Send, Respond to, or Delete a Message

From the Incident Dashboard, incident participants can send and respond to messages using the instant messaging service within eICS. Administrators can delete these messages and responses.

New messages can be created from anywhere on the Incident Dashboard using the Send Message link located on the upper right of the dashboard or through the Send Message button located on the Messages tab, below the list of messages. The Send Message window opens and allows you to quickly write and send new messages to all candidates, all assigned positions, or participants selected by name or position.

You can respond to messages from the Messages tab. With a new message or a response, you can identify message recipients, indicate whether the message will be sent to recipients’ email address as well, enter the message, and select whether the message is sent from you or an ICS Chart position.

To send a message

1. On the Home page, in the list of Active Incidents, locate the incident and on that row, click View. The Incident Dashboard opens.

2. On the upper right of the dashboard or below the list of messages on the Incident Dashboard - Messages tab, click Send Message. The Send Message window opens.

   

3. Enter this information.

   Send Message fields and descriptions

   Field	Description	Options
   To	To whom the message will be sent.	All, which by default includes All candidates. Alternately, you can choose to send the message to All assigned positions. Selected, which requires you to enter participants by name, ICS Chart position, or group.
   Send Email to selected recipients	Identifies if you also want the message sent to recipients' email addresses.	Select to send emails Clear to not send emails
   Subject	Summary, overview or main purpose of the message.	NA
   Message	Text describing the message or main body of communication.	NA
   From	From whom the message will be sent.	By default, the user’s name is selected; however, an ICS chart position can be selected.
   Priority	Indicates the level of importance or urgency of the message.	Normal High Low
   Do not write entry in Event Log	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 to this message	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.

To respond to a message

1. On the Home page, in the list of Active Incidents, locate the incident and on that row, click View. The Incident Dashboard opens.

2. Click the Messages tab.

3. On the left, in the list of messages, click the message to which you want to respond. The message Details appear on the right.

4. Below the Details, click Add Response. The Add Response window opens.

   

5. Enter this information.

   Add Response fields and descriptions

   Field	Description	Options
   Respond To	To whom the message will be sent.	Name of the person who sent the original message. All, which by default includes All candidates. Additionally, you can send the message as an email to All candidates or All assigned positions. Selected, which requires you to enter participants by name, ICS Chart position or group. Additionally, you can send the message as an email to selected recipients.
   Send Email to selected recipients	Identifies if you also want the message sent to recipients' email addresses.	Select to send emails Clear to not send emails
   Message	Text describing the message or main body of communication.	N/A
   From	From whom the message will be sent.	By default, the user’s name is selected; however, an ICS chart position can be selected.

6. 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.
   

To delete a message or response

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

5. Click Submit. The message or response is deleted and the event log entry is created.