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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Day-2 of the 2015 Kentucky Governor’s Emergency Management conference for the Disaster Recovery course

Posted on September 10, 2015 by rusnivek

Second and final day of Disaster Recovery here at the Kentucky Governor’s Emergency Management Conference. As the lead instructor, it’s game time peeps!

I started the class out with some FEMA videos on the #Katrina10 recovery operation ongoing for Louisiana. They encompassed topics like whole community, public-private partnership, Faith-based organizations, and of course Fire/EMS public safety from SBPFD.

I then started laying the groundwork in the class for the end of day capstone recovery exercise.

But before lunch, I was requested to instruct in the adjacent room and teach the live video section of the KY Basic Public Information Officer (PIO) Course for Mike and Buddy. Addressing platforms and uses for situational awareness/common operating picture.

Nice to see some new PIOs in front of a camera. They did fairly well.

After lunch, we did some work with forms and cost recovery with Judge Bertram.

Overall, everyone had a great time learning and collaborating ideas for future Post Disaster Recovery plans. I’m looking forward to seeing Kentucky’s success in their enhanced recovery process now.

Special thanks to the Kentucky Emergency Management Office, KESC, and Ohio EMA for the invite and allowance to speak to all 38 Emergency Management Directors, 2 EM coordinators, 1 EM planner, 1 USAR, 1 lawyer, and 1 county executive. I’m also so glad to have the largest class at the conference too.

In anticipation for AlohaFridays, they broke out their best Aloha on a Thursday afternoon…Just. For. Me.

My new peeps! Reporting live from Kentucky…

@rusnivek

Packed September for 3 different regions with #NatlPrep

Posted on August 31, 2015 by rusnivek

August was quite the month of new stuff, and in true form, September will be just as exciting.

I am sure know that September is my most favorite month right? September is National Preparedness month where I’ll be featuring a whole bunch of different preparedness plans and you can participate and better prepare you and your family for disasters or emergencies. All of it…totally free!

But for the rest of the month, here’s the plan:

First week: I’ll be presenting at the Nebraska Infrastructure Protection Conference on Social Media intelligence and disasters. On day-2 of the conference, I’ll be giving the my national keynote presentation: Task Force Deployment to St. Bernard Parish Louisiana – Lower 9th Ward. Region-7 boom!

Second week: I’ll be presenting at the State of Kentucky Governor’s Emergency Management Workshop rolling out the brand new G-270.4 Recovery from Disaster course. Two days of critical recovery classes in Region-4…with me!

Third week: I’ll be in Columbus doing some Mass Fatality TtT classes with Ohio EMA and then delivering another Social Media course to Franklin County EMA. Back in Region-5.

Fourth week: We have the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s PIO Symposium (Friday September 25th, 2015) in Columbus.

And the Fifth week: I just might have some time to do some paperwork. Sigh.

This will be a tough first few weeks, but looking forward to the various regions.

And remember: Make your emergency plan today.

@rusnivek

July 2015 has crazy-town written all over it

Posted on July 2, 2015 by rusnivek

June 2015 turned out to be pretty crazy…and July 2015 has crazy-town written all over it.

First week: I’ll be working on a few things for NW Ohio and their recent flooding. Most likely Public Information Officer response stuff. At the end of the week/weekend, I got a special project with Cleveland Police K-9 Teams, SWAT, Bomb Team, Air Unit, and Mounted Units. Finally back in Region-5!

Second week: I’ll be teaching the Ohio Emergency Management Agency’s Basic Public Information Officer’s Course and Joint Information Center/System in Medina County. Working the PIO magic for the state!

Third week: I’ll be teaching a weekend ICS-300 and a weekend ICS-400 in Ohio. If possible, I might sneak away during the week to Frankfort, Kentucky to pilot a new FEMA PIO Course in Region-4.

Fourth week: I’ll be finishing up the ICS-400 course and then coordinating a site visit and functional exercise for our NE Ohio PIO Task Force (NEO-PIO-TF) to one of the local news stations in the Cleveland area.

It’s still a bit hectic, but I am hoping to see some peace to my schedules soon.

@rusnivek

4 regions in March 2015

Posted on March 1, 2015 by rusnivek

March has turned into a gigantic month!

First week, I’ll be in Kansas (Region-7).

Second week, I’ll be in Pennsylvania (Region-3).

Third week, I’ll be in Ohio…more specifically rolling out a brand new social media course for FEMA in Cincinnati (Region-5).

Fourth week, I’ll be in southern Ohio teaching more PIO stuff for health departments (still in Region-5).

Fifth week, I’ll be in Kentucky (Region-4).

I’m trying to squeeze in a tactical course w/ the lads from ICE somewhere in there, but I’m not making any promises.

March is indeed a busy month.

Are we there yet?

@rusnivek

Shake-shake-shake…shake your #Earthquake #EQ #ShakeOut

Posted on October 16, 2014 by rusnivek

Recently, we have seen a great increase in earthquakes across the country. From small to extremely large earthquakes, we should all be prepared – so I highly recommend that you participate in today’s Earthquake ShakeOut training/exercise/drill.

So on Thursday October 16, 2014 at 10:16am – practice your earthquake safety procedures with 9 other states in our region using these three easy steps:

1. DROP to the ground

2. Take COVER under a sturdy table or desk, if possible, and protect your head and neck

3. HOLD ON until the shaking stops

Following these 3 easy steps will help protect and you during an earthquake.

ShakeOut is coordinated by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium and the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

See, even the cool kids are doing it.

@rusnivek

October assignments to R5 and R4

Posted on October 1, 2014 by rusnivek

After delivering classes in Region-5 and Region-3 last month, I’ll finally make it back to Region-4…in Kentucky!

The September intel training didn’t happen. Maybe I’ll have to reschedule that for December.

As usual, the bulk of the month will be spent in Region-5.

I’ll be heading down to the State of Ohio PIO Symposium this Friday. Will I see you there?

@rusnivek

Hello Kentucky Public Safety and KY PIOs

Posted on February 11, 2014 by rusnivek

Spending the day on behalf of FEMA/NDPTC at the Campbell County (Kentucky) Fire Training Academy instructing local government officials/PIOs on social media.

Great to see class participants from Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.

@rusnivek

Today at 10:17am, you should practice these 3 easy steps… #ShakeOut

Posted on October 17, 2013 by rusnivek

After the most recent events that just occurred in the Philippines on Tuesday, I highly recommend that you participate in today’s Earthquake ShakeOut exercise.

“This isn’t California…Ohio doesn’t have earthquakes…”

WRONG McFly! The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) have recorded six earthquakes so far this year: three earthquakes in March and three earthquakes in July. Ohio had a total of four earthquakes in 2012.

Surprised? I know you are.

So on Thursday October 17, 2013 at 10:17am – practice your earthquake safety procedures with 9 other states in our region using these three easy steps:

1. DROPto the ground

2. Take COVERunder a sturdy table or desk, if possible, and protect your head and neck

3. HOLD ONuntil the shaking stops

Following these 3 easy steps will help protect and you during an earthquake.

ShakeOut is coordinated by the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium and the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

See, even the cool kids are doing it.

Stay safe!

@rusnivek