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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

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

How KTLA’s Liberte Chan used social media to showcase common sense #CAWx

Posted on May 16, 2016 by rusnivek

Looks like KTLA (CW affiliate) made the news again.

Correction: KTLA IS the news.

Anchor Chris Burrous said “We are getting a lot of emails.”

Errrrr, perhaps a different on air line would have been more appropriate. I am thinking that the on air/broadcast decision and handing her a cardigan was a poor choice.

“KTLA’s Liberté Chan initially changed out of her original outfit because it got “keyed out” – or rather, didn’t work well with the green screen and the weather report colors. She changed into a black tank dress, writing on Twitter, “Even if it’s early in the AM, can’t beat a black beaded dress.” However, apparently her new glamorous look didn’t go over well, leading to Weekend Anchor Chris Burrous to hand her a sweater in the middle of her weather report.” – Maria Mercedes Lara (@maria_mercedes)

Here’s how Liberte used FacebookLive, YouTube, and other behind the scenes videos to show viewers the real story behind the wardrobe choice.

More importantly, how accurate are her forecasts?

Liberte-don’t apologize. Give good weather info.

C’mon people. Stop being so delicate.

@rusnivek

My new social media friends in Michigan #NDPTC

Posted on May 11, 2016 by rusnivek

Lots of new social media friends in Michigan.

Many mahalos to the outstanding hosts from the Michigan State University Police Department and the use of their Emergency Operations Center for our #NDPTC class.

Our class included a social media inject from FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.

Lots of discussion on data mining, geolocation, and information gathering including a little real-time people uses and their platforms. How was your coffee Valerie?

The power of social media.

After class was over, many of the participants (Cooper and Valerie) said to check out the famous MSU Dairy Store.

Dark, quiet, sadly, no one was home. Promised ice cream but I got nothing. #boo

Maybe next time I instruct in Lansing.

@rusnivek

Social media for MSU today

Posted on May 10, 2016 by rusnivek

Social Media NDPTC course today at the Michigan State University.

Lots of agencies from all over Michigan.

Great to see such engaged peeps and representatives from our all-hazards partners in public safety.

@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

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

Waving along on the new SM app ANCHOR!

Posted on April 26, 2016 by rusnivek

Playing around on a new social media app called Anchor!

Basically, I think it’s a audio twitter.

Unsure on the viability of the platform yet. There might be some huge problems w/ 508 compliance and searching is going to be tough unless you get Siri to listen better and help discern specifics.

First blush? I’m not excited by it.

I know you think I like everything. But I don’t.

Anyone else on Anchor!?

I’ll keep you posted as I test and wave along.

@rusnivek

A newspaper printed social media apps?

Posted on April 19, 2016 by rusnivek

Interesting that a newspaper printed this.

By the time this story went to press, there were about 293,789 other apps that came popped.

Also, it’s weird that a newspaper PRINTED pictures of these apps. #NotEnoughAdvertisement

IMHO, I also believe they should add a few more to this list.

@rusnivek

I tried Facebook Live and learned this #SMEM #LESM #HCSM #PIO Safety-PIO-SM-16-002

Posted on April 12, 2016 by rusnivek

Did some Facebook Live today w/ Denver International Airport’s Exercise Program Coordinator Ashlee Herring.

Fun stuff esp since we recorded it in Terminal A. (Totally in the airport wild!)

Found out a few things about Facebook Live:

1. First off, the viewing screen is square. That does make it difficult since most TV stations and broadcast media are doing things in landscape mode and want to fill the entire screen. Also, I doubt your TV at home is square right?

2. Turn off cell service. An inbound phone call (like I got one at 6:23). The phone call will stop the broadcast and force you to restart the broadcast. Basically, looks like a hiccup in the video.

3. No matter the environment, an external mic is necessity. Ambient noise would have overtaken the native iPhone mic being used.
4. Questions that were asked in real time would be hard to see from on-camera subjects. If we had a stand, it would have been easier to read questions and respond to them.

5. Also brings me to the next point about “liking” comments that people have added. I barely could do that w/ my fat fingers on the iPhone screen (far right). So perhaps another person behind the camera to Marshall the comments and engage w/ participants.

6. If there were any, I couldn’t see the real-time floating emoticons.

7. Because of the size issue, maybe consider using an iPad for Facebook Live broadcast. Tiny screen on iPhone 6 does not allow for much room for tap error. #FatFingers

8. Without the ability to add hyperlinks in the video, I was relegated to using paper flags created from chopsticks to identify audience questions. This could prove challenging because we often want to drive our audiences to a website, blog, or other reference info.

9. A solid platform or tripod is a necessity for a camera. Despite your cool guy Otterbox case being heavier, it will not stand up to the lightest breeze (reference my previous periscope fail due to high winds).

10. Front facing lighting on subjects is a necessity. Even though the airport has SO much light, we obviously we’re too dark. Think of othe complexities in a nighttime broadcast or challenging weather. Those kinds of environments will force you to be a solid tech guy carrying around a lighting package.

11. Remote actuation doesn’t work so my Bluetooth remote starter will not actuate (or turn off) Facebook Live. Perhaps this is a feature that Facebook is working on in the next update, but at this time, you have to awkwardly push push button to stop live broadcast.

12. In the beginning of the broadcast, you need to allow for some time for people to join in and get acclimated to the newer platform. Similar to a cconference call, people need to get situated. I know it’s Facebook, but it’s still different for those who are watching/participating.

13. Sadly, it had a similar feeling to conference call.

14. Unsure if any hashtags would have helped as I was not looking for more audience members. But I assume Facebook’s lack of # use will not be a driving force of users who search Facebook for hashtags to watch live videos.

15. I did not turn on Facebook’s location – but I doubt people at Denver International Airport would have watched it since we were only talking not “breaking news” or “emergency updates” right?

16. Similar to live on-scene broadcasts, you are going to have to do a mic/sound check. We found our mic to be a bit hot and maybe dual lapel mics would have worked better for sound.

17. For those PIOs who are thinking about going this route, you definitely need an opener and a closer to help acclimate those who join late.

18. I am not sure how Facebook is going to make their live broadcast 508 compliant.

19. Facebook Live ATE UP MY BATTERY!!!! I had to plug my iPhone into an external battery pack so that I could keep broadcasting. Plug in before you start broadcasting.

20. WiFi. I was specifically testing it on Airport WiFi to see if public WAPs would hold signal enough for a broadcast. According to some of your feedback, it seeems to be intermittent cutouts and audio drops. That’s not good for a formal speech. Perhaps a consistent WiFi connection or at least a solid 4G LTE.

21. Facebook’s adds that followed the video posting were completely off. Facebook apparently gleaned orbs, DIY, recipe, cheesy, and buffalo chicken lasagna. Clearly NOT what we were talking about in the video. Maybe their voice recognition isn’t working quite yet.