Emergency Communications Pandemic Guidance Documents

Aligned to existing guidance, recommendations, training courses, and including input from practitioners and CISA's subject matter expertise, SAFECOM, the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators, and the National 911 Program, the document series contains four sets of guidance:

• Guidelines for Executives: 911 Center Pandemic Recommendations—emphasizes the importance of communications centers, accentuates the particular risk of a pandemic to resiliency of 911 operations, communicates executive-level action, and describes available guidance for 911 administrators.
• Guidelines for 911 Centers: Pandemic Planning—highlights governance, resource planning, and contingency considerations from a holistic perspective during a pandemic.
• Guidelines for 911 Centers: Pandemic Operating Procedures—recommends how to organize, train, and care for personnel while operating during a pandemic.
• Guidelines for 911 Centers: Cleaning and Disinfecting During a Pandemic—presents cleaning and disinfecting guidance specific to public safety and resources for 911 centers during a pandemic.

A new addition to CISA's pandemic response guidance series, the Emergency Communications Best Practices for Establishing Alternate Care Sites document provides unique considerations for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities tasked with establishing communications capabilities for an Alternate Care Site (ACS) during a health crisis or other disasters. ACS is defined as a facility temporarily converted, constructed, or repurposed for healthcare use during a public health emergency to reduce the burden on hospitals and established medical facilities. The document outlines crucial roles and coordination points, highlights recommendations for ensuring the availability of critical communications services, and discusses cybersecurity considerations; existing resources on ACS development are also presented.