1991 RAINBOW FAMILY GATHERING
GREEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST
REGION NINE
-PUBLIC AFFAIRS ACTION PLAN-
MAY 15, 1991
Prepared by: Terry McDonald, Public Affairs Officer
Reviewed by: Warren Dubois, Incident Commander
Approved by: Terry Hoffman, Forest Supervisor
The objectives of this plan are to:
1. ACTION: Develop a one page briefing paper regarding the Rainbow gathering. Distribute to all GMNF employees (via DG).
RESPONSIBILITY: Rochestser DR and Forest PAO.
TO BE COMPLETED BY: June 1, 1991
2. ACTION: Conduct employee briefings at SO and all districts. Intent of
meetings will be to inform employees of the gathering and what to
expect.
RESPONSIBILITY: Line officers
TO BE COMPLETED BY: Prior to the gathering.
3. ACTION: Contact RO and WO Public Affairs to establish procedures for
keeping them informed during the gathering.
RESPONSIBILITY: IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: May 25, 1991
4. ACTION: Contact each person that will be working in the public affairs
unit during the gathering to discuss strategy and operational
procedures.
RESPONSIBILTY: IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: May 25, 1991 and once more about two weeks prior
to the gathering.
1. ACTION: Provide Forest employees with a regular situation report.
RESPONSIBILITY: IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: On-going during gathering.
2. ACTION: Provide RO and WO Public Affairs with a daily situation report
(written and verbal).
RESPONSIBILITY: IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: On-going during gathering.
3. ACTION: Provide an information board in SO and Rochester district
office that provides informatio
RESPONSIBILITY: IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: Set up boards by June 22, 1991 and maintain
throughout gathering.
1. ACTION: Conduct family meetings at SO and Rochester district to
discuss the events of the gathering and to answer questions.
RESPONSIBILTY: Line officers
TO BE COMPLETED BY: Within 7 days of the end of the gathering.
2. ACTION: Provide RO and WO Public Affairs and the IC record with a
final report of the gathering
RESPONSIBILITY: Forest PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: Within one month of the end of the gathering.
1. ACTION: Brief key contacts and elected officials about the gathering
and what FS postion is.
RESPONSIBILTY: Forest Supervisor: B. Paquin - Sen. Leahy staff;
Jolinda LaClair - Sen. Jeffords staff; Anthony Pollina - Rep. Sanders
staff; Gov. Snelling's office; Jeff Amestoy - VT Attorney General.
District Ranger: City officials of Granville, Hancock and Rochester;
officials of Middlebury College, Breadloaf Campus.
TO BE COMPLETED BY: ASAP and follow up as needed.
2. ACTION: Conduct public meeting to discuss gathering in communities
near gathering site to provide information and explain FS position.
RESPONSIBILITY: District Ranger
TO BE COMPLETED BY: At least 21 days prior to gathering.
3. ACTION: Contact cooperating agencies and those that could be impacted
by gathering. Explain how our public affairs unit will function. We
may want to consider using public affairs representatives from other
agencies (interagency PA unit or at least co-locate operations).
RESPONSIBILITY: District Ranger
TO BE COMPLETED BY: Initial contact by May 25, 1991 with follow up
contacts as appropriate.
4. ACTION: Develop a telephone/address mailing list of major media and
key contacts.
RESPONSIBILITY: Forest PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: June 15. 1991
5. ACTION: Assemble an incident information kit to be placed at the main
ICP public information center.
RESPONSIBILITY: Forest PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: June 15, 1991
1. ACTION: Establish a Rainbow information telephone number. This number
will be dedicated to providing current gathering information.
RESPONSIBILTY: Forest communications and Forest PAO.
TO BE COMPLETED BY: Telephone(s) and number(s) to be set up by June
17, 1991. This number will be made available to the media, the public
and cooperating agencies.
2. ACTION: Establish and maintain a public information center where
information regarding gathering can be collected and disseminated.
RESPONSIBILITY: Forest PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: June 17, 1991
3. ACTION: Set up and maintain information boards in high visibility
areas near gathering site.
RESPONSIBILITY: IC PAO and District Ranger
TO BE COMPLETED BY: On-going during gathering and as needed.
4. ACTION: Conduct press conferences and public meetings.
RESPONSIBILITY: IC team and PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: As needed to meet incident and Forest needs.
5. ACTION: Maintain periodic contact with various elected officials,
cooperators and key contacts to update them on gathering status.
RESPONSIBILTY: Forest Supervisor/Ranger/ IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: As needed and appropriate.
6. ACTION: Establish working relationship with media to ensure that
timely and accurate information is disseminated. Formal media tours
of the gathering will not be conducted. The media will be allowed to
enter the main gathering site on their own and unescorted. FS contact
will only be made outside of the site unless otherwise requested by
the media.
RESPONSIBILTY: IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: On-going during gathering.
7. ACTION: Make daily contact with adjacent landowners, residents in the
gathering site area and other affected individuals and groups.
RESPONSIBILTY: IC PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: On-going between June 22 and July 7, 1991
8. ACTION: Maintain daily contact with appropriate Rainbow
representatives to coordinate and discuss information and public
affairs needs and activities.
RESPONSIBILTY: IC team and PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: On-going during gathering.
1. ACTION: Make follow up contacts with various elected officials,
cooperators and local residents.
RESPONSIBILTY: Forest Supervisor and District Ranger
TO BE COMPLETED BY: July 10, 1991
2. ACTION: Maintain Rainbow telephone "hotline" for the public and media
to contact FS for miscellaneous information and requests.
RESPONSIBILTY: Forest PAO
TO BE COMPLETED BY: As appropriate.
1. To assure compliance to clean up and rehabilitation of the July 1 - 7 Gathering site by members of the Rainbow Family through effective communication.
2. To assist the affected communities of Granville, Hancock, and Rochester, and the Rochester Ranger District make a smooth transition from a high profile incident to normal program through effective communications.
3. To recognize cormnunity, cooperators, and support staff, for significant
contributions to the Event.
Identify and recommend for certificates and/or tokens
IC Team July 7
Prepare letters of appreciation to local community members
District Ranger July 15
4. To provide appropriate communication with internal audiences.