1. TELECOMMUnicator emergency response taskforce
George Long, RPL, ORCEMS
TERT Coordinator for Oregon
Member, NJTI-TERT National Committee

2. OVERVIEW Assistance to Oregon PSAPs What is TERT and how does it fit
Developing TERT
Planning Processes for PSAPs

3. ASSISTANCE TO OTHER PSAPs
Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge Stand Off
LODD in Seaside
UCC Shooting

4. WHAT IS TERT? Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce
Developed following Hurricane Katrina
A joint venture by APCO and NENA
When needs 9-1-1
Predetermined, deployable teams
Augment staffing in PSAPs and EOCs

5. HOW DOES IT WORK PSAP leadership determine the need for extra staffing
Request is made to the State OEM for assistance via TERT
OEM contacts TERT State Coordinator
Teams are coordinated and sent to the impacted PSAP
Similar process for out of state requests

6. THINK CASCADIA… Large earthquake will devastate a large area
Once PSAPs technologically and structurally recover, staff may not be fully recovered
A way to bring telecommunicators from inside Oregon and outside to help
And the opposite…we go help others

7. THE HIGHs AND LOWs TERT is a Federally recognized, typed resource
This means during federally declared disasters, funding/reimbursements may be available to agencies to cover the cost of TERT deployments
TERT comes with a price tag
Outside of a Federally declared response, it may be on the requesting agency, sending agencies or the individuals to cover costs
Harney County incident is example, some people volunteered
TERT is not a random selection of people
Those deploying must meet certain requirements and be approved by their agency

8. DEVELOPING A TERT PROGRAM IN OREGON
Process has already started
Appointment of State Coordinator Oct 2015
Creation of TERT Work Group Nov 2015 and ongoing work in 2016
Required collection of information from National APCO and other TERT programs

9. CHALLENGES TO IMPLIMENTATION
Training
National APCO/NENA no longer guide training, it is up to the states to build their own
Training and agency approvals must be tracked at the state level
Creation of a training plan has already been started
Establishing MOUs and IGAs
This is the hardest part for most states trying to create a program
Currently working with members of OEM to determine what is needed and from who

10. SO WHAT ABOUT TRAINING?
FEMA Independent Study IS-144 focuses on the overall TERT concepts and philosophies
Everyone must take this
Currently the only additional requirement for anyone who has a basic certificate issued by DPSST
Additional recommended training for team leaders:
FEMA COML course
FEMA ICS 300/400
Any additional training related to disaster operations is encouraged

11. WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT TRAINING
In person training is better
Developing a one day training course
This course will be a requirement in Oregon only in order to be considered deployable
Will try to host at DPSST to reduce costs as low as possible for agencies and individuals

12. WHAT CAN YOU DO? - INDIVIDUAL
Go online and complete the FEMA Independent Study Course IS-144
Keep your certificate!
Discuss with your agency the possibility of participating with a TERT team
Discuss with your family the possibility of being sent on a deployment
Develop a plan for your family for when you are gone so that they are taken care of as well
Continue education on disasters and disaster operations to better understand your role and how operations work beyond the PSAP

13. WHAT CAN WE DO? - AGENCY Plan, plan, plan and then plan some more
Every agency should have a COOP plan
If TERT is part of that, then consider the following and make plans:
How will we receive TERT teams
How will we train TERT teams
How will we return to normal operations once TERT teams leave
Start keeping track of who has completed IS-144 and is interested in deploying
How will you decide who you approve?
Plan for how you will operate with TERT members absent

14. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Educate telecommunicators about TERT
Encourage agencies to start planning
Develop an Oregon TERT SOP
Finalize needs with OEM
Submit request to NJTI-TERT to be formally recognized
Start collecting information from PSAPs
Prepare for deployment

15. CONCLUSION We all have seen help is needed
We all are going to need help some day
Start YOUR preparation now, be it individual or agency
STAY CURRENT
Find us on Facebook: National Joint TERT Initiative, LLC
Visit the website (massive update coming soon)

16. LET’S TALK
George Long (w) (c) call or text

17. QUESTIONS? Oregon TERT Workgroup Heidi Anderson, Hood River
Tami Atkinson, DPSST
Hank Evans, Deschutes County
Kim Foster, WCCCA
Lara Marzilli, WCCCA