indiana firstnet outreach & education plan o... · and education plan will be updated...

Indiana FirstNet

Outreach &

Education Plan

Version 1.0 - 9/30/16

Integrated Public Safety Commission

Crowe Horwath LLP

INDIANA FIRSTNET OUTREACH & EDUCATION PLAN P A G E | 1

Table of Contents

I. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 2

Roles & Responsibilities

Goals & Objectives

II. Target Audiences & Stakeholders ........................................................................ 5

Statewide Stakeholders

Primary Audiences for Outreach & Education

Other Stakeholder Groups

III. Outreach Methods & Activities ............................................................................ 9

FirstNet Tech Blasts

Indiana FirstNet District Workshops

Indiana FirstNet Website

Social Media

E-newsletter

FirstNet Outreach Materials

Indiana FirstNet Statewide Conference

Online Learning

IV. Outreach Messages & Educational Information ................................................. 12

V. County Outreach Process ................................................................................... 14

VI. Appendix: Detailed Communication Plan .......................................................... 15

Version Description Author

0.1 Original draft Outreach & Education Team

0.2 Updated per Crowe team feedback Outreach & Education Team

0.3 Incorporated comments from IPSC/Crowe status meeting on 9/15/16

Outreach & Education Team

1.0 Approved at 9/29/16 status meeting Outreach & Education Team


Introduction

Safety and security are vital to America’s prosperity. Broadband, sometimes referred to as high-speed

Internet, is a critical engine for communities to enhance social and economic well-being and a vital

resource to educate our youth, create jobs, promote public safety, and deliver essential services such as

healthcare.

Broadband can help public safety personnel prevent emergencies and respond swiftly when they occur.

A nationwide public safety broadband wireless network could allow first responders to send and receive

video and data in moments, improving their ability to communicate with each other and the public. In

2012, Congress created the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to build, operate and maintain

the first high-speed, nationwide wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety. FirstNet will

provide a single interoperable platform for emergency and daily public safety communications.

FirstNet’s vision is to provide emergency responders with the first nationwide, high speed, wireless

broadband network dedicated to public safety.

As the federal government develops the FirstNet public safety broadband network, which will be made

available to the State of Indiana as a broadband solution for public safety agencies, the Indiana

Integrated Public Safety Commission (IPSC) will continue to educate and inform state and local

stakeholders about the opportunities, costs and benefits of employing the FirstNet for Indiana’s public

safety broadband needs.

This Indiana FirstNet Outreach and Education Plan includes strategies for communicating with state-

level and local public safety officials and other stakeholders to keep all relevant organizations and

individuals informed as the State of Indiana and local public safety agencies decide whether they will

utilize the FirstNet broadband network for wireless service, and how to prepare for broadband network

implementation.

PLEASE NOTE: This initial version of the plan includes target audiences and preliminary outreach and

education activities, based on what is known today about the FirstNet initiative. The FirstNet Outreach

and Education Plan will be updated periodically when significant decisions are made, including once a

national vendor is selected (tentatively November 2016) and after state plans are released (tentatively

mid-2017), with additional messaging content and outreach activities.


Roles & Responsibilities

The following table defines roles and responsibilities of leaders at IPSC and project management vendor

Crowe Horwath LLP, specific to the Outreach and Education Plan.

Table 1. FirstNet Outreach Plan Roles & Responsibilities

Role Members Responsibilities

Project Leadership Team IPSC Executive Director Crowe Program Manager IPSC Project Manager IPSC Core Team Crowe Team Leaders

Oversight, review and approval of outreach plan and materials

Support and advocate for outreach activities

Education & Outreach Team

Crowe Team Leader FirstNet Analyst Outreach Analyst Business Analyst Research Analyst

Development of plan

Lead execution of outreach and education tasks

IPSC Outreach Team IPSC Outreach Coordinators Execute outreach and education tasks

Primary point of contact for day-to-day inquiries from local agencies

FirstNet SME Crowe FirstNet SME Develop content and educational materials as requested by Education & Outreach Team

Review and provide input on education and outreach efforts

Provide training as requested

Goals & Objectives

This Outreach and Education Plan will serve as a roadmap, guiding Indiana toward its mission to provide

current and accurate FirstNet information to first responders and public safety personnel across the

state. The initial goal is to increase stakeholders’ knowledge of FirstNet. The second goal is to gather

feedback from stakeholders regarding interest in participating in the network and general feedback

about priorities and focus areas.

