Tag Archives: maryland

Day-2 of the 2018 DHS/FEMA Master PIO

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Day-2 of the 2018 Master PIO program and today we talk a bit about leading the future of PIOs nationally. Starting the discussion is USFA Tom Olashanski.

Lots to discuss and help shape the pathway for External Affairs. Everyone here contributing to the body of knowledge and discussing the future.

It’s more than just tools, more than protocols, it’s about how we move the ESF15 portion along and guide others to a successful career to supplement our Incident Commander as well as our mission objectives.

Also had some heated debate on current topics including the EAS system for mass notification.

Definitely the State of Alaska playing a heavy weight on current topics.

On to the presentation part!

So many different things to talk about.

A dynamic group and solid discussion all day and all evening long.

A completely dedicated bunch of peeps for sure!

@rusnivek

Day-1 of the final week of 2018 DHS/FEMA Master PIO class

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Day-1 of the 2018 DHS/FEMA Master PIO final week!

And yes, don’t have to look closely, I’m wearing a tie.

Stopping by is my good friend Interim Superintendent Steve Heidecker. Also sharing how proud he is of the staff at EMI and how they are augmenting the disaster response for Hurricane Florence.

Steve is an outstanding guy!

We most definitely had some solid PIO discussions at lunch…

And as you can imagine, with our class being from a bunch of states, we are all ready to enhance the PIO position in the Command and General Staff.

Yep, all smiles as we work through some complex problems for each of our respective jurisdictions.

Lots of great relationships as we plow through Monday of our Master PIO class.

More fun stuff this week!

@rusnivek

Last week of the 2018 DHS/FEMA Master PIO class

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Final week of 2018 FEMA Master PIO class at EMI.

Looking forward to seeing my cohort again and finishing up and defending our paper to the leadership staff at FEMA.

Man, I better concentrate!

@rusnivek

Disaster Deployment stuff for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security Symposium

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Good morning to the entire State of Maryland-

Here to present on Disaster Deployment “stuff” for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security Symposium!

Lots to share…cause you are going to need a bigger bag.

"Seriously, you gonna need a bigger bag." - @rusnivek PC E. Allen

“Seriously, you gonna need a bigger bag.” – @rusnivek
PC E. Allen

Additionally, SO glad to see familiar PIO faces in the crowd.

The PIO Voltron! (From L to R): Pringer, Brady, Sur, Brindisi, and Allen.

The PIO Voltron! (From L to R): Pringer, Brady, Sur, Brindisi, and Allen.

And special thanks to Steve Davis and Emilyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

I mean State of Maryland Social Media bossgirl Emily Allen on the invite.

So glad to see familiar faces again.

Reporting live from the State of Maryland Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security Symposium…

@rusnivek

Day-1 of the 2018 FEMA Master #PIO Course

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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….

@rusnivek

Great training resource discussion with the State of Maryland EMA

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I stopped by the State of Maryland’s Emergency Management Agency and EOC.


I had a chance to sit down with Executive Director Russell Strickland and talk about various Training & Exercise plans including a few ways to enhance their plans. Also caught up with the famous Doc Lumpkins!


Yep, that’s our classic pose. It’s the same pose as the EMI conference, White House Disaster Day, NEMA Conference, etc….

Obv we all had to have a quick meeting with City of St. Louis EMA Sarah Gambling-Luig.


#FlatSarah had to go to another meeting concerning #CityHallSelfie so the rest of us stayed to plan for upcoming classes.

Great discussion on various aspects of social media focusing on gathering information for tactical operation for SA/COP. Emily and Ed provided some great insight to upcoming plans for Maryland. Additionally, we also had a chance to chat about ready deployable PIOs to field tactical operations, Joint Information Centers (JICs), Incident Management Teams (IMTs), and increasing SA/COP for State of Maryland.


Looking forward to more PIO involvement with my Maryland peeps!

@rusnivek

Social media and a solar eclipse with my new peeps at Prince George County

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Outstanding day yesterday with my Prince George County Emergency Operations Center!

Great new facility to teach and learn. We kicked off our morning with telling our class that they could tweet, FB post, Gram, etc….all DURING class time. And within a few seconds, this happened.

Photo Credit: K-ray-a

It’s always a fun time when you are in class w/ me.

We also had a few celebrity PIOs in the audience like the famous Prince George County Fire PIO Mark Brady. #famous

@rusnivek and @PGFDPIO

As you know, he also teaches at EMI in the Advanced PIO Course.

Since everyone was hyped up for the solar eclipse, we built a break around the maximum viewing time…and yes, we all wore NASA approved safety glasses to view.

Photo Credit: Doug Walton

I might have been too excited and tried to teach with them on. Unless you are looking at the sun, you can’t see anything. NASA approved indeed!

Great class and outstanding new partnerships from everyone who attended our social media class. Mahalos to everyone!

Photo Credit: Prince George County (MD)

Now go forth and use your social media powers for good!

@rusnivek

 

 

Presenting at the DHS FEMA 2016 National Training & Exercise Symposium

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Heading out to teach at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) this week at the 2016 DHS/FEMA National Training and Exercise Symposium.


I am sure other Emergency Managers can attest, EMI is one of the best places to learn and build relationships with other professionals from across the country.

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And yes, it is one of my most favorite places to teach.

Just like last year, I’m stoked to be invited to present again and I’m hoping to see a few friends too.

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WhereIsRusnivek? Find_Doc? Hmmmmmm

So if you are headed to the 2016 DHS/FEMA National Training and Exercise Symposium this week, let me know.

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@rusnivek

April 2016 was solid, but it’s gonna be May

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April 2016 was solid, but it’s gonna be May…..

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Instructors Kevin Sur and Justin Timberlake. Heh.

First week, I will be instructing FEMA’s National Emergency Management Executive Academy Program at EMI specifically on Crisis Communications, Public Information Officer, and Social Media. Then heading back to Ohio to teach a basic Public Information Officer’s Course and Joint Information Center/System course (G-290/291) in Summit County. R3 and R5 = Twofer in just the first week!

Second week, I will head back north to Michigan to teach social media at Michigan State University. Then the last half of the week spent in Chicago for meetings with various public safety officials including Chicago Fire.

Third week, we have a State of Ohio Emergency Management Instructors’ Workshop at Ohio EMA in Columbus. Good chance to chat and share successes with our staff – who are all good stewards of Emergency Management. Cbus baby!

Fourth week, I will be instructing in the big DHS/FEMA 2016 National Training and Exercise Symposium at EMI. Whohoo!!! Hoping to catch up to Brian Kamoie and Doc Lumpkins again. Then jetting off to Nebraska to teach Social Media and Crisis Communications in the statewide CPESymposia. R3 and R7 in the hizzouse!

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Yep, it’s a 3-5-7 kinda month – A big month indeed.

@rusnivek