Gather, verify, coordinate, and disseminate public information in an emergency from a Joint Information Center. Emergency Management Institute (Unit 2), Describe the types of written products used in public information activities. Speak to several members of the media at one time, especially during an incident. Break your ideas into one subject per sentence. If you do not want something recorded by the media, cover it up or shield it with a vehicle. Preparing quality written products including news releases. Mayor Holden: By having that access it really helped us to quell the various rumors that were out there and we were able to keep the situation calm. Wear your uniform or neat, conservative attire if not in uniform. Lets start by reviewing the Incident Command System (ICS) and the PIOs role in ICS. Avoid getting involved in these media disputes. Overview: The FEMA IS-29.A course was published on 8/5/2019 to familiarize participants with the concepts underlying the PIO role. Some evaluation data can be collected without contact with the audiencefor example, number of Web page hits or increase in the quantity of smoke alarms purchased. You have many resources available to ensure that the information reported about an event and your organization is true and accurate. At the completion of this lesson you should be able to: Public Information Officersor PIOsare an important link between the organizations they work for and the communities they serve. For highly visible or controversial matters, it might be best to have a leader in the organization speak. After taking this course you may want to take other courses to help you continue your professional development. Office: (301) 447-1200 Fax: (301) 447-1201, (800) 621-FEMA / TTY (800) 462-7585 When an emergency happens, ICS is implemented. In Lesson 2 you learned about the many different media options you have, including: Select the right medium or right mix of media for a strategy to get your message to your target audience. They will go other places to get other information (local citizen reactions, sidebar stories, etc.). Dont date your materials by using the year or referring to news events that will become out-of-date quickly. All of the above, 23. PIOs shouldA. compile a go kit to allow for lengthy deployments to a long-term incident. When considering whether a goal is attainable, ask yourself: Do I have the skills and resourcesor can I get themto achieve this goal? A theme that begins in this course and is carried throughout the Public Information Training Series, the 95/5 concept A. is a management concept unique to public information management. Develops a strategy or plan for handling the incident, monitors it in process, and adjusts the plan as needed. In a crisis, getting the right information to the right people at the right time is more important than catching a dangling participle! In order to maintain the integrity of the scene and enhance the possibility for a successful investigation and subsequent prosecution, the scene must be kept clear of all nonessential personnel. endstream endobj startxref B. If you need to build an email list, consider including a place for people to sign up on your Web site. Is there any restriction on the information to be released? An important part of the PIOs role is to prepare written products, so the PIO must be able to write clearly and effectively. Select this link to access a printable . The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. C. Identify all the news media covering the area. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. T;)D2Dt `NY"`~XH@P ` Additionally, it can provide those in executive level roles the necessary knowledge of PIO roles and responsibilities during an emergency. Announce events of interest to your community or share information about an incident. Managing public information is another fundamental element of emergency management. Verdi White: The two functions and people that I need to have with me when Im out here doing anything is I need to have a finance person and I need to have the Joint Information Center. Narrator: In addition to a preparedness television show and Mayor Mouse, Red Stick Ready also communicates preparedness information through a Web site, the use of social media, and events like Red Stick Ready Day. Some tips to contribute to your success when managing information during an emergency are: A Go Kit is a mobile response kit that allows PIOs to function in the event that they are working outside of their normal place of operation. The information you provide: In addition to the qualities necessary to be a good PIO, there are skills and knowledge you need to ensure your success. Well, were here to answer that question for you, and hopefully share a few tips about preparing forrealemergencies too! DECEMBER 2020 INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER 1 OF 5 FEMA-509-v20170717 . Serves as an advisor to the Incident Commander. The participant will benefit from participating in entry-level incident command system training prior to taking this course. Describe traditional media available for communication. User: 4. Use the media area for all media releases and conferences. Providing good public information helps people make the right decisions at the right time and can instill public confidence in the organization, which is primarily important because: Students also learn message development and . Make sure the media area is far enough away and/or your workspaces are shielded from prying cameras, microphones, and eyes. hbbd```b``"_H|LI&x9"$ ;Dr?