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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Punctuation matters…just ask @AP #SMEM #PIO

Posted on July 23, 2014 by rusnivek

If you ever thought punctuation doesn’t matter…just ask the Associated Press right now.

In 9 minutes, the Twitterverse went bonkers. AP was forced to respond.

Punctuation matters peeps.

@rusnivek

Sutphen recall #Firefighter

Posted on July 22, 2014 by rusnivek

FYI-Sutphen announced a recall on their ladder trucks.

@rusnivek

Press Release – Five-Section Aerials

Dublin, OH **For Immediate Release**

Date: July 22, 2014

RE: Sutphen Voluntarily Removing 5-Section Aerial Devices From Service

Sutphen Corporation has announced that the Company is instructing customers to remove all SPH 100, SP 110, SPI 112, and SAI 110 Aerial devices from service, until further notice, effective immediately. The Company states that customers are instructed to use the affected apparatus in the capacity of an engine or support vehicle only. The Company will stay in close contact with its customers to report details and when the units may be place back in service. “At this time, our priority is the safety of our firefighters,” says Drew Sutphen, President of the Company. “In light of the recent incidents, we recognize there is an immediate need to take precautionary action. I would rather take every precaution necessary than to put firefighters at risk.” The Company states that it will be contacting customers with the affected units personally to inform them of the events that have occurred and the steps that are being taken to get the units back in to service in a timely manner. “We feel the need to personally assure our customers that we are working to investigate and correct the situation,” Drew continues. Sutphen Corporation is an Ohio based privately held, family owned business that manufactures custom built emergency response vehicles. The company’s headquarters are located in suburban Dublin, Ohio northwest of Columbus. For more information contact the sales office.

Toledo LifeFlight under the microscope for non-life threatening aeromedical transport #EMS

Posted on July 22, 2014 by rusnivek

So it seems like Toledo LifeFlight and Put-In-Bay EMS just made WKYC’s news last night. I’m not quite sure who this investigative report is intended to pin the blame, but to me it sounds like Toledo LifeFlight is under the microscope because of non-life threatening aeromedical transport.

(Pertaining to EMS calls) “We don’t want to go short on the staff here.” – Keith Kahler, PiB EMS.

“…anxiety attack that looks very similar to a chest pain” – Dr. Daniel Schwerin, Toledo LifeFlight Medical Director.

Watch WKYC’s investigative story here

Did WKYC cut Dr. Schwerin clip a bit short? Did the spokesperson from PiB EMS give contradictory statements? Or did Tom Meyer get too excited just by reading police reports?

Let me know what you think.

@rusnivek

Cold Water Challenge aka IceBucketChallenge

Posted on July 19, 2014 by rusnivek

So I was called out on the Cold Water Challenge by
1. Amanda Ball, Outreach Coordinator at MedFlight of Ohio
2. Mark Ramach, Retired Brook Park Fire Chief
3. Firefighter/Paramedic Andy Morales, Cleveland ARFF
4. Ken Ledford, Bedford Heights Fire Chief

Since Amanda was the first one to call me out, I have given her the nod to dump an entire cooler full of ice water on me.

Special thanks to Truck-2 on the assist.

So I’m calling out:
1. Erica Creech, Communications Manager of Cleveland Water
2. John O’Brien, Communications Specialist of Cuyahoga County Sheriffs
3. Gayle Celebreeze, Flight Nurse from University Hospitals MedEvac
4. Andrew Doyle, Firefighter Paramedic with Baltimore City Fire

You have 24-hours.
Starting now.

The made up #hashtag Safety-PIO-SM-14-001

Posted on July 18, 2014 by rusnivek

14-001: The made up #hashtag
Agency: Bath Township Fire	Topic(s): Prevention and engagement
Date: Spring 2014	Platform: Twitter

Twice a year, moving our clocks ahead/behind one hour for daylight savings time provides all of us public safety the opportunity to push an easy fire safety tip to our constituents. It’s a good time to remind folks to test their smoke alarms. That’s what BTFD FC did when they posted this message on twitter, which included the #gopushthebuttton hashtag.

Keep in mind that Twitter’s mantra is short concise messaging limited to 140 characters. The idea behind a hashtag is to pair your tweet with other tweets out in the twittersverse. So I did a quick search for #gopushthebutton and found only one tweet from BTFD FC. With no other tweets using that hashtags, using #gopushthebutton was just wasted characters.

If you use irrelevant or made up hashtags, all you end up doing is wasting valuable space. Long tweets do not allow your followers the room to retweet your valuable content to their followers because of 140 maximum character counts.

A more effective tweet could have read:

Test every smoke alarm & CO detector in your home today. An easy safety reminder from XXFD. More info? www.XXFD.org

By phrasing it this way:

1. You have more visibility by reminding your followers test both smoke and CO detectors.

2. Twitter shows your twitter handle and name with the tweet, so don’t waste space by repeating information already in plain sight.

3. Do not use a made up hashtag as it will confuse your followers. In a serious tweet, use a serious hashtag.

4. Using the word “easy” will likely get your followers to complete a task because it’s easy.

5. Or consider using a more popular hashtag. In this case, #daylightsavings or #springforward

6. Reference your website for more information on detectors. Also you are establishing your agency as a trusted source with good information. And through analytics, you can also track how many people visited your tweeted website which could assist in quantifying your social media efforts.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this: Safety-PIO-SM-14-001

Hold the phone…literally!

Posted on July 18, 2014 by rusnivek

Hold the phone…literally!

With the weekend upon us, this should serve as your Friday public safety message to start the weekend.

#smem #socialmedia #safety #ems #emt #paramedic #ema #emergency #management #fire #firefighter #police #law #dept #rescue

@rusnivek

Gawking at a beautiful Mack Baker Aerialscope #Fire #Truck

Posted on July 17, 2014 by rusnivek

Hold the phone…is that a Mack Baker Aerialscope?

I think I’m in love. Check out those stabilizers!

I would say that this is pretty much pristine condition.

Bonus points for the gold bulldog too! (Note: The company’s trademark is the bulldog. It can be found on the front of almost all Mack trucks. A Mack truck with a gold-plated bulldog indicates that the entire truck is made of Mack components. Trucks with another manufacturer’s transmission, engine, rear axles or suspension are given the chrome-plated bulldog.)

So Chief-when you get your new engine/tanker in, let me know and I’ll be happy to take this off of your hands…you know, make room on your bay floors. I’d also be happy to bring it back anytime you needed it for a parade and stuff too.

Phleeeeeezzzzzeeeee!

Ahem.

Special thanks to Tipp City Fire Chief Steve Kessler and crews – Outstanding job to all of Tipp City Fire Department on preserving a true gem of fire service history.

BTW-here’s their new Ladder that replaced it.