EMC203 State EMCOM Unit Funding 3/3
To: Emergency Communications Units - Information Bulletin
To: Emergency Management Agencies via Internet and Radio
By: Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) of the
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services

EMC203 State EMCOM Unit Funding 3/3 For release 9/27/99

E. ANALYSIS OF ALL FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVES

Alternative 1: Fund $96,000 communications requirements which
were then listed in this format:
     - Table: Quantity, Description, $$ Cost estimate; then a
     - Narrative, perhaps like this: "this will bring the unit
to full operational capacity, replacing.....as well as preparing
for the improbable, but possible, communications failure that
could occur. Essential readiness for a worse case scenario is
good planning."

Alternative 2: Do not support the ACS program with the
requested funds. (Say it bluntly if necessary, but be accurate.)
     - This will mean the unit cannot function as is expected.
     - Unfortunately, this alternative will clearly convey the
message to the ACS participants that the agency does NOT consider
their service to be beneficial. It would effectively assure the
death of ACS operations and would be contrary to......." (Here
include a statements of a key executive figure as to the value
of the unit to the State, etc., I.E.,., quote the Governor, the
Director, etc.) (Remember, somewhere in the chain of financial/
fiscal approval this document will likely be read by those  who
know nothing about your program. So you have to cover
essential 'marketing' whys!!)

Alternative 3:
     - a. Fund communications requirements for $96,000 (see table
under Alternative 1).
     - b. Provide and fund an annual budget of $xxxxxxx for ACS
training, travel, upgrades, repairs, maintenance and parts.
     - Summarize, possibly like this:
This would achieve the benefits of Alternative 1, and also provide
training, travel and education for the ACS program and its
participants, AS WELL as the education of OES staff as to ACS
capabilities. (Describe why the program is vital, what it can do.)

Alternative 4: Fund a portion of the communications requirements.
     - Be candid, call the shots as you see it. You might write:
While this may be tempting, it will leave those doing the funding
with the belief that they have done their job when, in fact, it
will leave the unit short of Today's needs for effective
communications.

Alternative 5: Hire the needed persons and rent the equipment
when needed.
     - In some cases this may be a viable option. Write what is
true. Say it will not work if that is true. Or write: even if it
were available it would be too late to even attempt it once the
emergency has occurred, or the disaster struck. Also, as to the
use of Amateur Radio, it is illegal to hire, or pay, persons to
operate on those frequencies."

TIMETABLE: Customized to local needs

RECOMMENDATION: Support the alternative you want. Be clear
and concise. (We chose to support Number 3.)

Obviously the procedure varies by jurisdiction, state and agency.
This is an example only. It is our hope this casts light on the
process of state-level funding for units directly supporting
their state. Other states, with different circumstances, are
asked to write their processes for distribution in these EMCOMM
Bulletins. To do so:
   - Submit suggestions, topics or comments on the bulletins to
   cary.mangum@macnexus.org or cary_mangum@oes.ca.gov
Series end.
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