Agenda - 08-23-2011 - 9a - Laserfiche WebLink

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This introduction to communication options will provide Board members with an opportunity to provide guidance to staff. It will also allow Board members to identify benefits, concerns and needs related to communications for the fire departments. Potentia{ tools and methods for communications include: • Add specific information to the current Emergency Services web page for all emergency partners; • Send alert messages using CodeRED®, (an emergency alerting system currently used by Emergency Services to send emergency phone messages based on geographic location); • Provide media training for designated fire department members; • Expand Orange County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) services to include and display fire department Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings and fire district tax rate; • Develop and implement a citizen's "self-serve" web-based feature providing ISO and fire protection information; • Fire department annual business meetings added to the Orange County Boards and Commissions online public meeting calendar (based on fire department information submissions); • Provide fire department information through Emergency Services' social media tools, Facebook and Twitter; and • Provide fire department information on Orange County's Time Warner Cable digital channel 180 Staff seeks input from the Board related to which Orange County department will maintain fire department content on the Orange County website. Staff recommends the project be a combined effort between Orange County Emergency Services, the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners' Office .and Orange County Information Technologies. Announcements could include: non-emergency alerts; public outreach messages such as annual business meeting announcements; and public safety messages such as "replace batteries in your smoke detector". FINANCIAL IMPACT: Financial impact can be determined pending direction from the Board. As the County moves forward with this effort, there may be costs related to software and training personnel. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive this information and consider further discussion at the work session on September 13, 2011 with the fire chiefs and fire department board chairs.