“Mutual Aid Box Alarm System and the Comm Center” Case Study: Division 16 Steve Rauter Assistant Chief Lisle-Woodridge Fire District

A MABAS Beacon….

“Strike” vs. “Strike Out”

M.A.B.A.S. n Mutual Aid Box Alarm System n Legacy, history n “The primary purpose of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System is to coordinate the effective and efficient provision of mutual aid during Emergencies, Natural Disasters, and Man- Made Catastrophes.” n Assumption that agency is in MABAS... n = unofficial MABAS information site.

TERMS n Divisions: (in general) n A geographical, usually contiguous group n Illinois = 1 through 32 n Wisconsin = 100’s series n Each Division to have a Primary/Secondary Dispatch Center n Agency Designator: 4-letters n Ex: Downers Grove = DGRV n Ex: Lisle-Woodridge = LIWD n Ex: Naperville = NAPR n Carol Stream = CRST (or is that Crestview?)

MABAS 16 Formed Fall 1997 n Lisle-Woodridge: Was in Division 12 n Responses not usually with Div 12 towns n Many reasons n Downers Grove: Was in Division 10 n Western edge of Div 10 n Many reasons n Naperville: Was not a MABAS member n Apprehension, understanding, partnerships n Many reasons n Geography, Auto-Aid already in place... n Management, procedure, training similarities

When forming (or updating)... Communications Infrastructure n NIFERN (NY-FERN) to become IFERN? n Tones used: 1081 Hz & 701 Hz, (1.25-plus-3?) n Transmit coverage area? (talk out) n Receive (talk in) n Decide if you need (want) portable coverage n Mobile design option (Command Car?) n Interoperability Issues: –Lisle-Woodridge: VHF (150mHz) –Downers Grove: UHF (450mHz) –Naperville: 800mHz Trunked Radio System

n Dispatch Center(s): –Technical feasibility (NIFERN) –Who will be responsible, how notified? –Tones, radio vigil, phones –Who, or what, is the Back-Up? –Full capability, fully supported –“Bug Out” scenarios (and training) –Scripts, SOG’s, written guidelines –Initial dispatch elements (and training) –“Key Words”, common terms, plain English –“May-Day” procedures (and training) –Building evacuation procedures

When forming (or updating)… Comm Center n Stricken agency also handle dispatch? n Agreements & procedures for “help” n Hand-Off procedure from stricken agency to dispatch agency n What are YOUR steps…… n Logging: CAD or No CAD? n Box Cards: Are they functional for the Comm Center? Do they make sense? Intuitive?

5TH 4TH 3RD 2ND BOX SPECIAL GENERAL FULL STILL STILLSPEC.EQPTCHIEFAMBSQDTRUCKSENGINESALARM 5TH 4TH 3RD 2ND BOX SPECIAL GENERAL STILLSPEC.EQPTCHIEFAMBSQDTRUCKSENGINESALARM MUTUAL AID BOX ALARM CARD

SAMPLE MUTUAL AID BOX ALARM CARD INTERDIVISIONAL BOX 5th RSMTMLPK-A BENV LNWD 4th LEYDNTLK-A LEYD STPK 3 rd Canteen/956FRPKRSMT-S RVGR PKRG 2 nd SHPKFRPK-A ELPK SHPK BOX NOPKNOPKNOPKNOPK-A NOPK NOPK NOPK STILLSPEC.EQPTCHIEFAMBSQDTRUCKSENGINESALARM BOX NUMBER LOCATION TOWN INTERDIVISIONAL BOX 5th 4th BENV 3 rd LEYD 2 nd RVGRBOX STILLSPEC.EQPTCHIEFAMBSQDTRUCKSENGINESALARM CHANGE OF QUARTERS Box ### here *Description here* Agency Name Here

In order to establish a standardized system of incident command, the MABAS Executive Board has adopted the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as the standard operating procedure for all MABAS members. as the standard operating procedure for all MABAS members. UNIFIED COMMAND is to be used for WMD or Anti-Terrorism “Theater of Operations” INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM

ACCOUNTABILITY It is the policy of MABAS to account for the location and safety of all personnel within the EMERGENCY INCIDENT PERIMETER Participation by members of any Fire Department in emergency incident mitigation without using the PASSPORT ACOUNTABILITY SYSTEM is not authorized by MABAS

ENTERING THE MABAS ORGANIZATION n A Governmental Body must pass an ordinance or resolution authorizing the execution of the MABAS Agreement n Signed copies of the agreement and of the resolution/ordinance must be filed with the MABAS Executive Secretary

By-Laws n Membership: –Each division shall be represented by one member who shall be designated by their respective Division.

Executive Board Officers Jay Reardon, President Jerome J. Tonne, Vice President Ralph Blust, Executive Secretary

Update of Plan (in a hurry…) n Step 1: Get a copy of the Plan (or at least parts of it that affect you) n Step 2: Get a GLOSSARY! n MABAS is now State-Wide n Centralization of notification of resources (RED Center) n “Hook” to Illinois State Emergency Operating Center (SEOC, I-EMA) n Illinois OH-NO! Illinois Dept of Public Health –Operations Headquarters and Information Office n Update of Division Rosters n New Divisions formed in a hurry…

Joint Effort: MABAS Illinois Fire Chiefs Ass’n Illinois E.M.A. -IDPH -OSFM -Other State Agencies

Beyond MABAS… n Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IEMA, MABAS, IFCA (January 16, 2001) n Local Emergency Operations Plan is short-cut by Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) n Know your steps for declarations –Local (City, Village, Town) –County (Where does Fire Protection District fit in?) –State (I-EMA and other state agencies) –Federal (FEMA and other federal agencies) n “Emergency vs. Disaster” Declarations

Terrorism & WMD n Call-takers n Dispatchers n Pre-Arrival Instructions? n Measured response vs. “Cavalry”

n

What can the Comm Center do? n Scripts n Build MABAS into routine training n Classroom –MABAS “canned” presentation –Anti-Terrorism Taskforce sessions n Radio Drills & Table-Top Drills –Make it a habit –Use of NIFERN n Critiques of every incident n Attend meetings, get yourself invited...

THANK YOU Steve Rauter Assistant Chief Lisle-Woodridge Fire District