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Appendix 6

MCSS / MCYS Emergency Information Communications Plan

The Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCSS / MCYS) have developed a system and set of procedures to provide information to internal and external stakeholders in any emergency.

This Plan is a guide to that system.

Role of the Communications and Marketing Branch (CMB)

As a member of the Ministry Action Group (MAG), the Director of the Communications and Marketing Branch (CMB) for MCSS (the Director of CMB for MCYS is the alternate) plays an important role in providing communications direction and support to the provincial response in an emergency. Appropriate communication releases and related media inquiries will be approved in conjunction with Emergency Management Ontario’s Communications Director and/or Cabinet Communications, as required.

As well, MCSS / MCYS have designated a Ministry Emergency Information Officer (MEIO) who is located in CMB and who will be the focal point for the preparation and dissemination of ministry information related to MCSS/MCYS emergency management. The MEIO is the primary media contact for the ministry in an emergency.

During an emergency a list of the key CMB contacts will be provided to those managing an emergency.

Ministry Notification and Response System

The ability of the organization to notify key emergency responders is critical to the immediacy of the response and the end result.

For the Ministries, a step-by-step notification (monitoring/advisory) process has been established and is in place to respond to a local and provincial emergency. See Appendix 2 – Emergency Notification Flowchart

The notification procedures address:

Internal notification: notification to advise of the emergency within the Ministries; and

External notification: notification to the Ministry by external organizations (e.g., EMO)

CMB Emergency Organization

The MEIO will contact all managers in CMB or their alternates to ensure their respective offices continue operations during an emergency so that functions such as issues management, correspondence, internet and intranet sites, and strategic communications maintain a minimum level of performance. This would include representatives from the Issues Management Unit, both the corporate Communication Units (one for MCSS and one for MCYS), the Correspondence Unit, and the Creative Services and Technology Solutions Unit.

Role of all other Ministry Divisions and Branches

Key ministry staff will be called upon to provide ongoing information updates as necessary for the MEIO to develop communication products needed to respond to the emergency situation.

Key staff in MCSS / MCYS Regional Offices will be called upon to disseminate ongoing information updates to staff, agencies, municipal partners, clients and public.

Role of Branch Issues Coordinators

The Ministry Emergency Information Officer (MEIO) will use the existing issues management protocols:

• Each branch in the ministries has a designated contact for issues management.
• Their role is to coordinate information within their branch and provide it to the MEIO as well act as a conduit between the MEIO and branch staff.

Audiences

1. Employees
2. Media
3. Other Provincial Government Ministries
4. Ministers’ Office, Cabinet Office
5. Ministry Clients e.g. ODSP, FRO, Youth Justice, etc.
6. Transfer Payment Sector e.g. Agencies, municipalities, First Nations
7. General Public

Key Messages

Key messages will be developed by the MEIO based on direction from the MAG. They will respond to contentious issues raised as a result of the emergency and will reflect ministry priorities. These key messages will be disseminated in a timely manner in order to effectively inform both internal and external clients.

Tactics

In an emergency, the ministries have a variety of communications tools at their disposal to disseminate information. These methods enable the ministries to employ alternate means of communication should one or more not be available.

Information to be disseminated would provide details on matters such as office closures, service disruptions, alternate service delivery sites, and options to receive services by telephone where appropriate. For example, “During this emergency, service x will be offered, service y will not be offered and service z will be offered in certain circumstances.”

1. Media Phone Line: The ministries have dedicated media lines that receive all incoming calls from journalists and identified staff that are responsible for delivering appropriate responses, by phone and/or email. This established media protocol is followed by staff across the ministries who refer all media inquiries to the following external media phone line 416-325-5156.
   
2. Internet: Both ministries have public internet websites that will be used to provide extensive updates related to ministry services throughout the emergency. In addition, there are established media pages where news releases, backgrounders and minister’s speeches are posted.
   
