NIMS Description of the PIOs Responsibilities. Communicates with internal and external stakeholders. Thats right, I said z-o-m-b-i-e a-p-o-c-a-l-y-p-s-e. You may laugh now, but when it happens youll be happy you read this, and hey, maybe youll even learn a thing or two about how to prepare for arealemergency. The Public Information Officer may also perform a key public information-monitoring role. A micro-blog is a type of blog where the message is shorter. Uses correct grammar and contains no spelling or punctuation errors. This physical site is called the Joint Information Center (JIC), and is the location where: Narrator: When the State of Utah began to accept evacuees from the Gulf States as a result of the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, they implemented a Joint Information Center. Some examples of evolving media tools are: Web sites can be used alone or in conjunction with traditional media and other evolving media to get your message out. For each of these toolstelevision, newspaper, radio, news briefings, and evolving mediayou need written products. (Unit 4), Apply public information techniques to a 5% scenario. In order to keep a consistent two-way flow of information with the media representatives at the scene, it is important to make it relatively easy to communicate with them face to face. What will you change in future campaigns? Through ancient voodoo and folk-lore traditions, shows like theWalking Deadwere born. Some important considerations to effectively use evolving media include developing: Now you have an understanding of the advantages and limitations of traditional and evolving media. Develops a strategy or plan for handling the incident, monitors it in process, and adjusts the plan as needed. Social Media: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse. That you will get them information and be back to brief themand then do so. This course can provide a basic understanding of the PIO function for those new to the position. Watching the background. Speak to several members of the media at one time, especially during an incident. Work within the emergency management system. Switchboard: (301) 447-1000 A PIOs proactive approach to public information enhances credibility in messaging. When considering whether a goal is attainable, ask yourself: Do I have the skills and resourcesor can I get themto achieve this goal? 95% B. Better yet is the number of people who call and request preparedness kits! Participants will benefit from participating in entry-level incident command system training prior to taking this course. For example: Active voice is clear, direct, and concise. The latest information on activities, events, and resources. You can find the complete list of courses in the Spanish language course list. Your organization may have other format preferences, such as single-spaced and one-page only. 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. As demonstrated by the examples, micro-blogging has become an important source of information in preparation of, during, and after crisis situations. Illustrate the multiple roles of the Public Information Officer and the media in planning for and responding to an emergency. What are priorities within your organization? PIOs need to have a complete understanding of the community's demographics in order to: A. D. seek media release approval from the Communication Unit Leader., 24. 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. 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. Knowing how to effectively speak to media representatives using both verbal and nonverbal communication. When a newsworthy incident occurs, the media will be there, whether youve invited them or not! If you anticipate what they will want, you will have a better chance to manage the scene and help guide the story. If you use an acronym, make sure your audience understands it. Check with them to see if the location selected for a media area will allow them to accomplish this connection. The role of a PIO can be executed by one person or as a team, depending on the emergency and what resources are available. The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. Example: Press Release Using Inverted Pyramid Format. Join to apply for the Public Information Officer - 48752 role at University of California, Merced. 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.. In all cases, the campaign will include a compelling message and a clear link to the organizations overall goals and priorities. The role of the public information officer A. is strictly dictated by the National Qualification System position task book. Be accessible and return calls and emails promptly. 'Ss S>*2MbX^f Even the best writer can make mistakes, particularly when under pressure or in a time crunch. These people are your target audience. Now that you have some tips for better writing, lets look at how to write a news release. Your goals should be: The following is an example of a SMART goal: The Hurricane Ready campaign will present information about local hurricane hazards and the steps to take to be prepared by securing by April 5 media placement on three television stations, two newspapers, one social network, and a micro-blog, each week in May.. Lets look at some general descriptions of social media available: Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. 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. Emergency Management Institute Describe how to develop and execute a public awareness campaign. A well-executed interview will likely not A. advance leaderships goals. They also tell people how they can prepare for a disaster, and protect themselves when disaster strikes. Leaves the decision as to who will be in the pool to the media. 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. You have many resources available to ensure that the information reported about an event and your organization is true and accurate. You can find the complete list of courses in the Spanish language course list. If a media pool is not an option, consider providing professional-quality images to the media in the form of video and stills. Announce events of interest to your community or share information about an incident. 19. Many different social media monitoring tools are available. Select the correct definition Public Information A. Coordinates the release of accurate, coordinated, timely, and accessible public information to affected audiences, including the government, media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector B. endstream endobj 495 0 obj <. Describe how to effectively communicate orally and through written products. Public awareness campaigns can run for weeks, months, or even sporadically throughout several years. This lesson presents information on how to effectively communicate with the media and the whole community. Resident/Non-Resident, Trainer Program, etc. 