TopOff 4 exercise to gauge public trust of electronic emergency communication

| 02.16.2007 | 06:20:562564 |

February 16 '07: FCW.com reported recently that the Top Officials exercise, also known as TopOff, run by the Department of Homeland Security and now in its fourth phase, will focus on the public's trust of electronically-delivered emergency and the department's subsequent strategy to relay those messages.

"The idea," FCW.com reported, "is to give the public information that is as complete and timely as possible about the events surrounding the (simulated terrorist) attacks and what actions they should take to protect themselves. DHS will provide that information in two formats: a live video feed and a Web site."

The live video feed will have a news-type feel. DHS officials told FCW.com that the video feed will feature interviews with responder and government officials while the website will act as a supplement and more as a traditional newspaper.

The exercise will be held in Portland, Ore. and Guam and will build off of the TopOff Comman Post Exercise held in June 2006. More than 4,000 people from 85 federal, state and local first responders, government officials and private sector participated.