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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Spent my day with my hometown CERT

Posted on July 12, 2015 by rusnivek

Spent my day volunteering with my hometown Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

On arrival, I thought I was going to get assigned a different task, but logistics and parking was the identified main concern and safety was an issue.

After I got briefed on the event, I discussed our situation with all the participants. As CERT, we coordinated our efforts so that our actions/tactics could best match the safety of our personnel as well as others who were there attending the event.

I briefed the Mayor on our ongoing operations and even looked at a few alternate plans.

Of course we continued to assess our event and think about other safety measures.

And of course we had a few moments to share a smile.

Fun fact, our Council President and Safety Chair is also a proud founding member of my awesome CERT Team. Booya!

Seriously, I love it when elected members of local government give back to their community.

We identified a few issues that will need to be made for the 2016 event (like a formal all-hazards traffic plan with maps, uniformed vests, pre-event plan dissemination/distribution, more participation, etc…). Maybe a formal Incident Action Plan (IAP). Fairly easy stuff that we would be happy to share w/ our constituents.

Wait….What? You have never heard of FEMA’s CERT program before? Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

More info can be found on FEMA’s website here.

Want to volunteer within your own community? Want to make a difference in your community? Click here to locate the closest CERT Team to you!

As always, I believe I can make a difference in my community. Fun fact: I’ve been volunteering with my CERT since 2007.

I hope you will do the same.

@rusnivek

Building relationships now will only increase successes

Posted on June 24, 2015 by rusnivek

We must continue to work closely with our partners in all emergency services because the safety of the public is of the utmost concern.

I am proud of the work I am asked to do because it brings agencies closer together and ultimately in times of crisis, agencies will seamlessly showcase their skills together and find success together.

Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Because 6/6 is good numbers.

I hope your agency is building stronger relationships BEFORE any major emergency or disaster. By strengthening partnerships with a wide swath professionals, we can only become smarter and more successful.

Call it “Increasing Situational Awareness/Common Operating Picture” or “All-hazards planning” – IDGAF.

Make it your prerogative to build relationships now. Right now.

Don’t make me step on your face. Do it!

This is the marker of many successful agencies.

@rusnivek

Created and designed and now piloting the new SM

Posted on June 18, 2015 by rusnivek

I rolled out my new FEMA presentation for FEMA Region-4 peeps at Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL.

At this time, this course is the semi-final pilot so I’m almost there!

Obvs, I had to incorporate a great preparedness campaign from my friends at the CDC. Have you heard of their preparedness campaign before? It costed the CDC a killer $87 (Get it? I’m so punny).

How about them Zombies?

Classroom activities make it easier for our all-hazards partners to come up with good messaging during preparedness, response, and recovery.

Shared experiences and open discussion amongst public safety providers allows for solid social media solutions to be developed for many common issues.

Participants use various hardware and software platforms to complete each assigned performance-based task. This showcases the spectrum of social media that spans hardware and software differences.

Final will be presented for certification in August in FEMA Region-9 at the State of California Emergency Operations Center located in Sacramento.

So nervous! But seriously, I’m so excited for this project, I can’t even…

@rusnivek

Definitely an all-hazards approach to events in NOLA

Posted on February 10, 2015 by rusnivek

Good to see so much emphasis put on event planning and pre-staged apparatus for events ongoing in NOLA.

Just the sheer number of agencies involved is a clear sign that emergency agencies here truly believe in the all-hazards mantra.

Well done to all visible and unmarked agencies involved in providing public safety.

@rusnivek

All-Hazardy participation and collaboration for flooding

Posted on August 13, 2014 by rusnivek

Great first day in our flood course here at Ohio EMA in Columbus.

I am fortunate that the participants in this class have outstanding stories from previous declarations and experiences from local, state, and regional responses during emergency flooding.

Some have shared their 500 year flooding stories from just the past 7 years (and clearly, it’s time to revisit the categorization and re-term these floods).

Here, FEMA staff, Ohio EMA staff, Ohio National Guard, and local Fire/Rescue services collectively discuss creative options to better serve numerous vulnerable population communities during an emergency evacuation during flooding.

IMHO, I really enjoy seeing this type of All-Hazardy professionals at the table.

Collaborating early can only strengthen joint response during any disaster.

@rusnivek

A fun disaster class…on accountability #NIMS

Posted on April 3, 2014 by rusnivek

To the untrained eye, they just look like toys.

To Incident Commanders, this is an incredibly valuable tool that provides operational and tactical response accountability.

To bring this all-hazards accountability course to your location, just let me know.

Yep, I’m making classes about disasters fun again!

@rusnivek

Ice and Water Rescue in NW Ohio – All-Hazards Full Scale Exercise

Posted on March 1, 2014 by rusnivek

Spending a bunch of time in NW Ohio with several emergency services agencies focused in on Water/Ice Rescue.

Did some GPS coordinate work, observation and recon work, and of course some grid search pattern work.

A few of my peeps testing their newly acquired National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS) concepts.

Had a chance to interact with a few of the NW Ohio water rescue resources as well as a few aeromedical agencies too.

I’m glad to see so many willing all-hazards participants involved in this exercise.

Also glad to see local and regional law enforcement participation in the day’s events too.

Despite relatively colder temps, all crews managed to say jovial and warm.

Thanks again to my cadre of ICS Subject Matter Experts in Operations, Logistics, Public Information, Communications, and Air Operations who assisted today with evaluation.

@rusnivek

Training with the Department of Emergency Management in Florida

Posted on December 19, 2013 by rusnivek

Got a chance to meet and talk serious DHS/FEMA Emergency Management training today with the State of Florida Department of Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon and Osceola County Emergency Management Director Richard Collins.

Just happy to spend a quick week in central Florida region.

Additionally, the central Florida region emergency management professionals are doing a solid job working together with their approach in all-hazards prevention, response, and recovery.

@rusnivek