3. Intranet: Both ministries have internal intranet websites that will be used to provide extensive updates on the emergency as it relates to staff.
   
4. E-mail: E-mail will be used to communicate ongoing updates across the ministries on the emergency as it relates to staff. Some staff will use e-mail to communicate with their own internal and external clients, including other ministries, Cabinet Office.
   
5. Phone: Staff will communicate with each other, with agencies, with the public and with other ministries as appropriate in an emergency.
   
6. Voice Mail Greeting: Updated messages can be delivered via voice mail greetings throughout the ministries as appropriate in an emergency.
   
7. Signage: Ministry offices impacted by an emergency will post signage informing employees, clients and the general public as appropriate.
   
8. Teleconferences: Teleconference meetings will be held as appropriate to disseminate information in an emergency.
   
9. Face to Face Meetings: Meetings will be held as appropriate to disseminate information in an emergency.
   
10. Fax: Fax machines will be used to share information as appropriate in an emergency.

Media Relations

As a community or business continuity emergency may impact vulnerable clients and stakeholders of the ministry, it is possible that there will be media attention. It is extremely important that public information be accurate and timely and reflect the position held by the region and the ministry.

If a media representative approaches a ministry staff person about a business continuity emergency …

• The staff person should direct the journalist to obtain their information from the Ministry Emergency Information Officer (MEIO) who is located in CMB.
• The Ministry Emergency Information Officer will respond to the inquiries and support the regional office in media relations.
• The MEIO will discuss any communications that are being developed for release with the MEMC.
• The MEIO works closely with the MEMC, MAG and Communications Lead in this process and serves as a link to central agencies in the OPS to disseminate key messages that are to be used in ministries across the provincial government.

Emergency situations quickly become the centre of local, national and sometimes international attention and often achieve significant media status. It is extremely important that public information be accurate and timely and reflect the position held by local and/or provincial and/or federal authorities.

At the community level, the municipality/community/First Nation is responsible for disseminating emergency information.

If a media representative approaches a ministry staff person about a municipality or First Nation’s response to a community emergency, the staff person should direct the journalist to obtain their information from the municipality/community/ First Nation.

Signage and Voice Mail Protocols:

To ensure consistency across MCSS and MCYS, a standard script for voice mail greetings in an emergency and signage at ministry offices will be developed and distributed by CMB.

Testing of MCSS / MCYS Communications Systems

Over the course of each year the communications systems will be tested in several ways:

1. The MEIO will test the notification procedures of the senior management group of the CMB on an annual basis. This will consist of the Director of MCSS CMB initiating a call out to the MEIO and senior managers.
2. The MEIO will participate in the province’s annual nuclear exercise and connect with MEIOs in other key ministries as appropriate in exercises they may organize.
3. The MEIO will participate in exercises that test the MCSS/MCYS Emergency Management Plan.
4. The MEIO will participate in any ad hoc exercises involving the ministry and organized by the Ministry of Government Services.
5. The Director of Communications or a designate will participate in all exercises organized for the MAG.

Debriefings

A CMB debriefing, organized by the MEIO, will take place after a community emergency or disruption to business operations to evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency communications plan. The debriefings may be formal or informal, depending on the scope and scale of the emergency, but the lessons learned will be included into the emergency information communications system where appropriate.

Media Contact Script

In the event you are asked to comment on a community emergency, please immediately direct the media person to the appropriate community, municipality or First Nation.

What to say …

In Ontario, municipalities have first responsibility for responding to emergencies. Please contact the media relations department of the local municipality about its plans for responding to the emergency.

In the event you are asked to comment on the provincial response to a community, provincial or national emergency, please direct the media person to the Ministry Emergency Information Officer.

What to say …

The Ministry of Community and Social Services (or the Ministry of Children and Youth Services) has a person dedicated to providing media with information about its response to an emergency.

Please contact our Ministry Emergency Information Officer at 416-325-5156.

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