• Identifying spokespersons on communicable disease and other public health issues during an emergency, for multiple audiences and formats (e.g. spokespersons representing different ethnic groups, media spokespersons, community meetings speakers, etc.) • Maintaining lines of authority and responsibilities for the public information team • Establishing contacts with key media personnel, understanding how they work, briefing these personnel on their roles, and determining how they can work together • Liaising with the national coordination operations centre for the MG, the strategic health operations centre (SHOC) and relevant committees • Briefing agency directors, central command, CDD and higher headquarters to update, advise on and discuss: information intended for release; incident-specific policy; relevant science and medical issues; and the overall situation • Developing a timetable for disseminating emergency information, including advertisements for the emergency alert processes (on radio and television) •