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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Sunday streamlining our JIC Ops

Posted on March 22, 2020 by rusnivek

Sunday is off to a bang as we need some formality to the process. Revamp what? What does that mean?

1. We are going to take a look at the press releases and move them to media alerts…because no one reads press releases anymore. Let’s not waste time and align it to be more factual and numbers. From a PIO perspective, this “trending” is what news outlets are looking for. Big upticks/spikes in numbers.

And in this situation, I doubt they are concentrating at the minutia of individual numbers esp since they are projected to dramatically increase over the next few weeks.

2. Accountability must be improved as we got the formal FEMA Disaster Declaration under the Stafford Act. So everyone gets a T-card and everyone must fill out an ICS-214. That includes me too.

3. Don’t forget to sign in on the ICS-211 form and your T-card is good to go.

4. Get a hard copy of the IAP and read through it. Don’t get caught not knowing the current plan. Maybe…MAYBE use those fancy tactical cargo pockets to hold your IAP (I’m judging).

5. Daily morning briefs with your PIOs….we call them our PIO roll call. Not longer than 10 minutes, allows us to get a handle on our daily activities and allows us to coordinate with each other. SA/COP baby!

I hate to break the news to you but the PIO’s job isn’t easy. So much more work goes behind the scenes and talking on camera is really about 5% of the job. Your main bread and butter work comes from the preparation and planning that goes into that.

Additionally, most reporters aren’t going to catch you live and want to do interviews. This new fangled invention called the cell phone makes it easy to communicate with all your reporters.

I honestly can’t tell you how many phone calls and interviews I did standing in my garage at 11p at night.

Yep, it never ends.

Get some sleep peeps, it’s going to be a long week ahead.

@rusnivek

JIC up and accounting for staff

Posted on March 19, 2020 by rusnivek

Oh yes….did someone say the Joint Information Center (JIC)?!?!? BRING. IT. ON. BABY.

Not only are we activating the JIC, we need to keep in track and record of all of our staff/personnel.

As a good PSC, you know I wouldn’t leave home without my trusty T-cards right?

Let’s see how many of my ESF friends will be here with us…

Reporting live from the JIC…

@rusnivek

Tuesday’s CMT aka Command and General Staff

Posted on March 17, 2020 by rusnivek

Morning briefing with DCHD.

At first blush, this is looking like a full response vs a silo ESF response.

So I gotta put more thought on the ESF15 strategic path lays out. Likely lots of turf battles as this is a ESF-06 and ESF-08 kinda thang.

Glad to lean on my past experiences from Fire/EMS and hospitals to help me glide through this.

You know I’m going to say it…”External Affairs can support the plan.”

Reporting live from the health department…

@rusnivek

Day 3 of ICS-300

Posted on February 26, 2020 by rusnivek

Starting out Day-3 of the ICS-300 class on Aloha Friday.

You can see my Aloha shirt peeking out on this cold 34 degree day in Alabama.

Glad to share the work of what our public safety forces do prior to a disaster declaration. In fact, lots needs to get done before a Federal Declaration. We talk about how locals need to work seamlessly with state agencies.

Then we talk about the importance of how states work with our regional partners.

Tailoring the convo to our FEMA employees attending helps them understand the seriousness of our work as incidents get bigger and inevitably into a type-1 disaster.

Making sure you specifically address your audience is critical at being a good instructor.

Tho, I don’t know who is Kevin Kur. Dang it. 😆

So for those that believe ICS classes are boring, I would contend that you don’t have the right instructor(s). Case in point, who gets cheers and applause at the end of an ICS-300?

Yep. Hello, I’m @rusnivek.

And of course the R9 PIO said we had to do a class Usie so…..

Say Happy Aloha Friday!!!!! PC: BRT

Reporting live from the Center for Domestic Preparedness….

@rusnivek

February has 3 states and 2 regions

Posted on February 1, 2020 by rusnivek

Into February we goooooooooo!

First full week will be the run up/prep for the busy month as we open up six new classes,

Second full week will be an ICS Forms course and an ICS-300 course. Additionally, I’ll be in Wisconsin for a few advanced social media courses and a bunch of presentations to help prep for the upcoming 2020 Democratic National Convention. And then ending a week with a Debris Management class at the home office. That’s right, I’m hosting a Debris Management class on Valentine’s Day.