Goal 1 Provide current and accurate FirstNet information to first responders and public safety

personnel within the State along with elected officials and other decision makers within

local governments.

Goal 2 Gather feedback from stakeholders regarding interest in participating in the network,

priorities and focus areas.


The Outreach and Education Team will communicate through multiple methods and venues to educate

and inform public safety personnel and first responders across the state of Indiana about FirstNet and

the future of public safety broadband in Indiana, and to continue to gather input from local agencies to

understand their desires and needs for public safety broadband.


Target Audiences & Stakeholders

The Indiana FirstNet outreach and education effort will target thousands of stakeholders throughout the

state, including state-level and local leaders, first responders and public safety personnel in cities, towns

and rural communities.

Statewide Stakeholders

There are many state agencies that have a direct or indirect connection to the FirstNet broadband effort:

Indiana Office of the Governor

Indiana Office of Management and Budget

Indiana Department of Homeland Security

Indiana State Police

Indiana Department of Correction

Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)

Indiana National Guard

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Indiana Criminal Justice Institute

Supreme Court of Indiana

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

Indiana Department of Administration

Indiana State Department of Health

Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission

Office of the Attorney General

Emergency Medical Service Commission

Indiana 911 Executive Director

Indiana Department of Revenue

The Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) provides an opportunity for many of the key

stakeholders to share information and consider future options for public safety communications in

Indiana. The SIEC includes representatives of several state agencies, a representative of each of the ten

Indiana Homeland Security Districts, as well as a representative of the amateur radio network.

In addition to the organizations listed above, the Potowatomi (Pokagon Band) tribe is formally

recognized in the northern part of the state and will have public safety communication needs in the

future, as well.

These state-level stakeholders define the local organizations and individuals, which will comprise the

target audience for FirstNet outreach and education activities.


Primary Audiences for Outreach & Education

There are thousands of first responders and public safety officials across the state of Indiana. There are

approximately 37,000 firefighters; 12,000 law enforcement officers; 26,000 certified emergency medical

service professionals; 95 local emergency management/homeland security directors; 10,000 military

professionals; and 142,000 health professionals across the state.

To inform the tens of thousands of potential future users of the FirstNet broadband network, the

FirstNet Outreach and Education Team will leverage statewide associations and planned statewide

meetings of public safety professionals and first responders. Whenever possible, the outreach team will

reserve a booth to exhibit and share information about upcoming FirstNet-related activities.

Additionally, the outreach team will identify associations that have periodic email communications or

newsletters, and can draft short article inserts for inclusion to help reach a broader audience if the

association is willing to share our information.

Below are listed primary groups of local stakeholders, statewide associations that can assist in reaching

local members, and conferences at which IPSC may reserve a booth to exhibit or otherwise share

information about the FirstNet initiative.

Table 2. Primary Stakeholder Groups & Related Associations/Agencies

Stakeholder Group Association

Firefighters Indiana Firefighters Association

Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association Law Enforcement Officers Indiana Fraternal Order of Police

Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police (IACOP)

Indiana Sheriff’s Association

Emergency Medical Services Professionals

Indiana EMS Association

Emergency Management Directors Emergency Management Alliance of Indiana (EMAI)/Indiana Emergency Response Commission

Local Elected Officials Association of Indiana Counties (AIC)

Indiana Association of Cities & Towns (IACT)

Indiana Association of County Commissioners

Tribal Communities Pokagon Band of Potawatomi

Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) – Indiana Chapter

Indiana National Emergency Number Association (NENA)

The Crowe team will continue to update conference dates and information for relevant stakeholder

groups, including those listed above, on the FirstNet SharePoint site (“IN FirstNet State Conferences”

found in the Education and Outreach Library). The Crowe team will work with IPSC to determine which


conferences are appropriate venues for FirstNet presentations or outreach through a booth or exhibit

area.

