Send, Reply to, or Delete a Message

Use the Messages tab on the Incident Dashboard to communicate with incident participants.

From the Messages tab, you can:

• Create new messages.

• Reply to existing message threads.

• Delete messages, if you have permission.

Send a Message

1. In the Home page, from the list of Active Incidents, locate the incident, and click View.
   The Incident Dashboard opens.

2. Select + New Message.

   

3. Enter this information.

   Send Message fields and descriptions

   Field	Description	Options
   To	To whom the message will be sent.	All Candidates, which by default includes All candidates. Alternately, you can choose to send the message to All assigned positions. Enter participants by name, ICS Chart position, or group. You can select one or more recipients.
   From	Select yourself or one of the active positions.	By default, the user’s name is selected; however, an ICS chart position can be selected.
   Subject	Summary, overview or main purpose of the message.	NA
   Message	Text describing the message or main body of communication.	NA
   Attach Image	Attach a image to the message.	NA
   Priority	Indicates the level of importance or urgency of the message.	Normal High Low
   Send as	Identifies the mode of the message sent to recipients.	Select the Email checkbox. Select the Text checkbox. Select both the checkbox, as preferred.
   Skip Log Entry	Indicates if the message and responses to the message will appear in the Event Log.	Select the checkbox to omit the message and responses from the Event Log Clear the checkbox to add the message and responses to the Event Log
   Do Not Allow Responses	Indicates if the message recipients can respond to the message.	Select the checkbox to prevent recipients from responding Clear the checkbox to allow recipients to respond

4. Click Send. The window closes and the message appears in the list of Messages.

Reply to a Message

If responses are enabled and the incident is active, you can reply to a message thread.

1. Open the Messages tab.

2. Select the message.

3. In the message thread, select Reply.

   

4. Enter this information.

   Add Response fields and descriptions

   Field	Description	Options
   To	To whom the message will be sent.	Displays the recipients of the reply. You can modify the recipient list before sending the response. All, which by default includes All candidates. Additionally, you can send the message as an email to All candidates or All assigned positions. Enter participants by name, ICS Chart position or group.
   From	From whom the message will be sent.	By default, the user’s name is selected; however, an ICS chart position can be selected.
   Message	Text describing the message or main body of communication.	NA
   Attach Image	Attaches an image to the response.	NA
   Send as	Identifies the mode of the message sent to recipients.	Select the Email checkbox. Select the Text checkbox. Select both the checkbox, as preferred.

5. Click Send. The window closes and the message appears in the list of Messages.

   If the original message was marked Do not write entry in Event Log, messages sent in response are likewise not added to the Event Log. 

Delete a Message

Only administrators can delete messages and responses. Specifically, they can be deleted by Domain Administrators in the domain of the incident's facility and Facility Administrators for the incident's facility. Deleting a message also deletes any responses to that message. If you use facility groups or coalitions, the message is deleted from any associated incident it appears in.

When you delete a message or response, you must enter the reason why you deleted it. A new event log entry is automatically created with this text.

1. In the Incident Dashboard, click Messages. The Messages tab opens.

2. Click the relevant message. The message details are displayed on the right.

   

3. Click Delete Message for the message or response you want to delete. The Delete Message window opens.

   

4. Enter the reason why you are deleting the message or response. This text will be displayed in a new event log entry.

5. Click Submit.