ARKANSAS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING FOR THE 2017 EARTHQUAKE EXERCISE

The Arkansas Geological Survey’s (AGS) Communications Plan including communications between the Arkansas Geological Survey staff at the Clearinghouse, field and the ADEM Emergency Operations Center was successfully demonstrated during the 2017 Earthquake Exercise held in June of last year. The AGS developed a robust internal communications plan which encompasses an office telephone tree, multiple forms of communication (landline, cellular, Ham Radio, internet and interpersonal). The communications plan was initiated by the development of in-house and external training modules (National Incident Management System training completed both online and through the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management), Ham Radio license training/testing (completed by a tactical communications specialist with the Arkansas Department of Health), and from the Craighead County Office of Emergency Management. In-house Ham Radio field training was also conducted prior to the actual exercise. The communications plan implementation during the 2017 Earthquake Exercise.