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. Do you follow through? Campaigns are usually multifaceted, combining events and various media to get the message out. Blogs are a good tool to use to communicate with your audience. Tell the media representatives: Follow-through goes a long way to establishing good relations with the news media. Emergency management knowledge including an understanding of NIMS, ICS, the JIS, and the JIC. 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, 15. Avoid visuals C. Chunk content to make it more scannable D. Maximize search results by using acronyms, 6. 1943 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<9229C3A5CD7F8A409FF242859AD01E9B>]/Index[1928 28]/Info 1927 0 R/Length 89/Prev 779652/Root 1929 0 R/Size 1956/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream You can learn how to protect yourself from heat with some resources on our website including our Heat Brochure, Heat Related Illness Tips for Schools and our newly revised Heat Emergency Response Plan. The most popular social networking sites have groups, which offer chat boards for members. Goals should be stated in clear, concise terms that have meaning for those working on the campaign and other key stakeholders. 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. Allows access to one media representative from television, radio, print, and Internet to a restricted area. They will go other places to get other information (local citizen reactions, sidebar stories, etc.). Use the media area for all media releases and conferences. Use examples and comparisons to help convey unfamiliar information, to paint a picture, or to help the reader relate to the information. First name. ICS is used to manage an emergency incident (like a wildland fire, search and rescue, hurricane, etc.) D. is only useful on television infomercials. To help you in monitoring conversations on social media sites, you may want to use a social media monitoring tool or social media dashboard. Time will also impact the shelf-life of your campaign. Refer to the list below. Youll be quite surprised at how the elected official mouse makes all the difference with the children. Picture of EMI Campus with Emergenct Mangement Institute sign in foreground and Buildings N and O in the background" title="The campus of FEMA's National Emergency Training Center, located in Emmitsburg, Md., offers a beautiful environment for first responders, emergency managers and educators to learn state-of-the-art disaster management and response. (What will motivate them?). The five (5%) segment of the 95/5 concept B. downtime when working an emergency. C. blue sky time but makes no difference in credibility. if you do not have a sid, Test questions are scrambled to protect test integrity. Joanne H. Moreau: We focus a lot on making sure that we have a very accurate and timely information process of information dissemination. The first step in developing a public awareness campaign is to research issues to identify relevant topics for your campaign. Consider information about the whole community when identifying topics, including: There is no point in conducting a hurricane preparedness campaign if your area is not subject to hurricanes. Establish one that doesnt hinder operations but affords the media reasonable, legitimate access. These sites make it easy to establish networks of contacts. Do they have special communication needs (e.g., visual or hearing impairments, or limited English proficiency)? . Time is a crucial element in any public awareness campaign. Office: (301) 447-1200 Fax: (301) 447-1201, (800) 621-FEMA / TTY (800) 462-7585 Practice talking in 5-second to 8-second sound bites. hbbd```b``"_H|LI&x9"$ ;Dr?*&Fvql2r S3 Joanne H. Moreau: We are able to work with all agencies and give a real solid unified message. B. an important part of the PIOs job. What is happening in other areas? A social networking site is a great tool for: Now you know about the many tools available to get your message out. Many times the site of a crisis or disaster may be considered a crime scene and needs to be processed by forensic units. D. takes its origin from two sources: management consultant D. Edward Deming and Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto.. In an incident, theIncident Commandermanages the entire incident and: TheCommand Staffprovides information, safety, and liaison services: TheGeneral Staffperforms functional activities: As part of the ICS structure, the PIO is part of the Command Staff and advises the Incident Commander on all public information matters relating to the management of the incident. 0. 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. Disclosing information to the public in ways that are easy to find and use. Organizing the information in a news release so that the important information comes first is called: A. AP style B. Inverted pyramid C. JIC style D. Journalistic style, 7. The participant will benefit from participating in entry-level incident command system training prior to taking this course. The Sonoran Desert will be among the hottest places on the globe for the next 4 months. Are there cultural differences to take into consideration? They knew that they werent being led down another road, that they were hearing things unfiltered. Coming back after the fire to retrieve them, their ghostly shadows left indelible evidence of the inferno that swept through their home. This training focuses on both parts of the equation. Next you need to identifyhowyou will communicate. Access to you and the newsmakers or persons in charge. The fire started near Harvest Junction on the railroad and the fumes from the burning hazardous materials in the cars threaten a number of nearby communities, according to local authorities. .. Determines what the public needs to know. Identify the purpose of what you are writing and start with the main message. (For example: The suspicious package was the size of a laptop computer. Jeff Leduff: We are the first line of information for the rest of the team because were out there all the time. 