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CITY OF MIAMI FIRE -RESCUE
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
STANDARD OPERATIONS PROCEDURES
No. Of Pages:
5
Effective Date:
6/23/05
Number:
Article #9
Terrorism Warning Point Notification Procedure
enter Upervisor
Reference:
Terrorism Response
Plan
Revise Date:
06/27/05
PURPOSE: The Fire -Rescue Communications Division is one of six Public Safety
Answering Points (PSAPs) in Miami -Dade County (Miami -Dade County, Coral Gables
Police Department, Hialeah, Miami Beach and Pinecrest). In the event of a catastrophic
terrorism incident in Miami -Dade County, it will require coordination of many municipal
and County assets to be effective. To that effect, the Miami --Dade County Office of
Emergency Management (OEM) is in the process of instituting a 3-tier emergency
activation system to be utilized in the event a jurisdiction within the County experiences
an act of terrorism of catastrophic consequences. This system is known as the
Terrorism Warning Point, herein identified as TWP. The Miami -Dade Fire
Communications Division Captain/designee will be the designated TWP. It shall be the
policy of the Miami Police Communications Section to incorporate the TWP to its
existing notification protocol.
FUNCTION OF THE TWP
In the event a terrorist act of catastrophic magnitude occurs within Miami -Dade County,
the Miami -Dade TWP will coordinate with the six communications centers in the County
and all applicable State and Federal agencies the response of fire and law enforcement
personnel, and technical assistance. A tiered response, comprised of three levels with a
defined set of assets that will be deployed to a significant incident has been established
as follows:
POLICY: It is the policy of the Fire -Rescue Communications Division to follow
procedures for relaying catastrophic terrorism related incidents to the Terrorism
Warning Point (TWP) and for the Communications personnel to follow the guidelines
of the Tiered Response.
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CITY OF MIAMI FIRE -RESCUE
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
STANDARD OPERATIONS PROCEDURES
Terrorism Warning _Points (TWP)
The designated Terrorism Warning Point (TWP) is the Miami -Dade Fire Communications
Division Fire Alarm Captain/Supervisor. The telephone number for the TWP is
305-596-8576.
a. The alternate Terrorism Warning Point is the City of Miami Fire -Rescue
Communications Division Fire Alarm Captain, FCIO.
b. The inter -City radio will be used as the alternate mechanism of notifying the
Terrorism Warning Point if the telephones are inoperable.
c. The Terrorism Warning Point should be notified only for catastrophic
incidents and does not replace existing procedures for requesting mutual
aid.
First- Tier Response: The first tier of the Tiered Response 1s responsible for
supporting the impacted jurisdiction by establishing an unified command structure,
securing a perimeter, identifying hot, warm and cold zones, attempting to identify and
quantify the hazard or agent(s) advising the incident commander/supervisor and
medical sector on operation matters. Identifying public protective actions (e.g.,
evacuation, shelter -in -place), initiation of triage, removing victims from hot zones ,
direct and set up decontamination and assessing the need to activate further tiers of
the Tiered Response.
The deployment of the Tiered Response is based on the following:
1. Terrorism indicators are present
2. Evidence or intelligence suggests that the incident is an intentional act.
3. A police or fire supervisor or member determines that the incident is or will result in
twenty or more casualties (victims or responders)
4. The Incident is believed to be of such magnitude as to almost immediately exceed
the emergency response assets available to Miami -Dade county and its
municipalities.
5. Hazards may exits that are not initially observable.
6. National security could be threatened
Local law enforcement agencies will provide various response units, including, but not
limited to: Perimeter Security Teams, a Bomb Squad, a WMD SRT/SWAT Team
equipped and trained to work in a WMD environment, etc.
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CITY OF MIAMI FIRE -RESCUE
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
STANDARD OPERATIONS PROCEDURES
The Federal Bureau of Investigations will also be involved in this tier,
Second -Tier Response: Consists of local and regional assets to resolve or contain the
situation. At this time, other municipalities will be requested to provide resources that
the impacted jurisdiction may not be able to adequately deal with without mutual aid or
other assistance. Miami Fire Department will determine what available resources we
can safely and adequately assign to other jurisdictions when requests come in for a
Tiered Response. Included in this tier are the FBI's Hazardous Materials Response
Team and Evidence Response Team, the Miami -Dade County Health Department,
Miami -Dade County Department of Environmental Resource Management, and Regional
Domestic Security Task Force.
Third -Tier Response: Consists of specialized technical resources and it includes:
44th Civil Support Team from the Florida National Guard
Miami -Dade Toxicologist
Department of Homeland Security
Scope: Should a terrorist act of catastrophic proportions occur within the City of
Miami's jurisdiction, personnel of the Fire Communications Division would assume a
critical role in the activation of the TWP. The following will be the responsibilities of
Communications personnel:
PROCEDURE:
Communications Operator/911----Call-Taker receivjng the call:
The Alarm Office can expect to be inundated with phone calls following a possible
terrorist incident. As with any other emergency call, the 91-Call-Taker will obtain
necessary information, by following one of the Protocols, EFD, EMD or Weapons of
Mass Destruction Interrogation Cards, and then generate an alarm to Dispatch. The
911-Call-Taker will then notify the Miami Police Department Communications Section
in the event they have not been notified.
Dispatcher's responsibilities.
Upon receiving the call, the dispatcher will immediately dispatch field units to the scene
and notify the affected field Units of the type of incident they are responding to, as well
as the Alarm Office Shift Supervisor/Acting Supervisor.
Communications Operator Supervisor/Acting Supervisor responsibilities:
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CITY OF MIAMI FIRE -RESCUE
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
STANDARD OPERATIONS PROCEDURES
The supervisor will contact the Fire Central Officer and obtain his/her authorization to
notify the TWP. When approval is granted, the Communications supervisor will contact
the TWP via the ring down, standard phone, or inter -city radio channel. Immediately
after notifying the TWP, the Communications Supervisor will notify the Miami Police
Bridge Officer any other required personnel.
Role of the Miami Fire -Rescue Communications Division when the terrorism
incident occurs else where in the County.
Responsibilities of the Communications Supervisors:
Upon receiving notification from the County's TWP that an terrorist took place in the
County, the Communications Supervisor will immediately notify the Shift Commander
followed by the Command Staff.
Responsibilities of the Dispatcher:
Should the TWP make notifications through inter -city radio channel, the dispatcher will
immediately notify the Shift Commander and the Communications Supervisor.
Responsibilities of the 91.1.-Call-Taker:
Should the TWP notify the Department on the telephone, the complaint officer will
immediately notify the Communications Operator Shift Supervisor/Acting Supervisor.
Terrorism Xndicators
The following are some of the most common forms of terrorism Indicators:
• Non -trauma mass casualty incidents
• Significant incident (bombing, incendiary device at a controversial or symbolic location
(e.g. abortion clinic, govt. building, religious institution, etc.)
• Incident involving explosives/ incendiary devices at any other structure or vehicle.
• Numerous victims with an unexplained disease, syndrome or deaths.
• A rapidly increasing decease incidence (e.g. within hours or days) with the population.
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CITY OF MIAMI FIRE -RESCUE
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
STANDARD OPERATIONS PROCEDURES
• Tampering or suspicious activities at any or near any power stations
• Unexplained explosions or damage
• Tampering or suspicious activities at any or near water distribution systems
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