B C A R E S BOULDER COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICES, INC. C/O OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BOULDER PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING 1805 33RD STREET BOULDER, COLORADO 80301 (303) 441-3390 BCARES Email Policy BCARES Board Approved July 2004 Introduction The purpose of this document is to establish and define BCARES email policy. Based on input from members of the Board of Directors and a variety of BCARES members at large, it is important that a consistent and effective email policy be put in place to address a variety of email communication issues. Purpose Email policy is necessary to ensure clear, effective, constructive and timely business communication with BCARES members in general, and especially with those members or addressees who represent served agencies. Email policy is also necessary to assist in preventing a communication free-for-all in which individual or multiple emails from the membership may cause confusing, conflicting, mistaken, or insensitive messages to be inappropriately disseminated. Email policy and resulting controls on email dissemination are particularly important during emergencies or similarly important events. Email is a secondary form of communication for BCARES during emergencies (radio and telephone callout being primary), but email can and will be used as required. BCARES Email Policy: It is the intent of the BCARES Board of Directors to establish this email policy: a) It shall be BCARES policy that email (using bcares@lists.colorado.edu) between BCARES members shall be for official BCARES business use only. b) All messages addressed to the general membership from members of the BCARES Board, the general membership, or even from outside BCARES, containing official BCARES business or other constructive, related commentary are welcome. Those members from the Board or BCARES general membership wishing to address the whole of BCARES may do so after submitting a prepared message, statement or report to the authorizing officers for review and approval prior to email dissemination. Examples of appropriate message traffic include, but are not limited to, appropriately prepared: ~ emergency callout messages or assignments ~ training announcements or event plans ~ official BCARES Board informational message traffic: status items, calendar items, meeting notices, etc. ~ training materials ~ after action reports and lessons learned ~ equipment evaluations or maintenance issues ~ constructive suggestions for BCARES improvement (such as new or updated capabilities, methods, systems, equipment, training opportunities, policies or practices ~ official input from served agencies Those members who wish to submit a message for distribution should use a format similar to BCARES packet messages to include: ~message originator, ~addressee, ~subject or purpose of the email, ~message urgency (routine, urgent, etc.) ~time frame for the intended email message is important so moderators know the relative urgency of the message. ~text of message c) Editorial regulation (moderation) of email addressed to the general membership shall be employed. All email to the general membership, regardless of source, shall be approved in advance by an authorized email moderator. Moderators include the Chairman (EC), Vice Chair (AEC), or their authorized designee(s). d) A moderator will either: approve, modify or disapprove incoming email and inform the other moderators of their decision in a timely fashion. This practice will serve to keep all moderators informed of moderation decisions and to prevent the redundancy of multiple approvals or disapprovals of the same email message. A moderator shall consult the other moderators prior to taking action, as the situation warrants. This methodology is intended to provide for a measure of control on the timing and content of email transmissions. It is intended to ensure that email messages are constructive and consistent with BCARES objectives and official BCARES business. e) The BCARES Board has a separate path for board members to communicate with each other regarding issues the board is tasked with handling. This email reflector path (bcares-board@lists.colorado.edu) is not moderated. Members of the board and all other BCARES members (or non-BCARES members) may use this email path to communicate with the board if they wish. BCARES board members may be contacted via this method. Members of served agencies are not normally included in this email path distribution method ( by their request ) to reduce unnecessary and excessive message traffic the receive. BCARES email moderators can authorize and arrange for inclusion of served agency representatives as required. f) Authorizing officers (moderators) reserve the right to provide edit, modify, or repackage any message originating from Board Members, the general membership, or outside sources as deemed necessary. g) The paths: (bcares@lists.colorado.edu and bcares-board@lists.colorado.edu) are the only official paths for BCARES email recognized for use by members to communicate BCARES business. All other emails using other email paths, addressed to BCARES members are not formal or official communication authorized or recognized by the Board of Directors. Any attempts to disseminate unauthorized email message traffic or commentary via the above paths not directly relating to BCARES business, and that message traffic which causes or facilitates confusing, conflicting, mistaken or inappropriate message traffic, may result in disciplinary or other action by the Board. Any email messages not ultimately serving and promoting the larger welfare of BCARES or its mission to support served agencies and the general public are prohibited. BCARES Email Policy Last updated: 07/17/2004 Page 4 of 4