Outstanding start to today’s Social Media Engagement Strategies class here in Jacksonville, Florida with a welcome from Shawn Hall!

Glad to see Shawn again.

In this class, we don’t talk about the tools side, but we talk more about the strategy of social media. Here’s Andrew talking about his strategy on social and how our participants can use in their rollout at their agency.

Honored to be given the opportunity to teach this class here again.

Glad to continue to build our partnerships throughout the country.

Now go forth and use your social media powers for good!

@rusnivek

A grand morning as we start out with today’s course – Social Media Tools & Techniques!

Seriously, it’s my most favorite course to teach.

Additionally, glad to see the US Coast Guard National Public Information Assistance Team (PIAT) with us in class.

Over the years, I have trained PIAT teams on social media across the country. Glad to have Luke and his team with us this week.

Unlike the basic course, we talk for a while with on case studies like the Boston Bombing. We talked about an individual was incorrectly identified by the digital vigilantes on Reddit. That story got picked up by local/national news and spiraled out of control.

This is just one of the reasons why we should be aggressive in listening and monitoring social media. We need to be attuned to our public as well as increase our situational awareness and common operating picture.

Aside from case studies, we talked about equipment and hardware that can support technology. Like Spectacles.

While not the coolest looking shades, it is helpful when gathering information from the field. Here’s just one example of the use during a large planned event.

In talking about social media and setting up maps for use, the local NWS-Jacksonville office was able to share a few tips they share on a YouTube playlist. I shared it on Twitter here.

Special mahalos to the NWS Jacksonville Office Kirsten on the deets.

In this advanced class, we promote group work and escalating scenario in the in class activity. This engaging technique puts you outside your comfort zone, makes you think carefully WITH your all-hazards partners in public safety. And in times of crisis, critical emergency messaging is key and the public has an expectation of government to be 💯. No chance for errors.

So in the creation of this class, I firmly believe that despite the silos we often work in make us good, also makes us bad because we often refuse to take off the blinders. By collaborating with other pros, we are able to come to a consensus and distribute information as quick as possible.

And in class, I will push you. If you say you are going to do something, you are going to do it. Not just talk etherically about a tactic, you will demonstrate it. I ain’t playing.

Realistic training is critical esp in blue skies time will make it easier in an emergency.. Critical training will all you to be a pro when you are faced with a critical situation. Train like you fight right?

Solid social media class today with participants from across the state. Many thanks to our Federal partners from across the US collaborating with all participants.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s class! #NDPTC

@rusnivek

Glad to rollout the brand new Social Media for Disaster Response and Recovery course with our partners from FEMA Region 4 – Jacksonville, Florida! Special thanks to the team from Jacksonville Emergency Management and the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Division (JFRD) for the invite to serve participants from across the entire state of Florida.

Additionally, this class has almost every single ESF represented. Outstanding all hazards class indeed!

Also, proud to continue to train the USCG National Public Information Assistance Team (PIAT).

Reporting live from the front of the #JAX class…

@rusnivek

Jacksonville has a bunch of water to cover in their jurisdictions so water rescue/recovery23] resources are a key piece to their normal operations.

Special shout out to Marine-38 and Marine-39 on the hospitality and operations. Training is key to a successful organization so constant training and diligence to serving the community 24/7 is exemplified by the actions seen today.

Until today, maneuvering the boat while flowing water seemed easy. However, after seeing pilots really working the controls during water flow operations most definitely takes special skills.

Additionally, it’s surprising how much water (specifically GPMs) these boats can delivery and of course how much reach it has/

These resources are incredibly specialized and highly maneuverable – which allows these types of resources to be flexible as they are required to work all kinds of magic in the field for distressed boaters and victims in the water.

Without a doubt, it takes a special skill to pilot these specialized resources.

Sdsssss

Thanks again to all the JFRD crews on a Monday!

@rusnivek

Sunday views as we ramp up to a triple header of FEMA NDPTC courses this week in Jacksonville, Florida.

Welcome to the Sunshine State!

@rusnivek

Thanks again to all our partners who came to play, control, observe, and of course evaluate our EOC exercise yesterday. We are so proud to work closely with all of you from local, county, state, and Federal partners 24/7/365.

We talk about it in preparedness = In classes/training.

We talk about it in response = In the field coordinating.

We talk about it in Recovery = Supporting various community organizations.

We talk on the regular that building relationships is incredibly important BEFORE a disaster. We stress that working closely with our partners in public safety is critical to any situation. Now you can see it in action.

