Procedure
Using emergency mobile alerts
M1-2 SOP
Introduction
Purpose
This document describes the procedures to follow when requesting, authorising or
transmitting an emergency mobile alert (EMA). This is carried out utilising the EMA
service provided by the telecommunications providers.
ACT 1982
Operational considerations
When to use Incident controllers may request the transmission of an EMA when the message is
EMAs
needed to alert the public to an action they need to take to keep themselves safe.
Examples are:
Public needs to keep themselves safe:
o in place
o by keeping away from an incident ground
Moving from their location to a safe place.
INFORMATION
Note: EMAs do not reach all mobile devices on the networks. Other forms of public alerts
also need to be used to expose more people to the safety message.
Procedure
During an
Circumstances may provide an opportunity to send an EMA to a targeted or localised
emergency
geographical area, advising the public of an emergency safety message.
EMAs will only be sent when the incident controller determines an immediate action is
required to advise the public where their safety is in danger or a life risk exists.
The incident controller will contact the Communications Shift Manager and provide the
content of the EMA and provide details of the geographical area to receive the
broadcast.
Note: Other forms of public alerts should be considered as a way to expose more people
to the safety messages. Not all mobile devices support EMA messages.
Message
The format will comply with an approved EMA template and will include the:
format
originating agency (Fire and Emergency New Zealand)
geographical area to receive the broadcast
message content (the safety action required)
expiration time and date of the message
incident controllers reason for requesting the EMA.
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
9 July 2019
Page 1 of 3
Procedure – Using emergency mobile alerts
EMA
The shift manager will format the message into the EMA template and then send a pager
approval
message to the National Commanders group.
The on call National Commander will contact the Communications Centre and provide
the approval to send the EMA.
Once approval is given the shift manager will send the EMA.
Note: If the EMA is declined then the shift manager will seek further information from
the incident controller.
EMA sending The approved EMA will be sent by the shift manager (or Relieving SM) using the agreed
geographic location. The telecommunication operators and the location of their mobile
cell site determines the catchment area.
ACT 1982
Additional
When sending an EMA for a Fire and Emergency incident it is possible to include a link or
information
web address in the body of the message.
to EMA
The link will direct recipients to a page on the Fire and Emergency website. That page will
provide more detail about the incident and the EMA.
The link to add is firealert.nz.
Note: This link points to fireandemergency.nz/alerts, if an incident controller wants to
view the message.
EMA requests from partner agencies
INFORMATION
Introduction
Fire and Emergency may be asked to send a EMA on behalf of another agency. This will be
carried only after the message content and formatting have been provided by the
requesting agency and authorised by a suitably senior person from that agency.
A list of suitably authorised senior people from other agencies will be supplied to Fire and
Emergency, and the list kept in a confidential section of Communications Centre SOPs. A
link to the list is supplied on the Communication Centre SOP page.
Fire and Emergency will not create and format another agencies EMA. It must be to their
format.
The same message formatting criteria is required for Fire and Emergency and other agency
EMAs.
The on call National Commander approval is NOT needed for partner agency alerts.
Approval for those agencies is given within the agency list in the confidential documents
section of the ComCen SOPs.
Partner
Where a message does not appear to meet the threshold, is poorly written, or raises
agency EMA
concerns with the ComCen Shift Manager, the Shift Manager will challenge the requesting
criteria
agency’s representative for a solution.
If this can’t be rectified the request to send the message will be referred to the MCDEM on
duty officer.
An approved EMA will be sent by the Shift Manager using the:
agreed geographic location
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
agreed telecommunication operators.
9 July 2019
Page 2 of 3
