Author Archives: rusnivek

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About rusnivek

Emergency Services

Closing out June with 4 regions and no sleep

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I can’t believe we are already through more than half of 2019! Amazing how time flies. Lots more to do in 2019.

First week we have lots of new ICS classes/coordination as well as a class in Baltimore, MD.

Second week more FEMA Basic Academy TtT coordination and a class in Worcester, MA.

Third week, OMG, we #totes have a solid week of advanced social media across the State of Ohio. My old peeps!!!!!

Fourth week, we have another Basic PIO course and JIC/JIS course in Kentucky. I get to teach with a reporter. Funz!

Basically, it’s a 3-1-5-4 kinda month so likely lots of sleeping on planes, trains, and in automobiles. Will I see you in June?

Can’t stop, won’t stop.

@rusnivek

City of Chicago OEMC, JIC, PSAP, and other stuff while hanging in the Bat cave

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Good morning from the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications!

Located in the heart of the west loop, this multi functional location serves as a focal point for City EOC, JIC, Snow Command, PW EOC, Ops Center, 911 PSAP, etc….basically, I’m glad it’s a hardened facility.

Today’s Emergency Management topics have to deal with Disaster Assistance and Public Assistance. Hiya Wendellllllllllllllllllllllllll.

Of course, as a good Emergency Manager, we want to take a look at the host city’s EOP.

Lots to discern and digest from our partners.

Now, for those who refuse to share information and hold information tight to their chest….that’s dumb. You realize when the big one hits, your isolationist actions will prove to be detrimental to the success of the response/recovery of any emergency. Again, work closely with your partners BEFORE a disaster.

Looking down into the PSAP center floor, lots of call takers working the good for the community.

PSAPs and EOCs are kept relatively dark to help with eye strain. Telecommunications have a tough job. If you haven’t already done so, I’d recommend that you sit in their chair one day and observe. Quite honestly, I’d take working the squad any day.

Quick look into the City of Chicago’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) too.

And calm yourself PIOs….I found it.

Get your City of Chicago Joint Information Center (JIC) on baby! I sense I will be spending activation time here soon.

And yes, I’m wearing a tie.

As we close out response/recovery discussions for the day, we must spend more time thinking about cross training and enhancing our multi-jurisdictional skills. Working together is critical to any event or incident. We must overcome the stigma and the predisposed notion of kingdoms and fiefdoms. We must work together before a disaster. This will result in better response collaboration and recovery efforts.

Where am I? They threw up the bat signal so….

Reporting live from the Bat Cave:

I’m Batman….I mean @rusnivek

Internal Comms training for my #EmergencyManagement staff

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As we continue our training, we want to be cognizant of all kinds of skills needed to be successful in Emergency Management.

Many of you have been apart of a training or exercise…and have indubitably identified that communications is an action that needs more work. But how can you make that fun? Well, enter one of my Thunderbolt-esque exercises.

Giving the nod to former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, these types of no-notice trainings engage our staff and forces them to think outside the box.

How outside? In this exercise, we cover

  • Communications
  • Type/Kind resources
  • Staging
  • Incident Command
  • Terminology
  • Nomenclature
  • Scene size-ups
  • Operations
  • Sequential
  • Prioritization
  • Ordering
  • Tactics

And to boot, it’s non-traditional training cause there are no powerpoints. Zero. Zilch. No joy. Gonzo. Nada Ghostrider.

As adult educators, we often forget that people learn things differently. Additionally, we as instructors need to explore outside our comfort zone and teach things in a classic lecture AND non-traditional style.

I am incredibly fortunate to have a staff that loves to train and enhance their skills. Train like you fight!

Want to know more? Want to train better? Come and be a part of my Emergency Management Team. You’ll see.

@rusnivek

Run? Hide? Fight? Here’s a few better ones

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Tuesday morning hit hard after a long holiday weekend. On the ride in, I was thinking more about the new terminology that will be rolled out shortly to replace the “Run! Hide! Fight!” – for active shooter situations.

At last week’s National Preparedness Symposium, one of the FEMA Consortium partners brought up the newly revamped procedures.

1. Lock or block it.

2. Become invisible.

3. Silence your phone.

4. Silence yourself.

5. When you come out, ask “Is it OK?”

Lots of discussion on review of actions too. While heroic in practice/training, we are seeing that people are more reserve when it comes to actual emergencies.

Same as before, contemplate a counter-attack strategy with others who are stuck with you. “I go high and you go low” type conversations will help coordinate your immediate response if a threat presents itself.

Having good communications skills as well as non-verbal communications skills are critical esp in a dangerous situation.

Get to know your co-workers and your neighbors.

@rusnivek

Monday’s severe thunderstorm and Tornadoes to mess up your holiday plans…

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Monday afternoon and we gotta worry about Severe Thunderstorm warnings and Tornado watches and warnings.

Crossing my fingers for a safe passing but our EOC is currently at level 3.

More importantly, it is critical that everyone pays attention to the warnings.

National Weather Service Chicago does a solid job as the true official source of info for severe weather like this.

As the weather gets more shady and kinda fugly, we ought to reference several sites frequently on your mobile platform.

National Weather Service Chicago (@NWSChicago)

DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (@ProtectDuPage)

Illinois Emergency Management Agency (@ReadyIllinois)

FEMA’s ReadyGov Program (ReadyGov)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (@FEMA)

Charge your cell phones up now and keep your weather radios handy this afternoon.

