ANNEX D - WOOD COUNTY WARNING


I. PURPOSE - To provide and early and timely warning for the population and key officials of impending natural disaster, severe weather, techonological hazard, hazardous materials incident, nuclear attack, terrorist event, or other impending threat to public safety so as to reduce injuries, loss of life, and damages or destruc- tion of property.

II. SITUATION AND ASSUMPTIONS
A. Situation and Assumptions 1. General:
· Emergencies or threats of emergencies may require a warning to be disseminated to County residents from the County warning point which is located in the Wood County Central Telecomm- unications Center at 911 Core Road, Parkersburg, West Virginia. These warnings are disseminated upon receipt from an official source. Situations occurring in the County may require warning to be passed to other warning points.
· In the event of warning of an emergency, local, state or federal communication assets may be utilized to assist local and state authorities in coordinating disaster warning operations.

III. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
A. General - Warning plays a critical role in emergency operations. Properly coordinated, these facilities provide for effective and efficient response activities.

B. Management Concepts
1. Mitigation:
· An adequate warning system has been developed. (A network diagram can be found in Volume 2, Annex C, Appendix A.)
· Receive warnings and tests on National Warning Systems (NAWAS) and take appropriate action.
· Maintain liaison with other State agencies having warning capa-bilities.
2. Preparedness:
· Equipment is maintained under continuous schedule for testing, maintenance, and repair.
· Plan and update warning procedure.
· Prepare a Standard Operating Procedure that describes the warning system, defines responsibilities of agencies and personnel, describes activation procedures, and includes an alerting list of key officials.
· Train personnel as needed.
· Provide twenty-four (24) hour coverage at County warning point.
· Notify radio, Emergency Broadcast System, and television sta-tions to disseminate disaster warnings to the public.
3. Response:
· Ensure that communication system is operational at warning point.
· Verify warning information received from sources other than NAWAS.
· Relay severe weather information received from sources other than the National Weather Service and the tornado spotter net- work.
· Activate warning fan-out procedures.
· Issue warning to all affected departments in the County.
· Give warning to all units on Emergency and Disaster Service radio system.
· Deploy available mobile sirens and public address systems to areas in the County which have not been reached by or have not responded to warnings.
· Fire departments, law enforcement, and ambulances may assist in this warning procedure.
· Ensure that special locations such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, major industries, institutions, and places of public assembly are alerted.
· Activate other notification procedures and insure that informa-tion received pertaining to a civil defense emergency is relayed to proper authorities.
· Insure that warning has been initiated and that news media, es-pecially the Emergency Broadcast System, is informing public of proper actions to take to protect lives and property.
· Warn school superintendent's office, hospitals, nursing homes, and other congregational facilities.
· All activities initiated in the response phase will continue until emergency communications are no longer required.

IV. ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITY
A. Wood County Emergency Services - Director of Emergency Services/911
· Will insure that the County warning point is staffed on a twenty-four (24) hour basis and that all warning equipment is operational.
· Ensures that all warning information is disseminated to proper agencies and civilian populace to include all emergency services agencies.
· Informs the State Office of Emergency Services of all warning information generated from within the County.

B. Local Emergency Services Agencies
· Will disseminate warning information to all emergency personnel.
· Maintains communications and warning systems.

C. Local Radio, Television, and News Media
· Will disseminate warning information to the general public upon authorization of the Office of Emergency Services or govern- ment official (s).
· Utilize the EAS (Emergency Alerting System) from the 911 Center.

V. DIRECTION AND CONTROL
A. National Warning System (NAWAS) - NAWAS and state/local warning points are the media through which a warning is transmitted. The system consists of:
· National Warning System (NAWAS) which is a full period private line voice circuit leased from the telephone company which connects to key locations for the purpose of nationwide warning.
· State Warning Points and alternate State Warning Points are interconnecting line drops from the NAWAS.
· Local warning points are 24-hour operations duty stations that are designed to receive warnings from a state or alternate state NAWAS warning point.
· Local warning points disseminate warnings received to selected key officials in accordance with their standard operating proce- dures or instructions.

