Operations General Protocols

Understanding the policies and protocols governing operations for NETs is critical for volunteers to operate safely and effectively. In emergency management, "Operations" refers to the activities and actions carried out to respond to and manage an emergency or disaster. This phase involves implementing the plans and strategies developed during planning and preparation stages. Operations can include tasks such as search and rescue, providing medical care, distributing essential supplies, helping to manage evacuation procedures, and coordinating with various response agencies and organizations.

Operations: Guiding Principles

In the course of any emergency deployment, NET volunteers must ensure that all chosen actions conform to the following guiding principles:

1. Safety. A NET Member must never place themselves in an unsafe situation for any reason. Moreover, a NET Member must never be expected to place her or himself in a dangerous situation, or ask other volunteers to do so. NETs will never deploy without personal protective equipment.
2. Do the greatest good for the greatest number of people in the shortest possible time. NETs are a limited resource. If deployed to an emergency they must carefully and thoughtfully perform the tasks they are assigned. In the event of self-deployment and limited guidance is available, NETs must prioritize where they respond based on considerations for their personal safety, as well as what decisions will preserve the greatest number of lives.
3. Respond inside the scope of NET training. A NET Member must never undertake, or be asked or expected to undertake, any endeavor for which he or she has not received PBEM approved training. Engaging in activities that a NET Member has not trained for endangers the personal safety of that Member and others. Furthermore, the City’s indemnification policy only protects Members when they respond inside the parameters of PBEM approved training.
4. Understand the role of NET in an emergency or disaster. NETs are not teams of professional first responders. NETs act as a volunteer extension of first responder services offering immediate help to victims until professional services arrive.
5. Respect the chain of command. A recognized chain of command – both inside and outside of NET – helps ensure accountability and efficiency during a response.
6. Document all activities. Documenting activities in an emergency may seem cumbersome and of relatively low priority compared to other responsibilities NETs have during a response. However, proper documentation helps protect NET Members against liability, improves accountability, and saves time (and therefore, lives) for professional emergency responders.

Responsibilities Prior to Deployment

Immediately following any citywide disaster or emergency, NET Members:

1. Check themselves for injuries and ensure personal safety.
2. Check in with household members, ensure their safety, and treat any injuries.
3. Follow team communication protocols if established.
4. Put on PPE and retrieve their NET kit.
5. If the disaster is an earthquake, NETs follow appropriate deployment protocols designated by their team's Earthquake Response Framework (previously called a team operations plan).

Members should never call in to PBEM to inquire if they are being activated, but instead should follow the protocols in the sections that follow.

Self Determination to Deploy

Individual Members maintain personal discretion to deploy when requested by PBEM or under self-deployment protocols. The decision to deploy following a disaster is a Member’s own, and a Member may never be coerced into deploying. A Member who chooses not to deploy will not be subject to any consequences related to his or her standing in the NET program.

Activation Protocols: PBEM Initiated Deployments

1. A NET deployment may only be authorized by PBEM, except for the highly unusual circumstances described in Self Deployment or Standing Orders. NETs may not deploy under any other circumstances.
2. The assumptions preceding a PBEM initiated deployment are that
   1. an emergency or planned event is taking place,
   2. NET assistance is needed, and
   3. usual communication systems (phone and internet) are still functional. ONLY if communication systems are down should NETs consider the self deployment protocols described in Activation Protocols: Self-deployment.
3. PBEM will use contact information in Members' MIP profiles to send a deployment authorization message via any means available including phone call, text message, email, or amateur radio. This message will be addressed to all NET Members or to those within a specific geographic area based on the nature of the incident. This message will include specific deployment authorization and instructions, or it may contain a request to stand by or stand down.
4. Standard Deployment Protocol: Unless instructed differently by the deployment authorization issued by PBEM, Members:
   1. Proceed to their NET Staging Area;
   2. While en route to the NET Staging Area, Members should note damage in the neighborhood and record assessments by using NET Form 1: Damage Assessment. This form will be turned in to the Incident Team Leader at the NET Staging Area.
   3. Once at the NET Staging Area, Member should follow protocols described in General Onsite Management Protocols.

Activation Protocols: Self-deployment

1. A key factor for NET Members is the ability to spontaneously organize and activate themselves in the event of a major disaster. If there is a significant earthquake, phones and other communications channels may be interrupted. NET Members will know where to go, how to organize their efforts, and will get to work without any specific order being issued.
2. The assumption preceding a NET self-deployment is that:
   1. a large citywide emergency is taking place,
   2. communication systems (such as landlines, cell phones, and MIP) are inoperative, and
   3. Members have not received instructions from PBEM. NETs do not self deploy unless all three conditions are met.
3. After addressing the responsibilities indicated in Responsibilities Prior to Deployment, Members self deploy to the NET Staging Area following the Standard Deployment Protocol described in paragraph 4 of Activation Protocols: PBEM Initiated Deployments.

