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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Another great Ohio EMA Basic #PIO course at Independence Fire

Posted on June 2, 2016 by rusnivek

Great Ohio Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) class with so many brand new Public Information Officers (PIOs).

Special thanks to Fire Chief Steve Rega and Assistant Fire Chief Wheeler and all of Independence Fire for hosting this great all-hazard course.

Oh you know me. Just doing my share reppin Ohio EMA…

…in helping everyone understand EOC Operations and the importance of a Joint Information Center (JIC) that regularly engages on social media.

Additionally, I love pushing the classic Emergency Management mantra of getting everyone to work together BEFORE an incident is a hallmark of sucess.

Bonus, I got to hang with one of my favorite PIOs – Erica Creech (aka Mama PIO)!

I can’t wait to work with so many of you in the near future.

@rusnivek

Prepping for next week’s PIO classes and exercises

Posted on May 27, 2016 by rusnivek

Prepping for another Public Information Officer, Crisis/TV interviews, and Social Media Courses next week.

Reporting live from LEX18…

I am definitely using a few examples to help break the ice.

Talofa from TALA FOU News!

But don’t worry, I have a whole library of examples to share – basically, what I’ve learned through experience.

One of the basic tips I talk about is RBF.

WKYC-3 (NBC Affiliate) in Cleveland, Ohio Photo Cred: Adam Gercak

Posture is important especially since I look super small behind a podium.

NBC24 (NBC affiliate) in San Francisco

One thing is for sure, on camera, I need to smile more.

Fox-8 in Cleveland, Ohio

#Yikes

Who is attending? I have the Mayor, entire City Council, Safety Director, Public Safety Chiefs, Health Department, Emergency Management, etc….So yeah, it should be fun.

Have a great long weekend peeps. Please take time to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms in this great country.

@rusnivek

State of Ohio EMA new Joint Information Center class in #SummitCounty #JIC #JIS #PIO #ESF15

Posted on May 5, 2016 by rusnivek

Rolling out the State of Ohio Emergency Management Agency‘s new G0291: Joint Information Centers (JIC) / Joint Information System (JIS) Planning for Tribal, state, and Local PIOs. Luckily, we were in the Command and Control room at the Summit County Health Department.

Command Control room…aka DOC

As always, its great teaching with Sister Michael Marie. Outstanding experiences and great stories from her international work in challenging areas of the world.

Even OEMA was checking in on our progress!

#truelove for us Emergency Management Instructors.

Sister Michael showcased the importance of all-hazard PIO involvement in emergency response to a natural hazard.

Everyone was able to share experiences and help each other improve – esp thinking outside the box on various scenarios.

By the end of this in-class activity, our participants realized that there are so many parts to a “simple disaster” that it pays to build partnerships early.

It’s all hands working in an emergency – so build your relationships early before a disaster.

Remember: At 0300, you ugly, you smell, you stink – and clearly that’s not the best time to meet new people and to function in an emergency at 110%.

“As Emergency Management, we must continue to nurture solid working relationships and common response/recovery objectives with our all-hazards partners in public safety.” – @rusnivek

Best part? At the end of the class, they all applauded.

slow-clap

Awwww yeah!

When was the last time a class applauded your Emergency Management NIMS ICS compliant class?

Heh.

As always, it’s great to teach with OEMA Instructor and consummate professional Sister Michael Marie.

There is so much going on in this picture. I can’t even.

I’m just glad to be a part of something big.

@rusnivek

Day-2 of Ohio EMA Basic Public Information Officer Course in #SummitCounty

Posted on May 4, 2016 by rusnivek

Second day of the State of Ohio Emergency Management Agency‘s Basic Public Information Officer’s Course in Summit County.

Lots of discussion on the changes in public information especially with the use of social media in the 24-hour news cycle. #OMG

We were fortunate enough to hear from WKYC Reporter Jasmine Monroe and Videographer Carl Bachtel (NBC News affiliate) on what the media needs once they arrive on scene. Great insight to breaking news and media notifications.

Special thanks to WKYC’s Jasmine Monroe and Carl Bachtel.

As a class, we reviewed all media interviews and shared positives and points to improve – all geared toward enhancing PIO interview skills.

Reviewing the on camera interview with Twinsburg Lt. Marcus Ketner.

