Saturday next to this thing.
This tactical surveillance radar has a range of about 270 miles.
Fun fact: this thing is sling-ready.
The hummmmm of the radar
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Author Archives: rusnivek
Debris on a Friday!
Friday morning in the Baltimore! Yep-here to share some knowledge about Debris.
A fine welcome from Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management Chris!
Glad to see various disciplines represented here as we continue to discuss recovery.
As you know, recovery is the toughest part of any disaster and these pros are dedicated to working the magic for their own communities as well as their surrounding communities too. OUTSTANDING!
Lots of group work to concrete the points down as we assess our options post disaster.
Openly talking about resource challenges as well as staging and prioritization are important discussions to have prior to a disaster. Emergency Management is the best agency to navigate this challenge and work to coordinate response/recovery actions.
Collaborating under bright lights classroom is the best way to work out challenges…but if you got time, maybe a few exercises to test and evaluate performance of these plans.
Train AND exercise. You gotta test the plan right?
Special thanks to the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management for the opportunity to share our successes in disasters.
Looking forward to working with all of you in the next big one.
DuPage County partners w/ OHSEM to lead the way with Outdoor Weather Event & Planning TableTop Exercise
As our office continues to work the magic for all of our partners in public safety, today we continue to rollout the new Event Ready Weather Decision toolkit that helps any agency with critical command decisions.
Our office has worked closely with the National Weather Service Chicago in developing this process.
And of course to pair with the class, we have a Outdoor Event Planning TableTop to help concrete the points to all participating agencies.
Not only developing, but making sure that the information is compliant….
…like HSEEP compliant TableTop exercise compliant.
That’s right – welcome to the #EmergencyManagement pros!
Success? Does it work? Hellz yeah it works! Just ask Lombard’s PIO Avis Meade who used this planning guide for their 2019 Lilac Parade.
Their actions based on NWS Chicago data and critical command decisions likely saved lives as severe weather rolled into the area with an exposed and completely vulnerable population.
Let me say that again, the planning and preparedness efforts from everyone in Lombard saved lives.
Let me translate that for you (think FEMA Core Capability): Sharing good info (Intelligence and Information Sharing), working closely with local, county, and state partnerships (Operational Coordination), and known trusted information (Public Information and Warning)
Decisions made in advance with partnerships with the local National Weather Service can save lives?!?!? YES IT CAN!
In Emergency Management, our decisions are collaborative and based on a combination of historical data and past industry practice. This is what Emergency Management is all about. Repeat after me: Planning and Coordination. Planning and Coordination.Planning and Coordination.Planning and Coordination.
I am proud to be a small part of many agencies doing the right thing for communities across this county and this great country.
Me? You know, I’m always willing to serve.
Popping the brand new ICS-400 class for the Illinois Air National Guard – 182 Airlift Wing
Looks like I’ll get to teach the new ICS-400 course at the Illinois Air National Guard – 182nd Airlift Wing base. Whohoooooooo!
Who’s in???
Alex, I’ll take the C-130 for $400!
DM me. See you at the BBQ.
Drake: Kevin!??!?!
Me: Yes?
It could get weirder.
Weird confluence of things, Kevin.
DM me. See you at the BBQ.
My new elevated ICP 🤣
A heavy lift helo moving a food truck to the top of a building in downtown Chicago.
Aka preparing my elevated Incident Command Post (ICP)
The weird things you see on a Sunday in the city…
Closing out June with 4 regions and no sleep
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.
Chicago pull stations
When was the last time you saw one of these?!? (Bonus points for the double).
Nice work OEMC in restoring this historic piece.
Like the NE, I kinda wish Chicago had maintained these pull stations as a legacy backup for emergencies.
City of Chicago OEMC, JIC, PSAP, and other stuff while hanging in the Bat cave
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
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.
Where is @rusnivek? 