B. Types of Warnings - The warning system provides for the dissemination of two different types of warning as follows:
· Severe Warning System - This is an extension of the NAWAS and is used for the transmission and/or receipt of severe weather or natural disaster information. Only the state and local warning points portion of the NAWAS would be activated.
· Attack Warning - Upon determination by National authorities at the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) that an enemy attack has been detected, the ATTACK WARNING MESSAGE will be disseminated to all selected warning points over the NAWAS..

C. Alternatives - Should any portion of the NAWAS become inoperative, other communication systems such as teletype, telephone, and radio will be used as back-up.
VI. ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS
A. National Warning System (NAWAS)
· A dedicated telephone circuit which connects the State Primary and Alternate Warning Points to the Wood County Warning Point located at the 911 Central Telecommunications Center.
· Upon receipt of warning information at the County Warning Point, warnings will be disseminated through the procedures outlined in this Plan to emergency services agencies, local government, and the general populace.
· Adjacent counties will be notified via telephone or radio.

B. Chief/Warning Operations - The Director of Emergency Services/911 will serve as Chief of Warning Operations for Wood County.

C. Weather Warnings - The National Weather Service is a primary source of weather related warnings.
· Can disseminate warning via the weather service teletype system to subscribers in Wood County. (See Resources)
· Can activate the Emergency Broadcast System in Wood County via telephone.

D. West Virginia Automated Police-Network (WEAPON) - The West Virginia Department of Public Safety operates the West Virginia Automated Police Network (WEAPON).
· Can be utilized for the dissemination of warning to the County
· Is a teletype system connecting the State Warning Point (Department of Public Safety Headquarters in South Charleston) with the Wood County 911 Telecommunications Center, the Parkersburg Police De- partment, and the Wood County State Police Department.

E. Emergency Broadcast System - The Emergency Broadcast System channel in Wood County is WXIL (FM) Radio Station.
· Will transmit emergency information to the public as prescribed by Federal, State, and Local government officials.

F. Sheriff's Radio Network - The Sheriff's Radio Network connects the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office with the Wood County's Sheriff Office over fre- quency 39.98.
· Warning information will then be further disseminated to other law en-forcement agencies, emergency services agencies, and governmental officials via radio or telephone.
G. Other Media
· Radio, television, and newspapers, in addition to the Emergency Broadcast Channel, will be utilized to the degree possible to further disseminate warning information to the general populace. (See Annex G, Public Information)

H. Local Law Enforcement and Fire Departments
· Will be notified from the County Warning Point as outlined in the call down list in the appropriate Annex.
· Will disseminate warning information via their communication systems. (See Annex B, Communications)

I. Local Officials
· Will be notified of impending emergencies, as outlined in call list in Direction and Control

J. West Virginia Office of Emergency Services (WVOES)
· Will inform the County Director of impending disaster/emergency warning from the State Emergency Operations Center or from the Duty Officer in non-duty hours.

VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Wood County Emergency Services, Warning Officer:
· Insure that the County Warning Point is staffed on a twenty-four (24) hour basis and that all warning equipment is operational.
· Insure that all warning information is disseminated to proper agencies and civilian populace to include all emergency services agencies.
· Inform the State Office of Emergency Services of all warning informa-tion generated from within the County.

B. Local Emergency Service Agencies:
· Disseminate warning information to all emergency personnel.
· Maintain communications and warning systems.

C. Local Radio, Television, and News Media:
· Disseminate warning information to the general public upon authori-zation of the Office of Emergency Services or government official (s).