Your safety is totes important.

@rusnivek

Wisdom for this weekend…starting now!

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It’s the freakin weekend peeps!

As you jet away for the long holiday weekend, a few points to ponder:

1. Pace yourself cause you got 3 whole days.

2. Read #1 again.

3. Be thankful and remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service for our freedom. 🇺🇸

Be safe and don’t make the news this weekend. (But if you do, you better hope your #PIO likes you!) Reporting live from the #2 position…

@rusnivek

All 2019 Hurricanes sock…

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Man, I just caught this at the 2019 Hurricane Season Hurricane Hunter presser w/ NOAA and FEMA.

The Acting Secretary of Commerce matches his socks with his Hurricane Hunter aircraft. Whut-the-what?

Whoa. #fleek

His sock game is 💯

Clearly, it seems like everyone is serious about the 2019 Hurricane season.

Are you prepared?

FEMA’s ReadyGov Program-Hurricanes: click here

DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: click here

Keep it safe – it’s the weekend!!!!

@rusnivek

National Preparedness Symposium Day-3

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Final day of the 2019 National Preparedness Symposium here at CDP! Lots to share as we open up the day with a long talk on cyber.

Hint to Emergency Managers, Cyber is the sexy incident now…so I suggest you plan and design with your training manager now. Yep, you heard me right, cyber = sexy.

Noooooooow switching from cyber to FIT – because we will all get a FIT!

Here to listen in on the deets for the FEMA Integration Teams (FIT) from my FEMA LNO in Hurricane Irma, ladies and gents, put your hands together for…….. John Allen!!!!!

John Allen, better known as FEMA’s Director of Preparedness Integration and Coordination out of HQ has been point person for this effort started when previous FEMA Administrator Brock Long started.

This program imbeds FEMA Planners at specified locations to support all state, local, tribal, and territory (SLTT) partners. Rollout has been ongoing as this is a phased effort. Many of the 56 FITs are not staffed yet.

Also fortunate to have one of the FIT Leads with us from Idaho – hiya Justin!

Great to see that kind of partnerships on all levels including building confidence in the SLTT’s efforts. The most beneficial aspect of the program would be that the FIT can provide RRCCs and NRCC accurate SA/COP for real-time operational assessment and needs. So more than just an FEMA LNO, these FITs are able to integrate and provide immediate support.

But truth be told, the FITs are really integrated into their community as they live there. They work there. They are part of the response, recovery side of any event or incident that state may have. Great idea!

Me? I’m totes interested.

Riding on the wave of productivity, we popped back into our regional groups again and talked about our lessons learned from this symposium.

We discussed at length how we can help each other under blue/grey skies time…and really support each other during event/disasters.

Here’s a little behind the scenes of the group. Everyone participated including solid contributions from our tribal partners.

After all, isn’t that the mantra of Emergency Management? Building relationships before a disaster?!?!? See, even the pros practice what we preach!

In breaking for lunch, I know many of you remember taking IS-100, IS-200, IS-700, IS-800 and remember this slide.

I wanted to dispel the rumor, that is NOT me.

Saw a few of the FIWA folks in the hall and thanked them for their help during our MRTs as well as our pre-disaster deployment support prior to Irma. While there, I had them check my FEMA phone and tuned up. They reminded me that I still needed to do my yearly compliance training on “Security Awareness”

#whoops

As the symposium closed out, we had the color guard from the Anniston Police stop by to retire the colors.

Everyone who attended work tirelessly in protecting our nation from emergencies and disasters. We all believe in helping out and supporting all our communities because a prepared nation is a more resilient nation.

On the door step of the Memorial Day weekend, we all pause to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect everyone in this great nation.

Be safe out there folks!

Reporting live from the 2019 National Preparedness Symposium…

@rusnivek

2019 National Preparedness Symposium Day-2

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An incredible Wednesday as we continue our efforts to collaborate here at the 2019 National Preparedness Symposium.

I chatted with Acting FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor on the importance of continuing to build a culture of preparedness and how it is so critical to our audiences.

Super nice guy.

He then popped the morning plenary session to the entire conference and FEMA employees. Huge discussion on our strategic plan and then a few things in his role as a state director he wished he had when he started at FEMA.

Solid insight from the top at FEMA. Nice guy.

Lots of afternoon sessions including one with the National Disaster Preparedness Consortium (NDPC).

Great discussion amongst participants including

  1. Policy/procedure on admittance into courses
  2. Frank discussion on prerequisites for admittance into class
  3. Ongoing class challenges including rostering.

After the NDPC panel discussion was over, I quickly moved a few rooms over to check out a worthwhile discussion on the I–35 bridge and failing infrastructure. Also had some discussion about structural assessments.

Glad to be having ongoing discussions to maintain our critical access points in many cities across the US.

Then it was time to present my course: Social Media in Emergency Management. Woohoo!!!!

Glad to be sharing the knowledge with providers from across the country.

Engaged audience including a few questions on engagement as well as OSINT gathering and augmented reality. Great to peek the interest and maybe MAYBE be that catalyst for change with our industry.

Shout out to Bronlea the n00b as this was her first trip to the Center for Domestic Preparedness!

Looking forward to tomorrow’s FIT class with FEMA Director John Allen.

Reporting live with all the HQ peeps hanging in FEMA Region 4…

@rusnivek