How does PIER benefit UASI organizations?

UASI organizations use PIER for managing communications during emergency situations, as well as for day-to-day communications with critical stakeholders. Because PIER is internet-based, information can be distributed quickly. Integrated tools streamline the communication process and allow personnel to collaborate regardless of location.

During a crisis or disaster, UASI organizations can quickly set-up a NIMS compliant, virtual Joint Information Center (JIC) using the PIER System. Dispersed teams from multiple jurisdictions can share information, make plans of action, and collaborate on projects before delivering urgent messages to the public. PIER’s inquiry management features allow for continual, interactive, two-way communication with employees, collaborative organizations, elected officials, community leaders, the public, media and more.

With PIER, public information officers can coordinate efforts and streamline the approval and distribution process. PIER’s document approval system allows teams to draft, edit and send documents to command staff for approval. Once approved, documents can be distributed via email, fax, SMS text message, automated phone message, RSS feeds, and social media networks including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. PIER also serves as an information reservoir for critical documents, contact information, and records of interactions.

• Serves as a virtual, NIMS compliant, Joint Information Center (JIC)
• PIER websites are secure, reliable, and can sustain large-scale traffic
• Mass notification methods including email, fax, SMS text, phone message, RSS feeds, and social media sites
• PIER websites can be private or public facing
• Available on mobile smartphones such as iPhone^® and Blackberry^®
• Inquiry and response management with a record of all interactions
• Efficient, streamlined document approval system
• Employee communication management center
• Monitor media and news sources with PIER Media Tools
• Integrates with WebEOC boards

Government Organizations Using PIER

Harris County Hospital District

Harris County Hospital District is using PIER as a Joint Information Center (JIC) for crisis communications. During disasters, limited physical access to locations is likely. Emergency management teams use PIER to communicate with staff members, patient care professionals, emergency responders and the general public.

Fort Bend County, Texas

Fort Bend County, Texas uses PIER as an online resource center for the public and media to provide ongoing communications about events affecting the county. They chose the PIER System because it is a single, fully integrated, web-based system which allows instant information distribution.

NASA's Johnson Space Center

NASA’s Johnson Space Center uses PIER to coordinate communication efforts and allow a dispersed team to collaborate on projects using PIER’s document approval system. They also use PIER as an interface to respond to inquiries from the public, and as a 2-way employee communication center.

U.S. Coast Guard

9 districts of the US Coast Guard have used PIER as a Joint Information Center to distribute news and information to the media, public, and collaborative government agencies for nearly 8 years.

More Leading Organizations Using PIER:

• Atlanta UASI
• Galveston County Office of Emergency Management
• Harris County Office of Emergency Management
• Houston METRO Solutions
• Houston UASI
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)
• Office of Homeland Security
• Georgia Emergency Management Association (OHS-GEMA)
• Port of Houston
• Port of Tacoma
• Port of Los Angeles
• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• and many more

Relevant Case Studies

• Hurricane Ike:
  Best Practices in Stakeholder Communication Management
• OHS - Georgia Emergency Management Association:
  PIER at Core of Successful Public Affairs Management for G8 Summit Event
• U.S. Coast Guard, 8th District:
  Effectively Handling Communications During Hurricane Katrina

UASI Resources

• PIER as a Sole Source:
  Comparison chart for UASI regions showing how PIER is a one-stop JIC solution.
• How PIER Works Diagram:
  See how PIER works as a Joint Information Center.
• 2008 DRAFT NRT JIC Manual
• White Paper:
  Multi-Jurisdiction Communication Management NIMS Compliant Regional Implementation
• The Virtual Joint Information Center:
  A Technological Tool for Public Health Emergency Communication by Bret Atkins, Walden University (Spring 2007)