Proud to have been a small part of the DHS/FEMA Incident Command training for all public safety professionals at the Superbowl today.
Have fun in Minneapolis…
…and most importantly, keep em safe peeps!
Another solid start to a fun ICS-400: Advanced Incident Command System for Command and General Staff course.
Looking forward to expanding on the concepts in ICS-300 and enhancing it with some of my most recent disaster deployments Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.
Reporting live from the classroom of fun…
Day-1 of the 2018 FEMA Master PIO (Public Information Officer) Program.
Obv at my favorite location: FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute.
Lots of super smart people in class from across the country including South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri, Maryland, Deleware, Texas, Indiana, Arizona, and Alaska. Whoa Nellie!
Solid discussion on public information, public involvement, strategic thinking, mission/goals, priorities, capabilities, solutions, communities vs tribes, NIMS/ICS, ESF-15, alert notification thresholds, trusted source of verified information, serotonin, public fears in 2017, hope, trust, stability, compassion, and most importantly, PIO networking/sharing of ideas.
Glad I wore a tie.
Apparently they know I tweet so shhhhhh. I have to pay attention.
Reporting live from snowy Emmitsburg….
December is always busy but let’s start the new year right – hello to January 2018!
In the first week, it’s paperwork and TPS reports to the max. As usual, we have yearly update classes that needs to be completed and mandatory inservice training. Fun stuff. 🤢
Second week, I’ll be headed to FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute! I better pick out my favorite ties. Hope to see many of you on campus.
Hold on to your hats because in the third week, I’ll be teaching the exciting ICS-400: Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff – complex incidents. I know you want in.
And the fourth week, I head far west to present Irma/Maria lessons learned with leaders in the disaster recovery industry and Emergency Management community (including Tim Manning) in a Response/Recovery conference.
Busy busy 2018….so let’s get it on!
Even if you give the TV news crews your title on camera for the chyron….they might get it wrong.
Apparently, my new title only allows me to only have ONE relation.
Well, at least they spelled my name right.
Bajeez.
I was asked if Pirate Radio was real….yeppers!
Pirate Radio based in the Florida Keys-Key West has a strong voice that not only hits audiences throughout the keys, but also into southern Florida too. They stream their shows so that any Pirate can listen in…even when yer a landlubber!
I was a regularly contributor to their morning shows with daily Hurricane Irma disaster updates. We also brought other public safety agencies in with us to showcase the unified efforts of countless government agencies involved and how we are all working together in the response/recovery effort.
Additionally, I was invited to be a regular guest on their Friday morning show to talk about the DHS/FEMA response and recovery efforts for the Florida Keys. Not only talking about the Florida Keys, but also the millions of $$ in financial support approved for the State of Florida.
Remember, AM/FM radio stations are a critical source of information in a disaster. After a disaster, cell service might be down, sat tv might be out, and it is highly likely that your neighborhood may not have power. Post-disaster, plan on AM/FM radio being a solid source of information.
Many mahalos to both gracious Pirate Radio hosts – Jack and Kim!
Ahhh, I love the smell of EOC in the morning…
Reporting live from the Emergency Operations Center…
Spending my Sunday reading through paperwork, demobilization emails, and my performance evaluations from Hurricane Irma’s disaster response.
“Mr. Sur is “a model for the agency.'” – FEMA Division Supervisor Mark Landry (Federal Coordinating Officer cadre).
*blush*
Just glad to be a part of the FEMA disaster response to help my fellow Americans.
I just demobilized from Hurricane Irma. Total of 42 days.
One thought as I repack: I have never worked so hard and had to use ALL my learned PIO skills and tricks in just one disaster.
Few hours to make the turnaround in Cleveland.
Now headed to support another DHS mission with the US and Canada.
Evoking the famous quote from Ray Stantz: “Oh, I got to get some sleep, I’m dying.”
In efforts to best serve the communities that were hardest hit by Hurricane Irma, we (FEMA) moved the Marathon Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to a new location
As you guessed it, this new DRC has much easier access to the highway.
6805 Overseas Highway in Marathon, Florida
Stop on by to update your records and/or check on your status for disaster assistance.
Reporting live from the new DRC location in Marathon…
Where is @rusnivek? 