The final activity we broke into various PIO sections. This included an on-camera interview with talking points and bridging.

Jim McIntyre interviewing Elizabeth Foster while Mark Shane handles the videographer duties in the final G0290 classroom activity.

Great way to showcase newly acquired skills!

Jim McIntyre interviewing Elizabeth Foster for the final G0290 classroom activity

At the end of the day, I had a few moments to play our little holiday project aka #CJSavesCLE – just to showcase the power of when PIOs work with local media to make a wish come true for a day.

#CJSavesCLE

Solid day with so many new peeps!

Tomorrow will be G-291 Joint Information Center stuff! #excited

@rusnivek

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

Posted on May 1, 2016 by rusnivek

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

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!

fema_regional_map

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

@rusnivek

Instructing the National Emergency Management Executive Academy at FEMA

Posted on April 30, 2016 by rusnivek

Pretty excited to instruct again on Monday at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute.

My class is the newer National Emergency Management Academies EM Professional Programs (EMPP) – Executive Academy.

I’m truly honored to be chosen to instruct the National Emergency Management Executive Academy that focuses on Strategic Leadership and Critical Thinking. My part? Crisis Communications, Public Information Officer, and Social Media Exercises.

Sunnies on and pin on point!

I hope to see you in class on Monday!

Totes excited.

@rusnivek

Media work today with WKYC #PIO #AlohaFriday

Posted on April 29, 2016 by rusnivek

Doing some media stuff today w/ WKYC-3 (NBC Affiliate) in Akron.

Working with WKYC Reporter Jasmine Monroe (@MONROEWKYC) and Photojournalist Carl Bachtel.

Building relationships and strengthening partnerships are easy ways we as PIOs can enhance our partnerships before a disaster or emergency.

Quick side note: They prefer tweets, Facebook posts, and text messages more than the traditional press release.

We discussed so many other challenges PIO and media teams face including telling the truth, don’t hide from the media, and of course professional respect/courtesy on the scene. Yep. All the same things we talk about in class huh?

#ToldYouSo

And of course it’s #AlohaFriday so you know, I gotta share the Aloha spirit.

Thanks again to Jasmine, Carl, and the news team at WKYC.

@rusnivek

#CJSavesCLE gets nominated for an Emmy!

Posted on April 29, 2016 by rusnivek

Super proud to see our little 2015 Christmas project #CJSavesCLE get nominated for an Emmy!

Check out the Fox8 story here.

Cleveland Police, Cleveland FBI, A Special Wish Foundation, led the charge. But so many public safety agencies and officials that made this day possible.

I can’t thank them enough. All the planning was totally worth it.

CJ – still such a cool dude!

Many mahalos to my friend and fellow CPD Public Information Officer Sgt Jen Ciaccia.

@rusnivek

On scene for your scope or live broadcast? Don’t forget to

Posted on April 28, 2016 by rusnivek

Just a quick reminder to reporters doing their live shots from the scene AND also PIOs/PAOs who are doing their own Periscope or FacebookLive broadcasts from the scene.

Remember in Periscope, once you start, you can’t just zoom in frame to exclude redic onscene jokesters.

Remember to think about an alternate broadcast site. Just in case.

Imagine running away (with a selfie stick in hand) to get a less distracting frame…

Love you lots on this rainy Thursday.

@rusnivek

Providing oversight on today’s US DHS and PS Canada International Exercise #Cause4 #CauseIV

Posted on April 27, 2016 by rusnivek

I was requested to support the Department of Homeland Security’s 2016 Science and Technology Cause-4 International Exercise between the United States and Canada today.

United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Public Safety Canada. Yep-international baby!!!!!

But crossing borders is more difficult than you think – esp when dealing with patient privacy, tactical operations, and coordinating efforts amongst ultra type-A personalities.

This is why training and exercising is so crucial to agencies who want to make a different in their communities they serve. This is also why Emergency Management is ideally a solid coordinating entity for this type of response.

In this particular international exercise, emergency response agencies are testing EMS response, transport information, sharing actionable data, social media, and a whole lots others stuff.

I’m just glad to be a small part of the work by so many people and agencies.

I am convinced that through joint exercises, we can build stronger core agencies and be better responsive to emerging threats and hazards.

“It is imperative that we enhance our all-hazards public safety partnerships.” – Kevin Sur.

@rusnivek