Made a pit stop in Columbus today, and walked out to a header. Upon closer look…
I followed Truck-2 in.
Smelled different than a normal work.
All the foncy trucks attended. But sadly, it was only mulch. Basically large open burning.
Oh well.
But hey, at least the sun was out.
Spending my Sunday alongside @nbc4i , I’m @rusnivek –
Reporting live from the working mulch fire…
Awwww yeah! Using gifs for preparedness?
Yaaaasssssssss! #winning
But then this happened:
Holey moley! It’s a good day when FEMA’s @ReadyGov RTs me and @PrepareAthon loves my gifs. #swoon
Now use your new social media powers for good.
Reporting live from the EOC…
I like the mountains…I like the clear blue skies…
Reporting live from the State of Colorado Emergency Operations Center…
Using SnapChat for preparedness isn’t as easy as one would think.
So here is yesterday’s snap in sleet.
Few items that I have to ponder for next time:
1. Portrait vs landscape. Since MOST of our recipients will be viewing this on a mobile platform (vertical), we should shoot the videos in portrait mode. That makes “selfie” solo production a bit more difficult. Hint: You might want to stop making fun of that selfie-stick now and get one.
2. Outside conditions (esp in our line of work) necessitates an external lav mic. I have one and I totally forgot to use it.
3. Framing needs to be assessed because the shot needs to include room for text.
4. Remembering which side is up during landscape video shooting is important. (I purposely did it so I can see if viewers rewatched the video to get the full effect). But SnapChat’s analytics don’t show amounts on segments – it only shows who has initially watched.
5. My shot list should have included various parts of the vehicle. Similar to a news package, varied backgrounds would likely keep audiences more engaged and keep their interest.
6. Filming in sleet isn’t fun.
7. Clean your lens. A lot.
8. Turn off your engine. Ambient noise will affect your sound (esp being so close).
9. I should have used some sort of emoticons to appeal more to a younger demographic/audience.
10. Saving the snap to YouTube (in its entirety) so that it can be used for other preparedness efforts (including separated sections).
I know the 10 items are detailed and nerdy, but as PIO or PAO or Communications Pros, I feel we should regularly share our lessons learned with others so we can all improve our tactics and deliveries.
Have a safe weekend peeps.
While waiting for the meeting to start…
I still can’t quite finger the long-term-Gevity SnapChat.
I’m thinking it might be more of a gateway drug to other platforms.
And yes, it’s #AlohaFriday peeps.
I’ve said it about a million times now.
Bringing my best emergency management stuff today.
Teamwork brings success.
Pictures drive the photo-based platform Instagram. Solid eye-catching photos must grab your audience’s attention so Instagram provides various filters to improve contributors’ pictures. But when doing a comparison post (before vs after), agencies should consider the lightening of the picture before posting to enhance picture visibility (not photoshopping).
Compare the two before/after photos of the airport terminal. This picture of the after-construction terminal looks ominous, dark, and maybe not as friendly as it should, especially for an “after” construction picture.
Additionally, the free AdWare “Pic Collage” logo is on the bottom right of the original post is large and visible and a bit distracting.
Take the time to lighten the picture before you post (can be done free with Instagram’s filters), the picture would have looked more open and friendlier – a clear improvement over the previous comparison picture.
Utilize the free filters as well as various sectional picture framing provided by Instagram’s latest app updates to allow for a cleaner post. On Instagram, photography must be clean because the attraction on this social media platform is visual.
Three important things on comparison photos:
On Instagram, your photography skills are incredibly important because you are communicating a story to your audience with a picture.
Time is short, so Insta good stuff!
Or download the one-pager: Picture-comparison-posts-on-Instagram-Safety-PIO-SM-15-007
To help thaw my turkey, I just might try this method.
Maybe I should get some gloves so I don’t cross contaminate everything.
But seriously, here’s a few tips to help keep your kitchen (and bathroom) clean as you are thawing your birds:
That sounds like a ton of stuff to remember.
Turkeys are more difficult to cook than rabbit
But for those science nerds or mathletes out there, here’s a more pound based calculation for you:
Basically, if you have a frozen turkey, over 12 pounds, you are screwed.
Get thawing! NOW!
As I was eating my turkey sandwich for lunch, I envisioned this for Thursday
Yep, I’m gonna die.
The varied schedule allowed me to catch up to one of Cleveland’s finest Paramedics – Jim Willson!
The man, the myth, the legend, Commander Jim Willson! In lieu of posting an embarrassingly old picture of Cmdr Willson, I figured this one is best. Plus he knows too many stories.
I remember first meeting Jim at the ER. Years later, I remember meeting him again during EMS week as a Cleveland EMS Commander. Shortly thereafter, I sat and co-chaired the UASI EMS Functional Committee…Jim was always there.
(Funny note: I remember spelling his name wrong for about a decade until I got it right. Jeez.)
Jim’s career at Cleveland spans decades including finishing his career with Cleveland Public Safety as the Emergency Operations Center Manager. Almost every time I was in the EOC, Jim was there. I can’t think of a more dedicated EMS professional who’s been there/done that.
So glad to catch up to my friend Jim Wilson…I mean Willson.
Where is @rusnivek? 