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. Media pools are used to restrict access to an area due to space limitations or safety issues. Doug Miser. The media area is a place where media congregate to help enhance the flow of information. Always connect with the Incident Commander before making any statement to the media. Later in the day, Deputy Mayor Mike Tracy and I stood in the same bedroom, getting a first-hand briefing from Fire Chief Kevin Rennie and Capt. (Incorrect), John enjoys boating, swimming, and fishing. (A media pool refers to a group of news-gathering organizations pooling their resources in the collection of news.) News releases should provide accurate, factual information that is attributed to its source. Another way to express your key message B. The press saw it. The median, annual pay for public relations specialists, during the same period, was $52,090, with the top 10 . They can be seasonallike hurricane preparedness week. for the incident. To be eligible for the course, the student must successfully complete the following courses: The completion of the following courses is recommended but not required: The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) is an Accredited Provider (AP) of Continuing Education Units (CEU) and is authorized to award the following CEUs for successful completion of this activity: IACET (International Association of Continuing Education and Training) 3.2 CEUs, 1-866-213-9553 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CST, Contact Us To read this blog, go to:http://directorsblog.health.azdhs.gov, Example 1:Survivors of the April tornadoes have until Monday, June 27 to register for disaster assistance from FEMA as well as . C. will transfer to a planning position if no media covers an incident. (Unit 3), Recall preparation techniques that contribute to a successful media interview. Determine information to be communicated to the public. . As a PIO, when you get to the scene, you will first make contact with the Incident Commander to gather information and assess the situation. Spelling- and grammar-checking tools (printed and computer software). What actions and resources are being used to achieve the objectives? Avoid acronyms. Manages resources including supplies, personnel, and equipment. And thats not all. How knowledgeable is the audience on this topic? Responds to the media while respecting restrictions on the release of sensitive information. PIOs get their message out by communicating directly with the public, working through the traditional news media and through new media. Proactivity occurs during A. 3. If you do not want something recorded by the media, cover it up or shield it with a vehicle. (Passive). For example, you can post videos, use social networking sites, and/or create a blog. Establishing relationships with news media representatives by being accessible and prepared. Over 150 PIOs working a major disaster, often from different locationsall to ensure clear and accurate information is being delivered amid the confusion of a disaster response. Now lets take a look at how one mayor, Mayor Kip Holden, ensures his community, the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in East Baton Rouge Parish, is prepared. On the couples dresser were two heat-seared imprints where Martinez had left his wallet and cell phone as he frantically scrambled to ensure his familys leap to safety. 50% C. 25% D. 5%, 9. Office: (301) 447-1200 Fax: (301) 447-1201, (800) 621-FEMA / TTY (800) 462-7585 A news release should be used when an activity or incident is newsworthy based on: News releases should be printed on your organizations letterhead and include a header with contact information (name and number), date, and a news release number. The Student Self Service Portal allows you to print or download Independent Study (IS) Completion Certificates, Student IS Transcripts (for personal or employer use) and Official IS Transcripts (for educational institutions only). . EMI is introducing a limited number of IS courses that have been translated to the Spanish language. 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. Tammy Kikuchi: The response was overwhelming. They heighten awareness of community hazards and encourage the public to take steps to become more prepared. If you need to build an email list, consider including a place for people to sign up on your Web site. Increased information needs can be handled. Where do they go and how do they get there (e.g., do they spend time on public transportation, do they visit the library, do they go to sporting events, etc.)? Additionally, it can provide those in executive-level roles with the necessary knowledge of PIO roles and responsibilities during an emergency. Is the conduit for information to internal and external stakeholders. Mayor Holden: We need to get in advance of different things that could happen, and begin to put a television show together to talk about the things that people should be aware of and what they can do. Describe the target audiences for the PIO. This fundamental principle is the basis for public information in emergency management in this country. Governor James Smith today declared a state of emergency in the Great A&P fire that is rapidly spreading west. Admissions Fax: (301) 447-1658, Independent Study Program When an emergency happens, ICS is implemented. With the advent of social media, another type of news release you may want to use is the Social Media Release (SMR). You can use different types of media and different avenues to get your message out, including: According to a Pew Research Center project conducted in December 2010, Americans now get most of their news information from television and the Internet, with newspaper readership declining. This is a release that you post online. (Unit 5). EMI is introducing a limited number of IS courses that have been translated to the Spanish language. Use natural gestures, but dont cross your arms, raise your eyebrows, shrug your shoulders, sway, or bounce. Describe the role of the Public Information Officer (PIO) in an emergency. What is in it for them? What problems are you having in your community? Score .9906. The Governor is continuing to monitor the situation. Terms of Use, IS-100.b, Introduction to the Incident Command System, IS-200.b, ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, IS-700, National Incident Management System, An Introduction, ICS-300: Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents, ICS-400, Advanced ICS for Command and General Staff, IS-702.a, National Incident Management System (NIMS) Public Information Systems, IS-800.c, National Response Framework, An Introduction. Well, were here to answer that question for you, and hopefully share a few tips about preparing forrealemergencies too! For example, change the location or angle of the lectern so cameras dont capture an unwanted view. If you hope to work with schools, plan well in advance to coordinate with their schedules and curriculum. An important part of your role as a PIO is to communicate with your community before something happens. Make sure the media area is far enough away and/or your workspaces are shielded from prying cameras, microphones, and eyes. Media management skills including knowing what the media wants, managing amateur journalists, and using media pools and media areas. The process for ensuring that a public information message was accurately conveyed is typically called: A. 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 .
the role of the public information officer fema