IX. DISSEMINATION
A. Warning Sources - Warnings may be received at the Central Warning Point via several systems, for emergency/disaster situations, imminent or possible.
· NAWAS
· Emergency Broadcast System
· Telephone (individuals or other agencies)
· Radio (commercial, public service, amateur, or CB)

B. Dissemination Outlets - Warnings may be disseminated in several ways depending upon the scope and/or of the disaster or emergency.
· Commercial TV
· WTAP - Local TV Station
· WCHS - Charleston TV Station
· WSAZ - Huntington TV Station
· WOWK - Huntington TV Station
· TCI of WV - Local Cable TV
· Ohio Valley Cable - Marietta, Williamstown, Waverly Areas
· Town and Country Cable TV - Washington, Kanawha Areas
· Commercial AM and FM Radio
· WXIL - Emergency Broadcast Station FM
· WADC AM
· WDMX FM
· WNUS FM
· WURN FM
· WLTP AM
· WRZZ FM
· WCVM FM (Belpre)
· WHCM FM
· WKYG FM
· WMOA FM (Marietta)
· WXIX FM

· Fire Departments - Williamstown, Vienna, PMBS, Waverly, Blennerhassett, Washington, Lubeck, and Pond Creek Volunteer Fire Departments have sirens and can warn some people in this manner. Many volunteer fireman have fire service monitors, pagers, mobile or portable phones which can provide warning messages. Most fire trucks have public address capability which can be used to warn the community. Also, many citizens have public service scanners for police, fire, and other frequencies and can be warned in this manner.

· Other Methods of Dissemination - The National Weather Service has a broadcast station at Spencer, West Virginia that broadcasts weather in- formation twenty-four (24) hours a day and is tone activated.

X. PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
The Warning Coordinator will be responsible for assisting the Emergency Services Director in the maintenance and improvement of this Annex. The Annex will be reviewed, updated, and modified as necessary, but not less than annually.

XI. DEFINITIONS
A. Weather Terms

taken.
2. Bulletin - A public release made between advisories which give the latest details
on a destructive force.
3. Watch - An announcement indicating the conditions are such that a specific
type of destructive force.
4. Warning - An announcement indicating that a destructive force is occurring or
is imminent and that precautionary actions should be taken immediately.
5. Statement - Information on developing severe weather which has occurred or is
in existence and which is disseminated to clarify any rumors.


B. Warning Systems
1. National Warning System (NAWAS) - A dedicated telephone circuit which
connects Warning Points throughout the State to the Primary and Alternate State
Warning Points. NAWAS also connects to Federal agencies such as the National
Weather Service, Federal Aviation Administration, the US Coast Guard, Federal
Emergency Management Agency, and the US Army.
2. Weather Service Teletype - A teletype network to State and Local govern-
ments, news media, and other subscribers.
3. Weather Service Radio - A radio broadcast system which operates twenty-
four (24) hours a day to transmit weather and river forecasts to anyone having
the proper receiver.
4. Sheriff's Radio Network - A radio network which connects the National
Weather Service with most West Virginia counties through the Kanawha County
Sheriff's Office.
5. Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) - A program of the radio and television
broadcast industry which utilizes its facilities to transmit emergency information to
the public as prescribed by Federal, State, or Local officials. (See Annex E)
6. Department of Public Safety Radio - A statewide radio system to State Police
Detachments and their vehicles.
7. West Virginia Automated Police Network (WEAPON) - A teletype system
which connects the State Warning Point to county warning terminals and other
law enforcement agencies.

C. Warning Points
1. Primary State Warning Point (NAWAS) - Operated twenty-four (24) hours a
day by the Department of Public Safety at their headquarters in South Charleston.
2. Alternate State Warning Point (NAWAS) - Operated by the State Office of
Emergency Services from their office in Charleston.
3. Warning Points (NAWAS) - Strategically located throughout the State in
facilities which are manned twenty-four (24) hours a day.
4. County Warning Terminals - Manned twenty-four (24) hours a day for the
purpose of disseminating warnings to key officials and subsequently to the general
public.























LOCAL AND STATE RESOURCES
1. See Volume 2, Appendices, Resource Inventory