Where is @rusnivek?

Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

Marching right in…is March!

Posted on March 1, 2017 by rusnivek

Marching right in…is March!

In the first full week, as 1Q starts to close out, I will be finishing up my yearly requirements including compliance and yearly required classes/re-certifications from the agencies I represent.

Second week, I’ll head to Boise to teach some advanced social media courses. Keep your eyes peeled for me in Idaho!

Third week, I’m headed down to Anniston for some FEMA Mission Ready Training with my favorite HQ peeps. Now you know, I wanted to attend the 2017 NEMA Mid-Year Planning Conference, but I just can’t swing it this year.

Then the fourth week, is packed with teaching some new peeps from Woodlawn, everyone’s favorite, ICS-400: Advanced Incident Command System (ICS).

Is it spring yet?

@rusnivek

Fun with tourniquets! #trauma

Posted on February 28, 2017 by rusnivek

Quick – take the picture will ya!

Yearly tourniquet competency – check!

Few notes for those that want to get/use one.

We all have bigger clothes (esp in the winter time). Get the larger width and size tourniquet.
Deploy and activate your equipment using your non dominate hand. It is likely that your primary hand maybe occupied or injured.
Tighten ALL the way down. And then turn until the bleeding stops.
Most importantly, train with your equipment…esp immediate critical intervention stuff.

Hope you never have to use this on anyone else or yourself.

@rusnivek

Planning for upcoming class in June

Posted on February 26, 2017 by rusnivek

Sunday evening. Just doing some planning (get it?) for June.

Hope to see you in my class.

@rusnivek

Brand new FEMA #NDPTC Social Media Engagement Strategies at State of Colorado EOC

Posted on February 22, 2017 by rusnivek

I am honored to bring a brand new social media course out: FEMA/NDPTC Social Media Engagement Strategies

This particular social media course has been under development for the past few years. With it’s first delivery in the Pacific NW in 2015. But the best part is today’s course is in Colorado!

At the heart of FEMA Region 8 – these peeps know their stuff.

State of Colorado PIO Micki Trost welcoming all the participants in the class.

Many of the PIOs in class today are from almost all ESFs including a strong contingent from ESF-01: Transportation!

Great partnerships with local, state, Federal partners, and DoD representatives in class today.

I also got a chance to share my field deployable PIO Kit (aka my man bag / man purse / European carry all)

Great discussion on social media and how to increase engagement on various platforms including Slackk, Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, Musicaly, SoundFile, and of course a few tips on how to have a corrrdinated approach to dissemination of information to external partners as well as internal employees. Remember, all internal employees (if they consent) could be brand ambassadors of their agency.

Active in class discussion as well as spirited activity in class w/ EOC and VOST teams can mutually benefit if both understand the needs and requests.

And also a VERY special shout out to the courses creator: Cheryl “HAZMAT MiniVan” Bledsoe. #famous

Obv, MaryJo and I are stoked to be the first instructors to bring this to Colorado!

Stay safe peeps, it’s only Wednesday.

Engage on social media like a MoFo and always do good stuff.

Reporting live from the State of Colorado Department of Homeland Security Emergency Operations Center…

@rusnivek

Trust me, I read through ALL my evaluations

Posted on February 20, 2017 by rusnivek

Monday morning..in the office.

As an Emergency Management Instructor, I read through all my evaluations. Like ALL evaluations.

It helps better my instructional delivery as a professional as well gain valuable insight to how participants perceive our enabling learning objectives and key points.

The comments below are from a course I taught last week.

“I have taken a couple dozen or so FEMA classes and these two are the best pair of instructors I have had!”

And of course commentary like this makes me smile.

“More Kevin”

Glad to know the things that we do make a difference.

@rusnivek.

JumpSeatRadio in 3..2..1… #JumpSeatTraining #JumpSeatViews

Posted on February 19, 2017 by rusnivek

Whut. Is. Happening.

Is that Ryan Pennington…that famous JumpSeatViews Firefighter from Charleston Fire?

jumpseattrainingbanner

Yeppers-that’s JumpSeatTraining.

Oh yes, let’s crash this podcast party.

#famous in 3…2..1…

Listen in here.

Jumpseat Radio 057 PIO with Kevin Sur

In this week’s edition of Jumpseat Radio host, Ryan Pennington welcomes his good friend, and PIO Master, Kevin Sur. Kevin travels around the world serving in multiple roles with local, state, and federal government agencies preparing for emergencies. Kevin is a Social Media Master that teaches the benefits and uses of the multiple platforms to different agencies.

Mahalos to Ryan for letting me crash his party!

Reporting live from behind the JumpSeatMic…

@rusnivek

Another G0291 JIS JIC course for PIOs in Athens County #Ohio #AlohaFriday

Posted on February 17, 2017 by rusnivek

Leading off another Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Ohio Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) G-0291: Joint Information System / Joint Information Center Planning for Tribal, State, and Local PIOs.

We have a few new additions to our class – who hail from across Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Glad to have so many pros with us in class…esp for #AlohaFriday – yeah baby!

PC: J. Beckett

Always an Aloha shirt on Fridays.

Lots of group work and discussion as everyone contributes information to better their communities.

It is helpful because our participants have diverse backgrounds.

Almost all Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) were represented.

This allowed us to have an in-depth discussion and think outside the box to solve various in class table top exercises.

Instructors we able to facilitate discussion among groups providing the opportunity to enhance their response with immediate communication strategies and tactics for emergency notification.

Also lots of discussion of the benefits and pitfalls of the JIC vs the JIS.

Additionally, the class wanted to see a few pictures from our Joint Information Center (JIC) during the 2016 RNC (2016 Republican National Convention).

We obliged and showed a few pictures.

Glad to have the chance to present before the PIOs from Athens County and beyond.

Special thanks to Dan in coordinating this training with Ohio Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Proud to have so many different agencies represented.

Looking forward to working with each of these PIOs in a JIC!

@rusnivek

Great first day of Basic Public Information Officer #PIO Course in Athens County Ohio

Posted on February 15, 2017 by rusnivek

Kicking off another solid FEMA / Ohio EMA Basic Public Information Officer’s course.

We have participants from across the state of Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia!

So Region-5 and Region-3 are well represented.

Proud to have a diverse class this week in Athens County, Ohio.

Lots of class engagement with several opening activities assessing preparedness levels as well as gaps in PIO responses.

Addressing difficult situations (aka anticipating media questions) with PIOs or agency heads before they happen is a critical skill that every PIO should master.

Deep discussion on how all-hazards PIOs could support various operations with public safety. Also dissecting how Strategic Communications play a crucial role in planning.

#StratComms4Lyfe

On camera mock media interviews in the afternoon with focus on answering questions, talking points, redirects, and of course preparedness. Great time to hone the skills of every PIO and agency head.