Communications Center Mutual Aid Is Becoming Part of Disaster Readiness
Emergency communications center Disaster plans typically focus on the physical aspects (i.e., the building itself), power generation, communication circuit back-up and restoration of communications. While important, these elements alone cannot guarantee that an emergency communications center remains functional during a Disaster. Many factors beyond physical and technological issues can impact the ability of the emergency communications center to function normally. For example, employees may not be able to come to work due to damage to their homes, family emergencies, etc. Consequently, call volumes and radio transmissions may increase while the number of available employees decreases. In addition, extended working hours may provide short-term relief; however, employee fatigue will ultimately become a limiting factor in continued center operation.
Staffing Continuity Must Be Addressed
In 2005 hurricane katrina and hurricane Rita demonstrated the lack of a nationwide framework for providing experienced telecommunicators to assist emergency communications centers impacted by Disaster. As a direct response to this need, the telecommunicator emergency response task force (TERT) was established. The national emergency number association (NENA)/association of public-safety communications officials-international (APCO) published standards in 2010 to guide development of the TERT program including establishing guidelines for identifying and mobilizing TERT teams. The 2026 NENA/APCO standard supports all aspects of TERT including the establishment of a national TERT registry, deployment practices and de-mobbing, documentation of a TERT team’s activities and other operational considerations. The NENA/ APCO TERT standard establishes a formal discipline for ensuring continuity of staffing in an emergency communications center and aligns with existing disciplines for maintaining continuity of power, network connectivity and facility access.
TERT Converts Mutual Aid To An Operated Capability
Telecommunications-specific mutual Aid involves qualified personnel from one emergency communications center assisting a second emergency communications center by receiving calls, processing incidents, dispatching emergency services units and monitoring activity. The process requires cooperation among the requesting emergency communications center, the responding emergency communications center, the TERT leader(s), the participating mutual Aid agencies and emergency management officials. This process is not merely a casual staffing arrangement nor is it simply a collection of unverified volunteer personnel.
Although the standard is voluntary in nature and does not represent a comprehensive operational directive, local laws, agency policies, labor agreements, emergency management protocols, security measures, and methods for reimbursing personnel for expenses incurred during activations must be considered prior to invoking TERT. However, the value of the NENA/APCO standard lies in the structured format provided to agencies prior to requiring them to apply these local considerations in a high-stress environment.
Mutual Aid Works Only When Visiting Personnel Are Able To Enter And Use The Center
Mutual Aid will only be viable if visiting personnel have immediate access to the emergency communications center. They must quickly comprehend the local workflow and successfully utilize the radio console. Reliable receive paths must exist to facilitate communication with the field.
A skilled telecommunications professional cannot immediately perform any task within any emergency communications center. Agencies may employ differing techniques, terminology, protocols and computer aided dispatch platforms. Therefore, the TERT standard addresses skill levels by emphasizing matching the responding team with the actual needs of the requesting agency. The TERT standard specifies a minimum of two years’ experience in a comparable position for a member of a TERT team and requires approval from the sending agency. Additionally, the TERT standard identifies four categories of capabilities: call-taking/dispatcher; radio-dispatcher; supervisor; and specialized functions. By categorizing capabilities in such a manner, the likelihood of utilizing personnel from an outside agency to fill a void created by reduced staffing during an incident is minimized.
Incident Requests Begin With Local Data
Preparation for TERT occurs primarily through completion of surveys (PSAP survey) and development of pre-established packages (TERT package). Both documents contain data regarding the requesting agency’s equipment configuration (e.g. Call processing equipment); computer-aided dispatch (cad) platform; radio console vendor & model; headset requirements; protocols utilized by the agency; agencies served; types of positions utilized within the center; etc… This information facilitates identification of personnel possessing relevant experience within the requesting agency.
The TERT package contains additional information necessary to ensure smooth integration of visiting personnel into daily operations including agency structure; access procedures; authorized system access; cad terminology used; channels assigned to units within the department being supported; telephone references; maps; major facilities located within jurisdictional boundaries; etc… All access credentials or system information must comply with the requesting agency’s current cybersecurity and identity management policies.
Clear Authority Needed For Activation Of TERT Teams
While activation routes for TERT teams may vary depending upon whether assistance is being requested within a state or across states; there are distinct roles assigned to state TERT coordinators or local emergency management organizations as well as the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (emac) for coordinating resource exchanges between states. A workable activation plan must clearly define: who has authority to request assistance from another agency; who approves such requests; what skills are required; how many persons must be provided to support operations; where visiting personnel will report; duration of each deployment; arrangements for travel/lodging/timekeeping/credentialing/reimbursement of expenses incurred by visiting personnel during deployments. These considerations cannot be left unaddressed upon expiration of current shift hours due to reduced staffing capacity following an incident.