Third week, we will be on official assignment for FEMA as I lead another ICS-300 course at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama.

Fourth week, is the final planning week as we roll into an incredibly difficult March.

Looking forward to a busy month in Region 5 and 4.

Will we see you in class this month?

@rusnivek

Final day teaching ICS-300 at FEMA Region V

Posted on January 17, 2020 by rusnivek

Final Day of ICS-300 as we roll along with resource management, prioritization, demobilization….

….and of course the new recovery support functions. All aimed to help communities recover from any disaster.

We are all working hard to enhance the preparedness level of many of our critical staff – building a culture of preparedness.

Reporting in from FEMA Region V…

@rusnivek

Day-2 of FEMA ICS-300 here at FEMA Region V in Chicago

Posted on January 16, 2020 by rusnivek

More fun as we continue through day-2 of ICS-300 at FEMA Region V.

Today’s convo will be dominated by the Planning P and how integral the cycle is to our operational rhythm in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or the Joint Field Office (JFO).

Also a great time to talk about resources and the need for more as we progress along in the disaster. As you know, ordering stuff (single point vs multi point) isn’t easy, accounting for the resource, tasking the resource, and justifying the resource is harder than it looks due to the restrictions that inbound resources have. As always, great discussion today from all participants!

Throwing the shaka cause I know tomorrow is AlohaFriday!

Reporting live from FEMA Region V!

@rusnivek

FEMA + Region V + ICS-300 = Meeee!

Posted on January 15, 2020 by rusnivek

Good morning FEMA Region V!

Time to get my ICS-300 on because I am teaching ICS-300 with one of my Plans Section Chiefs Mark Ballard!

This one is an all Federal class here as we serve our DHS partners and various other organizations in learning about the Incident Command.

You know what day it is. On Wednesdays, we wear pink.

Reporting live from the FEMA RV RRCC…

@rusnivek

Final day of the new 2019 ICS-400

Posted on December 11, 2019 by rusnivek

The final day of new 2019 ICS-400! But first, let’s see…what the-

WHY IS THERE SNOW?!?!?

Dang it.

Thanks again to Will County (IL) EMA Director Harold Damron for instructing this ICS class with me this week.

Lots of great discussion on coordination and resource ordering. Deep convos on complex problems esp on after action reviews (AARs) and implementation plans. And the complexities of collaboration is incredibly important esp at the Type-1 and Type-2 responses. As you know, that is the crux of Emergency Management.

Special shout out to Chief Gorsky and all the members of the Darien–Woodridge Fire Department on the fine hospitality.

EM-1 clear, enroute back to quarters.

Gotta prep for our next class!

@rusnivek

Day 1 of ICS-400 at DWFD

Posted on December 10, 2019 by rusnivek

Starting out day-1 of the new 2019 version of ICS-400: Advanced ICS. Also me trying to be creative with a half holiday wreath of ICS participant guide books.

Yeah yeah, I won’t quit my day job.

We will pop a little Dean Martin this morning as participants roll in. While not the normal intro music, I figured we could all be a bit more festive.

As always, special shoutout to Fire Chief Gorsky and the crews from Darien Woodridge Fire Department on the warm hospitality.

Great to have this partnership with a progressive department who is always willing to host and serve countless communities across Illinois.

Unlike ICS-300, our Advanced ICS class has lots of group work and we are fortunate because in this class, we have a diverse group from hospitals and police….

…and Emergency Management, Health Department, Fire, Law Enforcement…

…private industry, and various county-wide agencies.

All here to learn and collaborate with others as we continue to build the skills of our most trusted partners from across Illinois.

This week, we are joined by Will County Emergency Management Agency’s Director Harold Damron.

The incredibly strong partnership between county Emergency Management Agencies is forged in the heat of the battle fighting the good fight every single day across this country.

Additionally, Director Damron has some diverse nuclear/radioactive challenges in his jurisdictions which help provide a different perspective on Emergency Management’s response to any disaster or perceived emergency.

Outstanding day. Looking forward to a full day tomorrow for the last day of ICS-400: Advanced ICS.

@rusnivek