*&Fvql2r S3 At the completion of this lesson you should be able to: The previous lesson introduced tools the PIO can use to communicate with the community. You need to write to your audience. Are there warnings or other critical messages to be communicated to the public? endstream endobj startxref D. takes its origin from two sources: management consultant D. Edward Deming and Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto.. B. an important part of the PIOs job. A PIOs proactive approach to public information enhances credibility in messaging. Depending on where the media area is, the media representatives will need to be able to connect with their microwave towers or uplink with a satellite. Admissions Fax: (301) 447-1658, Independent Study Program FEMA does not endorse any non-government Web sites, companies or applications. B. describes a writing technique applied to social media content. It may be a good idea to record how many news releases you sent out, but the amount of media coverage you receive (e.g., column inches, mentions on news programs, and number of radio interviews) is more indicative of success. In such a scenario zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. Work to keep them out of danger as you would any member of the public. 19. The goal of this awareness course is to provide an orientation to the public information function and the role of the Public Information Officer (PIO) in the public safety/emergency management environment. A strategy to effectively use all the tools (traditional media and evolving media) together and determine the best mix of tools for what you want to communicate. These examples are micro-blogs from the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (Example 1), the Mayors Office of Homeland Security in Baton Rouge (LA) (Example 2), and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (Example 3). Example: Press Release Using Inverted Pyramid Format. But all four occupants miraculously escaped and the 45-year-old dad told the Ventura County Star: We thank God that were alive, regardless of what we lost up there.. Derrick Jensen: The feedback we received from them, from the local media that we work with on a regular basis and have a pretty good relationship from them . Develop a picture of who you want to reach with your message by asking: Now that you know what you want to communicate and to whom you will communicate, next you need to develop and implement your campaign. Social marketing is the use of commercial marketing principles to: A. The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Public Information Officer (PIO) training program is designed to provide PIOs with the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities to support proper decision-making by delivering the right message, to the right people, at the right time. Take a zombie apocalypse for example. %%EOF The activities a PIO chooses in non-emergency times (95%) has a significant impact on how successful he or she will be in the 5% spent in emergency response and recovery. (Unit 3), List the steps of the 8-Step Model for Strategic Communications. This lesson introduced you to different tools you can use to communicate your message as a PIO, including: In the next lesson you will learn how to prepare quality written products for these tools and how to speak effectively with the media and to the public. .. A Public Information Officer (PIO) for a public safety or emergency management agency might expect to spend what portion of his or her time on activities directly related to incident response or recovery? In a span of, I think, 2 months, we took in roughly about almost three thousand kids at various sites to talk to them about different safety things. Poor grammar and misspelled words can confuse the audience and hurt your credibility, but the most important goal is to communicate. If there is a reason that the media cannot be allowed access to the scene, consider using a media pool to restrict access while allowing them to get the images and interviews they desire. Managing Public Information for All-Hazards Incidents (MPI) is a four-day course that provides students with the practical knowledge of the role of the Public Information Officer, the National Incident Management System, emergency communications methods, risk communication, and interpersonal skills. This training focuses on both parts of the equation. Expert Help. NIMS provides a consistent, systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity, in order to reduce the loss of life and property and harm to the environment. Speculation C. Summarizing D. Bridging, 12. One PIO talking by phone to an on-scene PIO to confirm the number of responders at the scene prior to an initial news release. Once your campaign is implemented, the last step is to determine its success. The Public Information Officer Awareness Course (IS0029) is designed to familiarize participants with the concepts underlying the PIO role. When will you implement your campaign? The highest-ranking State official C. His/her regular boss D. The Operations Section Chief, 13. 0 Cell phone(s) with email capability or satellite phone(s), Flash drives and CDs* containing the elements of the crisis communication plan (including news media contact lists, PIO team contact lists, information materials, etc. The benefits of social media include the following capabilities: New social media tools are being developed and implemented all the time. The median salary for a public information officer is near 60,000 a year in most states and between 80,000 and 90,000 a year in higher cost of living states. What actions and resources are being used to achieve the objectives? Switchboard: (301) 447-1000 The Public Information Officer gathers, verifies, coordinates, and disseminates accurate, accessible, and timely information on the incidents cause, size, and current situation; resources committed; and other matters of general interest for both internal and external audiences. Public information is a vital function in disaster operations that contributes greatly to saving lives and protecting property. FEMA-NIMS@fema.dhs.gov NIMS Basic Guidance for Public Information Officers 2 II. If you anticipate what they will want, you will have a better chance to manage the scene and help guide the story. * Redundancy is important in case the computer you are using doesnt have an available or operating USB port or CD drive. Angie Welling: Pretty much every State agency was involved, and thats when we