Activation Protocols: Standing Orders

1. a. PBEM may, in rare circumstances, authorize an outside agency or organization to directly contact and deploy NETs or NET Members. This is called a standing order. Standing orders are used when PBEM is not involved in the emergency incident; however, there is a clear and pre-approved mission for NET assistance.
2. For example, cooling centers need the help of NET Members who have received relevant training. It is more efficient for the organization coordinating cooling centers to directly request NET assistance instead of routing it through PBEM. Standing orders will be approved by PBEM prior to any requests for NET assistance. PBEM will provide a PDF copy of the standing order to the requesting agency and to the NET Members affected by this order. This order will include:
   • Standing Order Agency Name
   • Approved NET missions
   • NET teams or NET Members affected by the order
   • Standing order expiration date
3. When issued, the NET Coordinator will inform all Team Leaders of new standing orders, and will include a list of Members who are approved to deploy under the order.
4. All requests for NET assistance via standing order will take place as follows:
   • By phone, the requesting agency notifies the PBEM NET Coordinator of their intent to initiate a standing order.
   • Requesting agency then sends an email to NETs with information about where and when NETs should gather to provide assistance, and the NET Coordinator must be copied. This email MUST have a PDF copy of the valid and pre-approved standing order attached, or the request is not valid.
   • Requesting agency may then follow-up with volunteers by phone; but, not before the request is emailed as described in the above step.
     

General Onsite Management Protocols

1. The presumption following these Onsite Management Protocols is that NETs have arrived at the NET Staging Area after following the Standard Deployment Protocols above.
2. Upon arrival at the NET Staging Area, Members should integrate with the present chain of command. If no chain of command has been established, NETs on the scene should designate an Incident Team Leader (ITL) and develop a chain of command as prescribed in the NET’s Operations Plan.
3. NET Members will turn in their damage assessment form to the Incident Team Leader. The Incident Team Leader will work with Team Members to prioritize incidents and assign tasks.
4. The Amateur Radio Operator (ARO) will attempt to reach the Multnomah County ARES Resource Net and the PBEM NET Coordinator. Refer to Section 900 for communications protocols.
5. Team Members deploy to assignments. Once an assignment is completed, Team Members will return to the NET Staging Area to debrief and receive further instructions.
6. Members are NEVER deployed to assignments alone. Members work in functional teams that consist of no fewer than two volunteers.
7. The Incident Team Leader (or designee) should develop a relief plan. No NET Member should work more than a 12 hour shift in a 24 hour period. Incident Team Leaders should receive guidance on the length of relief schedules from the ECC if possible.
8. If emergency responders arrive on scene or communication is established with the ECC through radio or other means, the Incident Team Leader will report activities and request instructions.
9. NETs may receive, and must abide by, a “stand-down” order from any emergency response personnel (such as police, fire, or EMS personnel) regardless of their jurisdiction of origin; Members of the military; emergency managers associated with a City of Portland bureau (e.g. the Portland Water Bureau); or staff from PBEM.
10. At all other times when possible, NETs should make appropriate documentation of all activities. See ICS Forms or copies of forms to use and instructions.
11. During an emergency deployment, all NET Members must abide by reasonable and safe direction given from any emergency response personnel (such as police, fire, or EMS personnel) regardless of their jurisdiction of origin; Members of the military; emergency managers associated with a City of Portland bureau (e.g. the Portland Water Bureau); or staff from PBEM.
12. Team Members take direction from Incident Team Leaders, and follow a line of authority that proceeds to Members with authority delegated by the Incident Team Leader (such as Assistant Team Leaders). See Figure 5 below. The first NET Member at the NET Staging Area will act as Incident Team Leader until the Member most qualified to act as Incident Team Leader arrives on stage.
13. Incident Team Leaders take direction from emergency responders working under the direction of an Incident/Unified Commander (IC).
14. NET Members are not required to take direction from private individuals, unless that person owns or represents the owner of private property on which NETs are conducting pre-authorized response operations.

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Indemnification

Subject to the conditions and limitations of the Oregon Constitution and Oregon Tort Claims Act, ORS 30.260 through 30.300, the City shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless a NET Member for any tort claim arising out of a NET Member’s act or omission within the course and scope of the NET Member’s duties while the NET Member is performing emergency service activities under the direction of PBEM in connection with a state of emergency declared under ORS 401.309, or during a state of public health emergency proclaimed under ORS 433.441, or while the NET Member is engaged in training being conducted or approved by PBEM for the purpose of preparing the NET Member to perform emergency services, or while a NET Member is participating in non-emergency deployment activities with PBEM’s prior approval.

To interpret in plainer language: NET volunteers are protected from liability by the City of Portland when deployed under the conditions of these Guidelines and are engaging in activities for which they have received PBEM-approved training.

Media Requests

All requests from the media to speak on the record about an emergency must be relayed to the PBEM NET Coordinator for approval. Unless authorized by PBEM, NET Members may not interview with media representatives or answer media questions about the emergency.

Volunteer Deployment Outside Portland City Limits

Effective July 18 2023, NET volunteer indemnification is preserved both inside and outside of Portland city limits (under older policy, indemnification was preserved only inside Portland city limits). However, other conditions of indemnification still apply: volunteers still have to be deployed by PBEM (or under self-deployment policy) and they must be taking action PBEM them trained them to do.