In addition to reaching targeted audiences and stakeholders through associations, communications will

be sent directly to individuals who are on the outreach team’s FirstNet Contact List (currently numbering

more than 2,800 individuals with email addresses), which was comprised of past IPSC conference

attendees and membership lists from several sources, including the following:

Indiana Association of Cities and Towns

Indiana Association of County Commissioners

Indiana Fraternal Order of Police

Indiana EMA Directory

Indiana Sheriffs Organization

Indiana Firefighters Association

Indiana Voluntary Firefighters Association

Indiana EMS Association

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi

Indiana Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) Directory 2016 (911 Directors and Supervisors)

Governor’s Public Safety Team Members

Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Directory 2016 (mayors, fire chiefs, police chiefs)

Indiana General Assembly (legislators)

Railroads (CN Railroad, CSX Transportation, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District

and Norfolk Southern Corporation)

This contact list will continue to grow as additional individuals “opt in” for future communications at

meetings and conferences. The contact list also will be validated as it is used in the future for email

communications through a professional email marketing service (to be selected).

The FirstNet Contact List will be updated continuously with the current version available on the FirstNet

SharePoint site. The current version is embedded below for reference:

IN FirstNet Contact

List (2016_09_30) Printable Version final.xlsx

The management of the contact list likely will be migrated to the application (typically an online portal)

used by the professional email marketing service selected. The Education and Outreach Team will

actively manage the list using feedback from the service and other information gathered throughout the

project.


Other Stakeholder Groups

Once more is known about how FirstNet will be offered to the State of Indiana, the FirstNet Outreach

and Education Team will expand communications from the primary stakeholder groups listed above to a

broader universe of affected organizations, including the following:

Table 3. Secondary Stakeholders and Related Associations

Secondary Stakeholders Association(s)

Municipal Utilities Indiana Municipal Electric Association

Local Parks Departments Indiana Park and Recreation Association

Local Health Departments Indiana State Department of Health

Indiana Association of State Boards of Health

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Providers

Indiana Broadband Telecommunications Association

Colleges & Universities Indiana Commission for Higher Education

Independent Colleges of Indiana

K-12 Schools Indiana State Superintendents Association

Indiana School Boards Association

Indiana School Resources Officer Association

Hospitals Indiana Hospital Association

American Red Cross Offices American Red Cross (Indiana Region Chapter)

Vendors and Consultants N/A (may be reached through conferences)

Specific outreach materials will be developed for stakeholders less directly involved, such as those

above, when there is information to share with them about FirstNet and its impact on their

organizations.


Outreach Methods & Activities

The FirstNet Outreach and Education Team will employ a variety of outreach methods and activities to

inform the myriad state and local leaders, first responders, and other stakeholders of the developments

related to FirstNet and their impact on public safety in the state of Indiana.

Whenever possible, the outreach team will leverage regularly scheduled meetings and events to inform

stakeholders about FirstNet. This strategy minimizes disruption to these professionals’ busy schedules

and allows the outreach team to efficiently reach large numbers of groups and individuals through

trusted venues. In addition, educational materials and information will be made available in multiple

ways to allow interested individuals to learn more about FirstNet, and share with their colleagues, when

FirstNet is relevant to them. The following table summarizes the planned outreach activities:

Table 4. Initial Outreach & Education Activities

Outreach Activity Description Timing

Stakeholder Conference Booths IPSC outreach team shares information/answers questions

Ongoing 2016 Q4

FirstNet Tech Blasts Biweekly fact sheets from Crowe team SMEs to email to Contact List and post on web

To be launched 2017 Q1

District Workshops FirstNet workshops to occur after each of 10 District Planning Council meetings

Planned for 2017 Q1

Indiana FirstNet Website One-stop resource for Indiana FirstNet information and links to national resources

To be launched by 2017 Q1

Social Media Leverage Facebook and Twitter to re-share federal content and post Indiana FirstNet content


E-newsletter Quarterly updates on FirstNet news and upcoming events


FirstNet Outreach Materials Adapted from national materials (fact sheets, etc.)