found out pretty early on that the Governor had involved every aspect of State government. The training courses listed below include those delivered at the state, local, tribal, and territorial level as well as higher-level training managed by EMIs subject matter expert training teams. All goals should have a target date for completion. Information developed and disseminated in anticipation of, during, or after an emergency to provide specific life- and health-saving information C. Issuing a news release on a seatbelt law (public information); announcing a road closure due to a multiple-car accident (emergency public information) D. Information collected, assembled, or maintained by an organization in connection with the transaction of official business and available for dissemination to the public, 8. Please review the IS FAQ's for more information. Grab the attention of your readers so that they will continue reading. Weve all seen at least one movie about flesh-eating zombies taking over (my personal favorite isResident Evil), but where do zombies come from and why do they love eating brains so much? IS-29.a - Public Information Officer Awareness | FEMA Emergency The media will want to get as close as possible to get pictures/audio/interviews. 1. The PIOs primary responsibility to organizational leadership as an advisor is to: A. PDF NIMS Basic Guidance for Public Information Officers - FEMA Below are some, but not all, of the critical skill sets learned during this training program: Personnel who are assigned or may be designated to perform public information duties during an incident, emergency, or disaster and anyone in a response discipline who may be assigned or designated to perform public information duties. Select it carefully and choose your background wisely. For more information on the Public Information Officer training program, contact FEMA-Master_PIO_Program@fema.dhs.gov. Other data requires that you reach out to the target audiencefor example, to conduct focus group sessions or implement random telephone, email, or print surveys. Note: Often micro-blogs will provide links to Web sites or social networking sites for more information. This lesson introduces you to some emergency management principles contained in the National Incident Management System (NIMS). You cant manage who shows up but you can and should manage contact with the site. When a newsworthy incident occurs, the media will be there, whether youve invited them or not! Themes weaved throughout the series include the 95/5 concept and an emphasis on whole community strategic communication planning. This course is designed for new or less experienced state, local, tribal and territorial PIOs or those who have this role as a secondary function. Below are some tips for writing in a clear, concise, and organized manner: Although active voice is preferred and is more interesting, passive voice may be appropriate when the doer is unknown or you want to focus on the receiver of the action. This course can provide a basic understanding of the PIO function for those new to the position. Contact local, tribal, territorial, and State press associations to obtain media lists. Although firefighters were able to knock down the blaze before it reached the parents bedroom, the smoke-blackened walls dramatically underscored how lucky they were to escape with their lives. Communicating factual information with the public is the most important job function of a PIO. How knowledgeable is the audience on this topic? 3. C. Monitors costs related to the incident, and provides . At the completion of this course you should be able to: The remainder of this lesson presents information on your role as a Public Information Officer (PIO). The Mayors Office developed an outreach campaign known as Red Stick Ready. The goal of this awareness course is to provide an orientation to the public information function and the role of the Public Information Officer (PIO) in the public safety/emergency management environment. The public information officer (PIO) reports to the incident commander, who in turn reports to the agency or jurisdictions responsible. nEAH {27(L( o 5UR\sR%or=uG5($#MJ (2*8T-\< Sometimes logging in for a session is recommended, to create a wiki-signature cookie for signing edits automatically. Narrator: While responding to disasters, Mayor Holden and his staff began to realize that many of the issues they faced repeatedly could be eliminated if the public was better prepared. A media pool: Note: Media pools can cause disagreements among the media. Coordinate information being distributed to ensure consistency with other agencies messages. Providing information and access to newsmakers. When preparing written products, it is important that your message is understood. For each of these toolstelevision, newspaper, radio, news briefings, and evolving mediayou need written products. Tornadoes or wildfires in neighboring States may increase your communitys interest in preparedness. A secondary audience is elected or other officials such as Incident Commanders or emergency operations center managers who want an overview of emergency public information. Influence an audience to modify behavior C. Sell government or nonprofit products and programs D. Enhance social media, 11. 524 0 obj <>stream Guidance on COVID protections for EMI students, and the CDC Coronavirus page for the latest updates on the pandemic response. Use examples and comparisons to help convey unfamiliar information, to paint a picture, or to help the reader relate to the information. NIMS Description of the PIOs Responsibilities. Office: (301) 447-1200 Fax: (301) 447-1201, (800) 621-FEMA / TTY (800) 462-7585 This lesson covered the knowledge and skills you need to effectively manage emergency public information during an incident: The next lesson summarizes your role as a PIO and how to use all the tools available to you to help your community be prepared and to share critical information when an incident happens.

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