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Emergency Management, Emergency Services, & Disaster Spox

We got a #FacebookDown-Safety-PIO-SM-14-009

Posted on November 7, 2014 by rusnivek

14-009: We got a FacebookDown
Agency: Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept.	Topic(s): Non-related current event messages
Date: Fall 2014	Platform: Facebook and Twitter

Just like any other service, social media platforms are bound to go down. And when that happens, a small amount of the population does NOT know how to react appropriately. Some residents of California decided that calling 9-1-1 was their only resort to getting logged back into Facebook.

Ahem. Clearly, this is NOT an emergency. Sgt Brink is right in making it very clear to his audience (on Twitter) that Facebook’s non-service is not a Law Enforcement issue. Common sense right?

Most agencies should have an easy contingency plan when this type of situation happens. Social Media postings and engagement will help decrease calls to various public safety agencies…including during non-emergency times. So having this type of canned responses ready to push out when a major social media platform has the hiccups, might help your constituents navigate their (loss of) digital life. Additional use of a trending hashtag will bring more visibility to your post by informing others of actions, or in this case, non-actions.

A more effective tweet could have read:

#Facebook is NOT a law enforcement issue. Pls don’t call us about it being down, we don’t know when FB will be back up #facebookdown

By phrasing it this way:

You sternly address that this social media platform is NOT a law enforcement matter (duh).
You use a hashtags that is trending (#Facebookdown) that will help increase visibility in your tweets.
You highlight the importance of being current and active on recent news/events.
You stress the importance of engaging with your social media users on various social media platforms.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this file:

WeGotAFacebookDown-Safety-PIO-SM-14-009

No complaining-offer solutions-Safety-PIO-SM-14-008

Posted on October 24, 2014 by rusnivek

14-008: No complaining – offer solutions
Agency: Long Beach Fire	Topic(s): Public Perception and Solutions
Date: Fall 2014	Platform: Twitter

Complaining or venting on social media is fairly common. However, as an official agency, public displays of affliction does not portray the best image. Long Beach Fire expressed some displeasure on Twitter when discussing the their pilot program.

After reading this tweet, the public’s perception is that if 9-1-1 is called, no ambulances will respond. This is irresponsible and wrong. (Almost all emergency services have mutual aid agreements or memorandum of understandings in place.)

Positioning your agency as a fear mongerer or the Harbinger of Evil will only further distance yourself from people who would be willing to help your cause. Inform them of dangers, but more importantly, engage them publically on social.

If there is internal displeasure with the new staffing models, be proactive and offer transparent solutions in the tweet. Cite websites that provide industry information. Publically share statistical data that supports changes with current programs. These online tactics will help direct and educate the general public on how to be better informed on other program and possible other options yet unexplored.

Additionally you can rally your constituents behind better initiatives by engaging with them publically via social media. It demonstrates that your department’s community involvement is a key part of a better solution.

As an official account, Twitter’s 140-character limit is really no place to moan/groan.

A more effective tweet could have read:

LBFD resources are maxed out. #Firefighters cannot provide adequate #Paramedic service to our communities. Help us find a solution <insert link here>

By phrasing it this way:

You identify that resources are…well…maxed out.
You use hashtags (#Firefighters and #Paramedic) that will help increase visibility in your tweets.
You stress the importance of providing dedicated service to your community.
You provide a traceable/measureable link that informs and helps bring visibility to this critical situation.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this file:

No complaining-offer solutions-Safety-PIO-SM-14-008

Write For Different Platforms-Safety-PIO-SM-14-003

Posted on August 15, 2014 by rusnivek

14-003: Write for Different Platforms
Agency: Rocky Mountain Area IMT	Topic(s): Social Media Platform Specific Messaging
Date: Summer 2014	Platform(s): Press Release vs Twitter

Despite the message being essentially the same, every communications platform is different.

Speed is important, but correctly addressing your audience is critical in the world of public information.

On July 1, 2014, this tweet was posted on the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team’s feed during the Eightmile Fire while deployed in Canon City, Colorado.

“FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” In all caps? All caps use on social media portrays yelling. Professionals should portray calm/control.

Twitter’s social media platform premise is a fast microblog service focusing on immediate information. This templated press release lingo (FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE) is not necessary. Every tweet is automatically time/date stamped including matching the recipients’ time zone. Do not waste your valuable 140 characters.

To me, this was a cut-and-paste action, or even worse yet, they just linked the agency’s Facebook and Twitter accounts together. No time was spent in addressing the various platforms used to push this valuable information. Remember, PIO actions on each platform in social media are not generic, they are specific. We talk about safety to kids differently than we inform adults on safety right? Likewise, we should address our audiences on social media accordingly to the platform they use.

A more effective tweet could have read:

“Updated information & stats on the #Eightmile Fire ongoing in Colorado can be found here fb.me/6KArLmgFr ”

By phrasing it this way:

The tweet is shorter and more concise.
Tweet identifies where the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team is deployed.
The main point of contact is identified on the Facebook link provided if more specific information is needed.
Shorter messaging will allow your followers to retweet/repost and amplify your information.
The use of hashtags will help audiences find information about the #Eightmile Fire and identify the Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team as a trusted source of information.

Know the differences in mainstream social media platforms because what will work on one old platform (press release) will NOT work on newer platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc…) Know social media and use their amenities to your advantage.

Time is valuable, so post good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this: WriteForDifferentPlatforms-Safety-PIO-SM-14-003

All-Hazardy participation and collaboration for flooding

Posted on August 13, 2014 by rusnivek

Great first day in our flood course here at Ohio EMA in Columbus.

I am fortunate that the participants in this class have outstanding stories from previous declarations and experiences from local, state, and regional responses during emergency flooding.

Some have shared their 500 year flooding stories from just the past 7 years (and clearly, it’s time to revisit the categorization and re-term these floods).

Here, FEMA staff, Ohio EMA staff, Ohio National Guard, and local Fire/Rescue services collectively discuss creative options to better serve numerous vulnerable population communities during an emergency evacuation during flooding.

IMHO, I really enjoy seeing this type of All-Hazardy professionals at the table.

Collaborating early can only strengthen joint response during any disaster.

@rusnivek

Ice and Water Rescue in NW Ohio – All-Hazards Full Scale Exercise

Posted on March 1, 2014 by rusnivek

Spending a bunch of time in NW Ohio with several emergency services agencies focused in on Water/Ice Rescue.

Did some GPS coordinate work, observation and recon work, and of course some grid search pattern work.

A few of my peeps testing their newly acquired National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS) concepts.

Had a chance to interact with a few of the NW Ohio water rescue resources as well as a few aeromedical agencies too.

I’m glad to see so many willing all-hazards participants involved in this exercise.

Also glad to see local and regional law enforcement participation in the day’s events too.

Despite relatively colder temps, all crews managed to say jovial and warm.

Thanks again to my cadre of ICS Subject Matter Experts in Operations, Logistics, Public Information, Communications, and Air Operations who assisted today with evaluation.

@rusnivek

Fox only hires really tiny people to man their enormous iPads

Posted on October 8, 2013 by rusnivek

So Fox News should be featured on MTV Tech Cribs now. Some geek had a wet dream and convinced the set peeps to build a touchscreen study hall at the studio.

Either Fox LOVES to touch things…

…or maybe they only hire really small people now.

Redic. How tired would your arms be after 30 minutes at these work stations?

Again, redic.

@rusnivek