Military service members and certain civilian employees must provide after-hours emergency contact information, said Master Sgt. Christopher Wuest, Command Post Operations NCO in charge. Providing such information through the base’s AtHoc system allows them to receive notifications that affect them and their jobs.
It’s easy to update information in the AtHoc system. Users should look on the desktop of their unclassified government computer to find the white globe with purple ring icon in the system tray – the old version of AtHoc is a purple globe that should not be used.
Right-clicking on the white globe and selecting “Access Self-Service” will open a browser window where users can input work and personal email addresses and phone numbers, select if they’re members of groups such as the Emergency Operations Center or Crisis Action Team, and can even add contact information for their family members, so they will receive notifications as well.
AtHoc allows all Air Force Materiel Command bases to connect with the each other’s systems, as well as commands that have historically been left off of Wright-Patterson AFB notifications due to technical limitations, such as the Air Force Institute of Technology.
After updating contact information using a government computer, users can download the Blackberry AtHoc app from either the Apple or Google app stores. After opening the app, users should enter the personal email address they provided into the app and then verify that email address by clicking on the link in an email that they will receive.
When prompted whether to open the link in the AtHoc app, users should agree. Users will then be asked to enter their organization’s code. For Wright-Patterson AFB, users should enter “WPAFB,” without quotes. The system will then connect the user to Wright-Patterson’s AtHoc system through the app.
If the white globe icon is missing from a user’s system tray, they should contact their communications focal point or submit a trouble call ticket to have AtHoc installed through the VESD shortcut on their government computer’s desktop.
An Air Force-wide migration of the Emergency Mass Notification System requires all AFMC military (active and reserve) and civilians (non-bargaining) to provide an after-hours contact number or personal e-mail emergency notification information.
Where bargaining obligations exist, compliance will be highly encouraged but not mandatory for bargaining unit employees until bargaining obligations have been satisfied.
Providing after-duty hours emergency notification information for contractors and non-appropriated personnel is strictly voluntary but is highly encouraged. Foreign Nationals may also participate and may remove themselves from the EMNS at any time. Minimum registration fields include member name, appropriate hierarchy (e.g., organization), duty status (e.g., active-duty/reserve/civilian), work e-mail and after-hours phone contact.
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