Quick hello to our DoD assets with the Strategic Air Command based here in Nebraska.

No time for playing on Sundays, we got some work to do esp with our most trusted partners in safety.
Quick hello to our DoD assets with the Strategic Air Command based here in Nebraska.

No time for playing on Sundays, we got some work to do esp with our most trusted partners in safety.
Many people ask what I take on deployments. Like a good #PIO, my answer is “It depends…” 🤣
But seriously. IT TRULY DOES DEPEND ON THE #DISASTER!!! Just like your emergency #preparedness #kit (that varies person-to-person) your #deployment bag should suit your needs and the requirements of the deployment.
This particular deployment is different than the typical all response to #Hurricane Katrina/Rita, #Tornado response, #WorldSeries, and Hurricane Irma/Maria.

On this particular deployment, I’d call my setup to be “light” as it is bare bones.
Here’s the specifics on the actual bags.
Wheeled duffel: Eagle Creek ORV Trunk 30
Rollerboard: TravelPro Maxlite-3 22”
Backpack: 511 Tactical Rush 24
Clothing for at least one month goes in the wheeled duffel. Rollerboard carries all tech equipment and PIO/#JIC gear including @nikonusa #DSLR, PIO bag, power packs, dongles, and large battery packs. Backpack is all mission essential stuff including laptops, iPads, radio comms, essential daily gear, hard drives, and important paperwork including hard copy deployment orders.
I have used all of these bags in multiple deployments so they are deployment tested and meet my rugged requirements. TBH, I purchase stuff that is prob over-engineered for use, but I’d rather have more of a safety net than not enough.
Hope that helps you out in your disaster prep as I am on site at 4420DR-NE at the Joint Field Office.
Be safe out there peeps!
Assigned: 4420DR – NE
Tasked: FEMA PIO Incident Management, External Affairs Kevin Sur
Reporting to the JFO. (USNG: 14T PL 91778 25366)

See you in a few hours.
See, I told you FEMA does Insta.

Digital engagement is a huge piece of how we listen to our partners and discern what is going on in their communities.


For those that need more info, this is the new 2019 ICS courses that just rolled out. Glad to share this with our statewide partners in public safety, Federal, Tribal, and Department of Defense assets.
Continue to train and do good stuff (on Insta) for your home agencies.
Happy Thursday peeps!
Day-2 of the new 2019 ICS-400 course! This morning, we start out talking about the deadly 2005 Hurricane Katrina/Rita response with the US Coast Guard.

Facilitated discussion allows our participants to openly discuss perceived issues. Lots of response actions from all of our participants that can contribute to a successful response. Glad we had fruitful discussion prior to the actual disaster.
Our class also acknowledged the national Emergency Alert System Test today for TV and radio.

Everyone in class knew about it…aka prepared leadership and pros. Love it!

Midmorning and afternoon class-time was spent on the capstone activity with heavy discussion on the use of area command and how we allocate resources for multiple jurisdictions.

And you are right if you said that the rotor wing options are high on the list of valuable recourses.
Channeling my best FEMA EMI Bob Ridgeway, “…and don’t worry sports fans” moment, we included the infamous State of Columbia!

This fictions town is always a disaster.
Great to see so many partners discuss overarching goals including challenges with the big three public safety providers. Like pros, they included a large bite into health intelligence, DoD assets, and of course addressing various audiences like the tribal nations. Solid!

Proud to serve my fellow public safety pros from all professions this week in the ICS-400 course.
Good morning peeps – welcome to the new 2019 ICS-400: Advanced ICS!

Proud to be one of the first instructors to roll this course out to our public safety partners that popped in late July. This week’s class? We have a bunch of pros from all backgrounds including Fire, EMS, Police, Healthcare, Public Works, Communications, Health Department, National Guard, Civil Support Teams, State, VA, Intelligence, and Tribal nations. I’m proud to serve all these pros.

Lots of discussion on preparedness efforts esp with some of the projected large disasters from across the country. In fact, discussion on preparedness for Cascadia Rising, New Madrid Fault, and national infrastructure failures were consistently discussed through the day. Related note: Proud to hear of sooo many prepared pros in class this week.
Classically, lots to share as Emergency Management pros continues to coordinate response through training and exercises. Train like you fight right?

Aside from powerpoints, the new ICS-400 has a bunch of in class activities that talk about complex incidents, Unified Command, and area command. Productively discussing issues in class BEFORE a disaster can only help to understand challenges that many agencies face…which could be exacerbated during crisis/emergency.
Glad to have engaged professionals in class this week.

Get your ICS on!
What goes on in the mind of an Emergency Manager?
This.

This. This everyday.
Esp on a Sunday, I want to remind you that to finish an elephant, you gotta take it one bite at a time.
Have a solid week peeps!
Holey moley. TikTok has been around for a year.

Comparatively to other social media platforms, I have said “WTF” to more TikToks than Tweets, Grams, and snaps combined.
Yeowza.
Trending posts now include #Area51 #GitUpChallenge, #whoachallenge #FYP #ForYouPage
P.S. A rando kid told me that TikTok isn’t a verb. Yet.
You never want to be caught unprepared…esp during a disaster.
That’s why so many Emergency Managers push so hard on preparedness efforts during SharkWeek. So many of you are invested to learn more about sharks. But the same drive and interest can be applied to disasters and preparedness.
In fact, many of the preparedness efforts remain the same for both. Like first-aid kit, tourniquet(s), etc…
So be better prepared for any kind of SharkAttack…I mean disaster by enhancing your preparedness kit with a tourniquet. Because you’ll never know when you have to deal with a shark attack.
Continue swimming along but make sure you know where and how to use your tourniquet.
I’m not saying that sharks hide under desks, but sharks and disasters are sneaky and crafty with malicious intent.
P.S. I don’t think they have lasers on their forehead yet…