PTSC-Online Project Report

BY PTSC-ONLINE

Mar 15, 2011

PTSC-Online is Canada’s virtual on line community for emergency management, business continuity and critical infrastructure protection professionals. It is also a source of emergency management related information for the Canadian public. This report underlines key points of its operation as a test project since mid-year 2010. It also highlights the benefits of using and supporting PTSC-Online, identifies the financial needs for its continued operation, and offers options for continued financial support.

Early Successes and Strong Foundations!
Through the past nine months PTSC-Online has demonstrated the value of online collaboration and instant information sharing for Canadian emergency management (EM), business continuity (BC), and critical infrastructure protection (CIP) professionals.

This early success was made possible through the ongoing leadership of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) combined with the financial support of Public Safety Canada.

From the outset, the PTSC-Online’s success was the result of a collaboration of Public Safety’s Policy Development Contribution Program (PDCP), the CAFC and two founding sponsors: MacKay Emergency Management Consulting Inc. and FrontLine Magazines. Other key groups and individuals have now come on board to provide valuable expertise and contribute to community activities. They have become involved because they see value in PTSC-Online’s long term sustainability.

Advancing Crisis and Emergency Communications Practices
PTSC-Online members undertook a project led by Patrice Cloutier and Barry Radford to address the changing needs of crisis and emergency communication which have taken place because of the increasing use of social media. Collaborating on projects of mutual interest is an important feature of PTSC-Online. Key highlights of the project are:

tools are available to help meet the new social media challenges
procedures for managing crisis and emergency communication and protocols for the release of information need to change
developments in this area are evolving as new technologies come on the scene, so expect more changes to come

This project has attracted a lot of interest and has involved dialogue with other groups such as Crisis Camp Toronto. Visit our web site: www.ptsc-online.ca for additional information, and click on the “advancing emergency and crisis communications practices” tab along the right side.

PTSC-Online Benefits Everyone
The CAFC originally conceived of the PTSC as a way to improve resiliency for Canadians by engaging individual and organizational stakeholders in public safety programs and campaigns in every community. Then, through the PDCP, Public Safety Canada saw a way for the PTSC-Online Community to be developed based on the CAFC conception, as an inexpensive and scalable way to meet some of the Department’s key objectives including support for a program that is dedicated to improving public safety and community resiliency.

For PTSC-Online users, the benefits come in many forms, including the opportunity to communicate directly or in groups with far flung colleagues on issues concerning best practices, lessons learned, self improvement and any other challenges members believe are important to improving their capabilities in Emergency Management, Business Continuity, and Critical Infrastructure Protection.

The public will benefit from standards-based safety programs that are designed, developed, and deployed using Canada’s best EM, BC, and CIP expertise.

Finally, sponsors will find a productive source of world class professionals in the EM, BC, and CIP arenas who will act as resources, collaborators and advisors as each sponsor organization strives to fulfill their own individual mandates relating to public safety.

Financial Requirements
Early success in using the PTSC-Online Community has determined that long term sustainability is important for members and their work. So how much financial support is required to operate, continuously improve and expand PTSC-Online? A bare-bones requirement of $35,000 will host and provide minimum administrative support for the site throughout the next year. However, an additional $100,000 is recommended for it to operate most effectively ($80k for online facilitation, $5k for enhancements to our online community and $15k for project support). On line facilitation is one of the most important factors in maintaining a vibrant and effective on line community. Early PTSC-Online outreach was key to the program’s initial successes, and an additional $65,000 will ensure continued growth promotion and outreach.

Sponsorship Options & Benefits
The PTSC-Online sponsorship program provides a range of sponsorship options to suit all potential sponsor’s budget. Each level provides sponsors with access to PTSC-Online’s communication and collaboration tools and increased visibility within PTSC-Online to help sponsors achieve their strategic communication and advertising goals.

By making a commitment to the PTSC-Online Community, sponsors are committing to the causes of EM/BC/CIP professionalism. Sponsorship signals that you have made a commitment of your organization, its values, mission, and objectives to a community of professionals from across Canada who are like minded in the pursuit of common objectives.

As the PTSC-Online Community continues to expand and produce benefits to members, sponsor organizations can count themselves a part of a dedicated group of truly concerned stakeholders reaching out to colleagues to share experiences, ideas, initiatives, and partnerships that will truly provide safer communities throughout Canada.

Founding sponsor ($10,000 or 100 hrs). Only available during its first year of operation (July 2010-2011), it allows sponsors to make “in-kind” or financial or combination contributions. In addition to providing the same benefits afforded to gold sponsors, founding sponsors will continue to be recognized for as long as PTSC-Online remains in operation.
Gold sponsor ($7500) This option provides sponsors with a dedicated group space and their logo displayed on the home page.
Silver sponsor ($5000) This option provides sponsors with the dedicated blog, discussion form and photo gallery and the opportunity to sponsor a section of PTSC-Online.
Bronze sponsor ($2500) This option provides sponsors with a dedicated blog or calendar or discussion form or photo gallery and the opportunity to sponsor a specific blog channel.
Friends of PTSC-Online ($125) Friends of PTSC-Online receive the common benefits provided to all sponsors.

All sponsors have their category displayed on their member profile and have access to a “sponsors only” blog channel, specifically designed to help those who have financially supported PTSC-Online have provided input to its operation and future direction.

___
Additional details on sponsorship options are listed in the “Support PTSC” section of PTSC-Online.
Call or e-mail CAFC now: 1-613-270-9138 vroper@cafc.ca
© FrontLine Security 2011