Available for orders by 2017 Q2

Statewide Conference IPSC FirstNet two-day conference for key stakeholders

Planned for 2017 Q2

Online Learning Online videos and/or training; may leverage third-party tools as available


The primary outreach activities for key stakeholders will be the ten district workshops during the first

three months of 2017, followed by the statewide conference in May or June 2016. These will be the

most significant, in-person opportunities for IPSC and the Indiana FirstNet outreach team to get the


word out to all first responder and public safety agencies that FirstNet is an important initiative that

should be well understood, and for which local agencies should consider and begin to plan around.


The Crowe SME will develop bi-weekly fact sheets to be posted on the FirstNet website and emailed to

the FirstNet Contact List. The Crowe team will work with IPSC to identify desired topics.

Indiana FirstNet District Workshops

Ten regional workshops will be held in coordination with the District Planning Council meetings held

regularly throughout the state, in each of Indiana’s ten homeland security districts (below). The sessions

may be Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)-compliant workshops.

Figure 1. Indiana Homeland Security Districts


The Outreach and Education Team will work with IPSC and the Crowe SME to identify and write content

for the Indiana FirstNet website, including the most updated information available about the process of

developing and establishing the national broadband network, next steps for Indiana and potential

impacts on our stakeholders.

Social Media

The Outreach and Education Team will use social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to draw

additional attention to online resources and other FirstNet developments and news.


E-newsletter

A FirstNet E-newsletter will provide a consistent source for updated information. A smaller, initial issue

of the E-newsletter could be released during 2016 Quarter 4 to announce the establishment of the new

Indiana FirstNet Team and preview 2017 activities. Quarterly issues will be emailed to the Contact List

and posted to the website, beginning in 2017. When there are major FirstNet Broadband

announcements or other important milestones achieved, the FirstNet Outreach and Education team will

also provide the option of an article insert attachment that other statewide associations can utilize to

include in their own newsletter or publications that are distributed to their members. These inserts will

be written as requested or identified and can be modified to be content- or user-specific.

FirstNet Outreach Materials

The Outreach and Education Team will develop a collection of FirstNet Outreach Materials, adapted

from national materials whenever available and customized to the various FirstNet stakeholders, which

will be made available electronically and in print versions through a convenient ordering process

through partner Fineline Printing Group.

Indiana FirstNet Statewide Conference

Indiana’s model for building, implementing and promoting the use of the statewide voice system

included holding Governor’s Summits and Statewide Interoperability Conferences. The first Governor’s

Summits were held prior to buildout of the system (early ‘90’s). The Indiana Interoperable

Communications Conference, held annually for the past five years, has been a key component in

bringing together stakeholders from diverse geographical locations, disciplines and jurisdictions. Indiana

will again use this model to educate stakeholders about FirstNet and to develop strong plans network

adoption and implementation. A two-day conference will be held in May or June 2016 to educate key

stakeholders about public safety broadband and FirstNet developments and plans. Multiple tracks will

be offered to meet the needs of varied stakeholders, such as infrastructure and finance.

The activities described above will launch a comprehensive FirstNet outreach and education effort that

will continue throughout the project period. As federal decisions are made about a vendor and

implementation plans, and as state plans are released, the information provided by the FirstNet

outreach team will become more detailed and additional outreach activities will be planned.

Online Learning

Online learning resources will be developed and made available, which may include videos or short

modules accessed through the Indiana FirstNet website and/or a third-party learning management

system. The Outreach and Education Team will work with IPSC to choose an appropriate online tool and

content for such learning.


Outreach Messages & Educational Information

The FirstNet initiative remains in development at the national level, and the messaging and information

delivered by Indiana’s FirstNet Outreach and Education Team will evolve as the initiative is

implemented. Initially, outreach and education efforts will focus on the benefits of broadband, and a

dedicated network for public safety, such as the following:

Broadband can help public safety personnel prevent emergencies and respond swiftly when

they occur.

Broadband can provide the public with new ways of calling for help and receiving emergency

information.

A nationwide public safety broadband wireless network could allow first responders to send and

receive video and data in moments, improving their ability to communicate with each other –

across agencies and localities - and with the public.

