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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Teaching Ohio EMA’s Basic Public Information Officers Course

Posted on July 15, 2015 by rusnivek

First day of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency’s Public Information Officer Course (G-290). Whohoo!!!!

Welcome and intros today by OEMA NE Region Supervisor Bob Zehentbauer.

Bob Z kicking off today’s Ohio EMA Basic PIO course.

(Bob-Mahalos for the kind words)

Special thanks to Medina County Emergency Management Agency and Director Christina Fozio for hosting this great all-hazards class.

Medina County EMA Director Christine Fozio with the best hospitality in the EOC!

This class, our participants hail from various disciplines including Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, Emergency Management, Hospitals, Prison officials, Private Industry, Health Department, and Higher Education.

So many experiences to share especially with all the EOC activations we had in the past 5 years here in NE Ohio. Castro case, Ebola, Pepper Pike Tornado, Flooding, Operations Barclay, Hurricane Sandy, etc…all are great experiences that we as instructors can share our experiences with our participants.

I believe the best part about the G-290 course? The on-camera interviews for everyone.

One camera for face, one camera for body language, and a tricky “reporter” asking questions.

Many instructors shy away from this task because they don’t have the time, experience, or even the equipment. However, I believe that it is imperative we have these tools that simulate real-life situations. We as instructors should provide the most realistic examples of in-field experiences for all participants.

For those attending, we will never compromise. We will always provide the best class.

Period.

@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

Safety-PIO-SM-15-003: More than just a link please

Posted on June 26, 2015 by rusnivek

15-003: More than just a hyperlink please
Agency: Otsego Fire	Topic(s): Tweets and cross posting
Date: 06-26-15	Platform: Twitter

It’s hard to find time to put effort in your 140-character tweets. However, a short description/picture will help drive more interest. Otsego Fire is clearly driving traffic to their Facebook organizational page which has some good content. But their paired cross-postings on Twitter from Facebook lacks because it looks plain and almost spammish.

Occasionally, you can post just the hyperlink, but in general, many users will want to know more about the link they are about to click through. Also a picture would help verify that the twitter account hasn’t been hacked by a bot or another nefarious group.

If the user decided to search back in the history of the account, they would see that previous posts from OFD all look similar. Nothing exciting. Remember, social media is a very visual engaging platform that should be a real-time exciting experience for the social media user. Consider posting an image to accompany your posts too.

Many PIOs believe that cross posting on various social media platforms is irresponsible.

“In my humble opinion, we talk very differently on Facebook.”

“IMHO @rusnivek txt V diff on Twittr. #OMG #WTF#TRUTH”

Different platforms force you to be a better writer. Even if it’s not your own original message, craft and tailor a specific message to your audience identifying and show how it pertains to your activities. Since this tweet (and previous tweets) have no identifying descriptors, users are likely not to click on the tweeted plain link(s). Maybe retooling the tweet with: “O-Town Mud Volleyball registration is now open. Ready to get dirty? <insert FB link here>” To increase interest, I would also include this picture of the volleyball tournament with OFD’s Engine in background.

Communicating on different platforms allow us to reach different audiences. As a professional following your strategic communications plan, you owe it to your constituents to address your specific audiences on each of your identified social media platforms.

By enhancing the tweet this way:

1. Any verbiage and image in your tweet will help readers click through the link in the tweet.

2. You include your own personal message about the upcoming event.

3. You craft messages specific to your audiences on Facebook vs Twitter vs any other social media platforms.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

To download the one-pager, click here: Safety-PIO-SM-15-003

Tour from TFD and now instructing at FSU #Florida

Posted on June 15, 2015 by rusnivek

Thanks to the crew from Tallahassee Fire for their quick station tour and hospitality.

Lots of equipment in a relatively small station. Also a good to hear that their AOR is growing and the chance for advancement is great at TFD.

Great to share a few stories – because no matter where you are from, the Brotherhood of Firefighters will always shine and exemplify the true meaning of family.

Now I’m starting off the morning on campus at beatiful Florida State University on the official FEMA/NDPTC class.

PIOs/PAOs – let’s get it on!

@rusnivek

A little Aloha in South Dakota!

Posted on June 12, 2015 by rusnivek

Bringing a little Aloha to South Dakota – great class today at Pennington County Emergency Management Agency.

Now use your SM/PIO skills for good!

Looking forward to today’s class.

@rusnivek

All-Hazards participants in today’s class in South Dakota

Posted on June 11, 2015 by rusnivek

Here for the class today. Numerous all-hazards responders including US Department of Interior, Bureau of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), US Forestry Service, FireAttack T-1/2 AHIMTs, local law enforcement, infrastructure, utilities, public safety comms, PIOs, healthcare, Tribal agencies, and Emergency Management professionals from South Dakota.

Nothing gets in the way of good training!

In breaking for lunch just now, participants asked if the fella over there with the hella good hair had any Taylor Swift.

Yes, I’m a very accommodating instructor – no problem!

Reporting live from the EOC…FEMA Region-8 baby!
@rusnivek

June 2015 and my first visit to Region-8

Posted on June 5, 2015 by rusnivek

June will be a lighter schedule as I wind down on a few projects.

First week: I’ll be at the OEMA Basic Public Information Officers course including the JIC/JIS part. On camera interviews for everyone! (Region-5)

Second week: I am assigned to South Dakoka. My first time in FEMA Region-8 baby!

Third week: I will be in Florida (Region-4) piloting FEMA/NDPTC new social media presentation.

Fourth week: I’ll be back in Ohio and I *might* be working in an EOC or a field ICP.

Quieter month huh?

@rusnivek

OEMA Basic Public Information Officer training – camera time!

Posted on June 4, 2015 by rusnivek

Aside from the great classroom learning and building of networks, the on camera interviews are always hard to prep.

Our Basic Public Information Officers Course helps those who have NEVER been in front of a camera, actually see themselves.

We do on-camera interviews. Yep. Camera time! Members from local Fire Departments participated.

This included Chief Fire Officers from the suburbs too.

Agents from the ATF spoke very well.

Staff from USCG District 9 in Buffalo.

And of course members from the local law enforcement too.

Classroom critiques are always difficult to watch, but that kind of constructive evaluation helps those PIOs become better communications professionals.

I encourage all PIOs and PAOs to train regularly in front of a camera.