-Written by David Whittier

In the EOC Bootcamp series we’ve talked a lot about the EOC function: *what it is, *the importance of ‘reading in’, and a few *operating tips and tricks.  I am sure some of you are saying, “that’s great, but how do we know when to activate, and how big should we go with it?

Good question.

Let’s walk through some thoughts to keep in mind when you’re activating your EOC.  First and foremost, you need a plan.  Your process for activating your EOC should be a key part in your Emergency Plan or EOC Plan, and should include the things we’re going to talk about: who has the authority to activate, the criteria you will apply, and how to determine the level of activation.  

Your EOC Plan should make it clear who has the authority to activate, and it should be more than one person!  An emergency can crop up at any time, and no single person will be available 24/7 forever to make the decision.  Some options for activation authorities:

• People who are assigned senior roles in the EOC: Director, Ops Chief, Plans Chief
• Senior management within your organization
• Senior officials (Mayor, Chair of Board of Directors, etc)

What kind of triggers should you pick that signal it’s time to activate?  Remember the primary functions of the EOC: resource allocation, consequence management, situational awareness.  If the emergency is such that any of these things is beyond the resources of the Incident Commander to handle, then maybe it’s time for the EOC to step in.  Some examples of criteria:

• Incident site needs more support
• The incident requires a large-scale, complicated response
• Significant population impact or risk
• Uncertain response conditions
• Risk of rapid escalation
• “State of Emergency” declared
• Information management issues need to be addressed
• Major planned event
• Potential threat that needs monitoring

Once you’ve made the decision to activate, what level should you go with?  Your EOC plan should outline an escalation plan for activation that make sense for your organization, so that the number of people you dedicate to your response is appropriate to the requirement.  Emergency Management BC suggests 3 common levels of activation:

• Level 1. A small event requiring minimal site support, usually involving one site, or the need to monitor a potential larger event.  Director, Ops and Plans Chiefs, liaison and information folks.
• Level 2.  A larger event that requires some site support or may involve multiple sites.  Add Logistics and Finance section Chiefs and some extra staff in Ops and Plans.  The Policy Group is briefed.
• Level 3.  A major event involving multiple agencies and extensive resources.  Full EOC staffing.

Authorities, criteria, and levels.  However you decide to set this up for your organization, make sure it’s clearly laid out in your EOC plan and communicated to all.  An emergency response can easily be hampered by people getting off on the wrong foot.