Before the end of calendar year 2016, the outreach team will create an introductory message – possibly

the first issue of the FirstNet e-newsletter or a simpler email message, depending on complexity of

content. This introductory message will be sent to the FirstNet Contact List and will inform first

responders, public safety professionals and other stakeholders, that IPSC has a FirstNet Team assembled

to lead the state’s public safety broadband efforts. The message will include upcoming milestones and

anticipated developments, including federal vendor selection, state plan releases, and plans for

Indiana’s 2017 FirstNet district workshops and state conference.

Outreach materials will be adapted from national FirstNet materials, such as the EMS Fact Sheet below:


The FirstNet Outreach and Education Team will develop website content, PowerPoint presentations, fact

sheets and other materials for use by IPSC, the outreach team, partner state agencies, and local public

safety and related agencies throughout the state to educate stakeholders about the FirstNet initiative.

Printed (or printable) outreach materials could include banners or stands for conferences, brochures,

posters, postcards, and news releases, in addition to electronic content such as short videos, emails and

social media posts. All materials will be drafted for approval by the FirstNet Project Leadership Team

before being used or distributed.


County Outreach Process

To reach tens of thousands of individuals in every corner of the state, the FirstNet Outreach and

Education Team will need to enlist the assistance of “surrogates” (local leaders or public safety

professionals) to educate members of their local communities who will be affected by FirstNet

implementation. As the federal FirstNet initiative becomes more clearly defined, the outreach team will

make FirstNet outreach materials available to local first responders and public safety professionals, as

well as related stakeholders, to use in local outreach and education efforts. An inventory of educational

materials, customized to the different stakeholder groups (law enforcement, fire, etc.), will be available

for “ordering” and use in local outreach and education efforts.

The outreach team will make an order form broadly available to relevant agencies and stakeholders

(distributing at meetings and conferences, posting on website, etc.). The order form will list and

describe all FirstNet outreach and education materials, available free of charge in reasonable quantities,

for use by local agencies in outreach and education activities. Interested individuals will be able to email

or FAX an order form to Fineline Printing Group in Indianapolis, and the requested education materials

will be sent to the local agency.

In addition to surrogate outreach in local areas, the FirstNet Outreach and Education Team, with IPSC

staff, will present directly to local audiences when possible. For instance, the outreach team will

prepare a standard PowerPoint presentation that informs the County Commissioners about FirstNet

broadband and its implications for public safety services and expenditures. This presentation could be

used by a member of the outreach team, whether IPSC staff or Crowe team, when visiting a meeting of

commissioner’s in one county, or regional meetings across several counties. The outreach team will

work with the Indiana Association of County Commissioners to identify the best opportunities to present

to county commissioners throughout Indiana. In addition, a recorded webinar version of the standard

presentation also could be posted to the Indiana FirstNet website to be viewed on demand.


Appendix: Detailed Communication Plan

When the initial Outreach and Education Plan is updated, once more is known about the federal FirstNet

timeline and process, initial activities will be refined and additional outreach and education activities will

be detailed to the communication plan below.

Outreach Activity Description Audience(s) Timing

Stakeholder Conference Booths

IPSC outreach team sharing information and answering questions

Targeted stakeholders (See FirstNet SharePoint site for list of conferences)

Ongoing

E-newsletter FirstNet news and upcoming activities

Contact List To start Nov. 2016 (Quarterly)

District Workshops (10 regional)

Educational session on FirstNet topics

Targeted Audience from Contact List

2017 Quarter 1 (one-time)


Links to federal resources, Indiana activities & resources

All 2017 Quarter 1 (ongoing)


Technical fact sheets about FirstNet

Contact List 2017 Quarter 1 (Bi-weekly)

Social Media Leverage Twitter and Facebook to re-share federal content and post Indiana content.

Followers and Friends 2017 Quarter 1 (ongoing)

Statewide Conference

FirstNet education and preparation for key stakeholders

Targeted Audience from Contact List

2017 Quarter 2 (one-time)

Outreach Materials

Stakeholder-specific fact sheets, Q&A, etc.

Contact List 2017 Quarter 2 (ongoing)

Online Learning Online videos and/or training; may leverage third-party tools and FirstNet website

All 2017 Quarter 2 (ongoing)

County Commissioner/ Stakeholder Presentations

Standard educational presentation on FirstNet implications for local public safety services/expenditures.

County Commissioners (and other audiences, to be identified)

TBD

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