We constantly tout the mantra of Emergency Management being THE coordinating agency during planned events, emergencies, incidents, and disasters.

Glad to showcase the power of a coordinated response.

@rusnivek

MONDAY! MONDAY! MONDAY! THIS IS A DRILL!

That’s right, our office comes out the gate hard with a full scale exercise focused around our Emergency Management staff and EOC.

Welcome introductions by Murray today…

Player briefs, controller briefs, observer briefs…basics of any legit Master Exercise Planner designed exercise stuff. Who’s who in the zoo right? Yep, that’s basically what’s happening in our EOC.

If you were wondering how it actually starts? This is it. Referencing the NIMS/ICS Planning P, this is the first stem of it.

The initial notification to the EOC.

As the scenario rolled out, my first assigned role was to the call bank center to setup our operational call bank.

<Sur is departing EOC heading to call bank location>

Take note of the office’s dedication to legacy system with the hardline phones and stations. Now, if they were only red….

As the call center went inservice, I was instructed by the EOC Manager that our PIO needed some help now.

<Sur on the move to external affairs>

Report in to PIO.

Initial brief of HAZMAT chemical on Metra train.

1. Fully operational social media station.

2. Geolocation/datamine deets for PIO and command officials.

3. SA/COP to support our ongoing operation.

Roger that. Let’s go.

1A-Using Twitter but not really posting on it (obv an exercise). Tweetdeck up. Categories include searching Metra trainline name, hashtag searches, geolocation search, and then a location identifier search.

2A-pulling tweets w/ pertinent info. Map and plot. Searching any IPs and live broadcasts from area. See if there are some open source cameras to hit for plume. Pull live helo feeds from news on screens-4(ABC), 5(NBC), 6(CBS), 7(FOX), 8(WGN), 9(split CNN/MSNBC/).

3. Maps and scene pics up for the EOC. Share SA/COP w/ Intel Branch Chief, EOC Manager, and EM Supervisor (aka Liaison).

PIO onscene reports needing help w/ talking points. No prob, drafting some from initial worksheets/notes.

PD of another city reports a building collapse (occupied hotel).

Main PIO shift from talking points to now SA/COP w/ PD for more info.

Sur to finish press release and pull talking points recapping train incident.

Dual role now as I start searching for SA/COP from site including pictures of collapse and building. Approx size, volume, collapse zones and evac areas. Searching social media for any onsite pictures, videos, or first hand witness reports w/ pictures to verify. All pics must be geolocated to verify time/location for accurate truth.

Hotel identified and now assessing occupancy w/ Fire Department and State Strike Team USAR element.

EOC moved up to higher level of response.

MCI declared.

Primary PIO receives request for COML support. Now finding resources and staffing for COML and ITECS deployment to scene to support operation.

PIO onscene phones primary PIO. Needs help w/ critical messaging and talking points. We discuss and decide a quick video living on YouTube will be good messaging is good for push on all social sites (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, NextDoor, and our media partners).

PSA shot off the EOC w/ location of Who, What, When, and avoid the area due to traffic/allow responders to do their jobs. Typed talking points held against camera side. 1 take. IPhone. Lab mic direct into phone. 30 seconds. Done.

Edited for title, lower third added. Action item provided. Cut and uploaded to YouTube. How long doesnt’ake.

Prep=45 seconds

Setup lav mic=15 seconds

Recording=30 seconds.

Editing=60 seconds

Uploaded to YouTube=1:45

Total production timeframe was 4 minutes and 15 seconds.

With the upcoming disaster scenarios, we had lots of other things to work on for the onscene Police PIO.

Throughout the rest of the morning, we found that three more videos were needed to inform and address the incident. All video hits are from the incident that was news worthy and or timed w/ significant changes in the event. Like the last one was the long term family reunification center with callback numbers for family/friends in and around building.

Solid team of 2 in External Affairs.

Super fun to see one of your former students in class assigned as your external affairs evaluator. Special thanks to Arin Thrower for assisting our agency during this exercise.

With all the EA smiles, I can assume that things went well.

This was not your typical Monday morning. Not at all. But the dedication and teamwork made this exercise fun.

As the controllers and designers called a hard stop to the exercises, we all paused and looked at each other. Exercise went well! Whohoo!!!

In the afternoon, we all sat down and discussed more for our formal After Action Report (AAR).

We as a professional EM organization review all exercises. If you want to be a professional, you should be doing the same.

Great start to the week as we showcase the talents of the EOC and how they can support the field operations

Reporting live from the EOC…

@rusnivek

Respect the drip Karen…

#SMEM #TikTok

@rusnivek