Reliable Radio Connectivity Is Essential To Successful Integration
Radio operations are where staffing preparedness meets infrastructure preparedness. Channel names; departments using each channel; unit identification conventions/radio signatures; local codes used on radios; radio console platform; headsets used by personnel operating radios – all this information must be included in the TERT package so that a trained dispatcher from another center can rapidly integrate into daily operations without delay.
Just as a reliable receive path does not replace skilled telecommunicators and dispatchers, reliable hardware also cannot provide these skills. Both layers are necessary for effective Disaster recovery planning.
Communication Unit & TERT Serve Distinct Roles
It should be clearly understood that communication unit responsibilities within ICS differ from the responsibilities of a member of a TERT team. According to CISA, members of the communication unit are responsible for developing incident communication plans; assigning frequencies used for incident communication services; establishing voice & data network connections; installing & testing equipment used for incident communication services; operationally supporting the incident communication center; performing routine maintenance & repair activities at the incident site. Members of a TERT team assist with providing telecommunications service to an emergency communications center affected by an incident.
Having contact lists & signed agreements do not ensure that mutual Aid will be implemented successfully. Exercises must verify that visiting personnel have immediate access to the center; identify visiting personnel quickly through checks of employee identities; confirm availability of workstations with suitable headsets compatible with existing equipment; confirm access rights to systems currently utilized in the center; confirm familiarity with cad platforms used by center personnel; confirm experience with local radio console models; validate map references used in the center; validate briefing content & supervision practices used in the center prior to arrival of visiting personnel; identify relocation sites for visiting personnel if their home residences were damaged; coordinate transportation options for visiting personnel to include relief rosters for remaining personnel at the center.
The NENA/APCO standards includes guidelines for creating pre-activated packages to facilitate smooth integration of visiting personnel into daily operations. The packages are designed to provide additional information necessary to minimize delays associated with getting visiting personnel oriented.
The packages are designed to provide additional information necessary to minimize delays associated with getting visiting personnel oriented. The packages must include details regarding: authorized access credentials & system information; technical specifications for cad platforms used in the center; frequency listings & channel designations used by local law enforcement units; unit identification conventions & radio signatures used locally by fire/police units; telephone directory listings used in the center; maps displayed in the center showing major facilities & jurisdictional boundaries. All access credentials or system information must comply with existing cybersecurity and identity management policies in place at the time of activation.
Clear Authority & Ownership Necessary For Logistical Support
TERT activation routes may vary depending upon whether assistance is being requested within a state or across states. There are separate roles assigned to state TERT coordinators or local emergency management organizations as well as the emac for resource coordination between states. A functional activation plan must clearly define: who has authority to request assistance from another agency? Who approves such requests? What skills are required? How many positions must be provided to support operations? Where visiting personnel will report? Duration of each deployment? Methods for paying for travel/lodging/timekeeping/credentials/reimbursed expenses incurred by visiting personnel during activations. These factors cannot be determined by an exhausted shift supervisor after an incident reduces the centers staffing capabilities.
Radio Connectivity Is Critical For Success
Radio operations are where staffing preparedness meets infrastructure preparedness. Channel names; departments using each channel; unit identification conventions/radio signatures; local codes used on radios; radio console platform; headsets used by personnel operating radios – all this information must be included in the TERT package so that a trained dispatcher from another center can rapidly integrate into daily operations without delay.
TX RX Systems Role Is Limited To Assisting Agencies Maintain LMR Infrastructure
As previously stated, TX RX Systems is involved in assisting agencies develop strategies to achieve reliability in their LMR infrastructures used by dispatchers and field responders. TX RX Systems supplies filters, duplexers, combiner/receiver couplers, antennas and associated rf conditioning equipment for public safety and critical communications systems. Additionally, TX RX Systems offers onsite and remote field services involving spectrum analysis, noise analysis, signal level mapping, interference investigation, site optimization, equipment tuning and technical reporting. These capabilities allow agencies to create a baseline of known performance characteristics of their sites, detect interference issues and document site conditions thereby reducing potential complications related to emergency responses.
TERT Requires Both Local Orientation & Authorized Access
Regardless of the reliability of an LMR rf path provided by TX RX Systems, the success of a TERT team also relies upon local orientation, authorized access and effective supervision.
By addressing one type of uncertainty (the reliability of the rf path), agencies can better prepare themselves for implementing a mutually beneficial arrangement between two agencies whereby qualified personnel from one agency assist another agency in recovering from an incident or natural Disaster.
Documentation Improves Future Deployments
The 2026 NENA/APCO TERT standard includes provisions for post-deployment incident debriefing and after-action review. Reviewers will evaluate what occurred during the deployment that contributed to success or failures thereof in order to identify areas for improvement prior to subsequent deployments.
Reviews completed during post-deployment evaluations should lead to revisions of existing documents including PSAP surveys, TERT packages, credentialing processes, channel references, work station instructions, service contacts, staffing estimates and mutual Aid agreements among participating agencies.