VIRGINIA BEACH — During an emergency or other high stress situation almost nothing is more important than getting information out and making sure that information is not only correct but also consistent.
Julie Hill, director of Virginia Beach’s Communications Office, said that this weekend, to ensure communications and messages are coordinated and consistent, a Joint Information Center has been established and it will operate between 4 p.m. and 3 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
The JIC will be located in the 2nd Precinct on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
“A joint information center is used when a number of different departments or agencies are working together on a single event,” she said. “It could be a special event like this, or July 4th, or a weather event like a snowstorm or hurricane.”
The structure, she said, provides a unified communications focus, making sure the city and its agencies are coordinating and collaborating on messaging and information, and also providing a single point of contact for all inquiries.
“Our focus is really external — making sure our visitors and residents have the information they need and we have resources available to be able to respond to questions as well as provide updates,” Hill said.
Residents and visitors can follow the updates on the city’s social media sites including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, the city’s website at www.vbgov.com, and also on Nextdoor.com.
