Command Post(s) with the task of gathering information from all sources in those locations and sending relevant information back to the Information Gathering & Production Group. • Research & Writing Unit develops written material on assigned topics. Work may include research or gathering of information from multiple sources. • Audio/Visual Support Unit provides research, document, and image development and video production. Must be skilled in graphic design, photography, and videography. Coordinates with Briefing Unit to prepare news conference visuals and handouts. • Media Monitoring and Analysis Unit coordinates and analyzes information from monitoring media coverage, Telephone Unit, Field Operations Group, and other sources. Unit leader is responsible for identifying media story misinformation and rumors. Information Dissemination: Information Dissemination provides written, oral, and video information to the media, public and other organizations. It is important to remember that dissemination is not just to the public and the media – dissemination also includes getting information to other stakeholder agencies, elected and appointed officials, incident responders, and to everyone in the JIC itself. Some of the functions that fall under Information Dissemination include: • Internal Dissemination Unit makes sure that all participants in the JIC are supplied with the latest approved releasable information. They may update status boards as well. • Media & Rapid Response Unit responds to media needs, including requests for information, tours, interviews, photographs, or other visual material. The unit forwards requests to the appropriate agency. Rapid Response may take many forms, such as a news release, a call to a reporter, or a live interview with news media available at the JIC. • Briefing Unit is responsible for preparing and conducting regular news conferences and briefings. • The Telephone Unit answers calls from the public and media. In addition to the Field Operations Group, this is the only unit that provides a direct link to members of the public. • Web-Net Unit is responsible for creating web pages; posting data, images and video to web sites; responding to e-mail; and monitoring web server traffic. It is important that servers can handle the expected surge in traffic. Field Operations Group has face-to-face contact with the public, special interest groups, political leaders and other VIPs, and provides interviews and other assistance to the media at high-profile field sites. This group also reports back to the JIC with verified, approved information and identifies issues that need to be addressed. • Community Relations Unit works with aspects of the community that include shelters, special interest groups, town meetings, etc. • Media Field Unit works with news media that gather at incident scenes. This unit may work with the Incident Commander at those scenes to handle media requests. • VIP Unit works closely with VIPs in the field, providing the latest information and sending information back to the JIC about VIP issues, activities, and concerns. This unit helps brief and prepare VIPs prior to interviews and coordinates with VIP support staff. Be Ready Now Make your plans now. Emergency public information agreements, plans, and procedures should be in place addressing a coordinated emergency public information effort centered at a single JIC facility, as part of a JIS. Agreements should reflect the commitment of each partner organization to keep counterparts informed of all information from the JIC and elsewhere. Memorandums of Understanding/Agreement (MOU/MOA) should be entered into now, if they are not already in existence. These call for communication, coordination, and sharing of information that will enhance each organization's ability to provide accurate, complete, timely, appropriate, and understandable emergency public information.