Welcome to Athens-Limestone Hospital

Communication Plan

I  Policy
ALH shall develop reliable, scalable, resilient and redundant communication systems to support disaster operations. Communication procedures will incorporate National Incident Management System (NIMS) principles. Procedures will be inter operable with the Athens-Limestone Emergency Management Agency.

II  External Communications
A. SEE Appendix A - Notifying External Agencies.
B. Telephones and the internet are the primary communications modes. SouthernLinc is the primary back-up.
C. ALH's Liaison Officer will take a hand-held radio to the EMA EOC to communicate with the ALH incident command center.
D. Runners will be used between the hospital and the EOC when other communication modes fail.
E. ALH will communicate with employees and the public through radio and television media when appropriate.
F. The Alabama Incident Management System (AIMS) will be used to communicate with the Alabama Department of Public Health.
G. ALH will consider national interoperability standards and guidance when purchasing information technology and communications equipment.
H. To the greatest extent practical, ALH will participate in ADPH, Limestone/Alabama EMA and other agencies' interoperability programs.
I. ALH will use standard and consistent language that conforms to the Limestone EMA. “Plain Language” will be used at all times unless otherwise instructed by the EMA (NIMS Alert 023-06, 12/19/06). “Code 10” will still be used to notify the ALH staff that the all-hazards response plan has been activated. This term will not be used when communicating with the EMA and other external agencies.
J. ALH will collect and distribute information necessary to support its emergency management program. Information will be distributed internally and/or externally as appropriate.

III  Internal Communications
A. Hand-held radios are the primary communication mode for the incident command staff.

Channel 1 - will be used for emergency incident communications except security.

Channel 2 - will be used for security related communications.

B. Telephones, overhead paging and e-mail will be used for communication by/with non-incident command staff members.
C. Runners will be used when necessary.

US Patent Numbers 7,720,998 B2, 7,836,207