1	PENNSYLVANIA TERT PRESENTED BY: AUDREY RYCHALSKY, YORK 911 RAY BLOUCH, PEMA
2	WHAT IS TERT? Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce Combined efforts of leaders in the Pennsylvania 911 Community including PA Chapters of NENA and APCO, and PEMA National initiative to help emergency communications personnel through disasters
3	TERT HISTORY Recent national disasters have illustrated the need for a regional approach to emergency communications management
4	TERT HISTORY North Carolina’s TERT deployed to St. Tammany Parish, LA, in support of Hurricane Katrina Recovery efforts Provided Dispatcher “Mutual Aid” to fellow 911 Professionals
5	TERT HISTORY After Katrina, the need became obvious that this type of emergency relief is a necessity for dispatchers, as well as other emergency responders Pennsylvania TERT Steering committee appointed in September 2005
6	OUR MISSION When incidents occur with such intensity as to overwhelm area public safety dispatchers, the Pennsylvania Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team will respond, upon approval of an authorized request, with a professional complement of personnel. The team will augment local PSAP staffing levels by applying their skills diligently and competently to any assignment within their scope of practice for the duration of the deployment.
7	WHO WE WILL HELP PA TERT is committed to providing relief to ANY agency that requests it!
8	THERE IS A NEED! Recognized need to provide relief to our peers locally and nationally APCO, NENA, and PEMA have taken steps to provide telecommunicators and technicians during times of disaster when additional resources are needed at an affected 911 Center WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN
9	HOW CAN MY CENTER USE TERT? PEMA is the point of contact for TERT PEMA representatives will notify the TERT Coordinator The TERT Coordinator will contact the requesting agency and begin deployment efforts
10	TERT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
11	ACTIVATION STEPS – PENNSYLVANIA DEPLOYMENTS The local jurisdiction must declare an emergency The affected agency must contact PEMA and request a deployment PEMA will have contact information for Team Coordinators to begin the deployment process The Team Coordinator will contact the requesting agency to determine how to fill the need
12	ACTIVATION STEPS OUT OF STATE DEPLOYMENT
13	EMAC Approved by Congress in 1996 as Public Law 104-321 A compact outlining legal agreements and procedures to provide assistance to other States
14	EMAC 48 States, 2 Territories and the District of Columbia have ratified EMAC. Several other states are in the process of ratification Only requirement for joining EMAC is for state legislature to ratify the language of the compact
15	USES OF EMAC Search and Rescue Public Health Emergencies Mass Care State / Local EOC Support Damage Assessment Disaster Recovery Communications Terrorist Events Information / Planning Debris Clearance
16	EMAC HOW EMAC WORKS Governor issues State of Emergency Authorized Representative (Governor or State EMA) from affected State alerts EMAC National Coordinating Group Affected State requests A-team deployment A-Team works w/state; determines need and sends EMAC broadcast
17	EMAC HOW EMAC WORKS Team helps state determine costs and availability of resources States complete requisitions and negotiate costs Resources are sent to the affected states
18	EMAC POST DEPLOYMENT Responding state requests reimbursement Responding state reimbursed
19	EMAC IMPORTANT POINTS The request must be made through an EMAC agreement, filtered through PEMA. The team will not self-deploy. Under EMAC, deploying members are “Agents of the Commonwealth” and are not liable on account of any act or omission in good faith.
20	EMAC IMPORTANT POINTS PA will be responsible for the payment of compensation and death benefits of their own emergency forces. In essence, all States will take care of their “own” in terms of Worker’s Compensation benefits.
21	EMAC IMPORTANT POINTS All States are guaranteed reimbursement for eligible assistance provided through EMAC. It is the responsibility of the State requesting assistance to payback the states that provided it. States can feel confident that they will be reimbursed.
22	HOW CAN I JOIN THE TERT? QUALIFICATIONS DISPATCHER LEVEL Five years experience in a 911 Center Certifications through PEMA, Emergency Medical Dispatch, National Academy or APCO Basic Telecommunicator 40 hour course, NIMS, ICS Letter of Recommendation from the PSAP manager
23	HOW CAN I JOIN THE TERT? QUALIFICATIONS SUPERVISOR LEVEL Five years experience as a dispatcher, plus three years in a supervisory capacity Certifications through PEMA, Emergency Medical Dispatch, ETC or APCO Basic TC 40 hour course, NIMS, ICS Letter of Recommendation from the PSAP manager
24	WE NEED TECHNICAL STAFF, TOO! If you have experience in a 911 Center, but your background is based in Radio Maintenance, Information Technology, GIS, or Telephony – we need your skills too!
25	ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Additional information can be found on TERT at the PA APCO and PA NENA websites! www.paapco.org www.panena.org www.emacweb.org
26	WE NEED YOUR HELP! If you are interesting in joining the PA TERT team, please see Audrey or Ray during the conference to obtain more information!
27	CONTACTS PA TERT Coordinator: Audrey Rychalsky, York County 911, 717-840-2906 Ray Blouch, PEMA, 717-651-2251
28	THANK YOU !