Plan Your Crisis Communication Plan, PRONTO!

How current is your organization’s Crisis Communication plan? Is it ready to meet your agency’s needs of today? In this Wednesday Webinar, Argonne National Laboratory Emergency Management Experts, Jeff Donaldson helps you evaluate, build, and know what’s missing in your current crisis communication and how to correct it. Public Information Officers need guidance about their plans, policies, procedures, and protocols before an emergency happens.

Jeff Donaldson is an Argonne National Laboratory, (PAST), Public Affairs Science and Technology Fusion Academy instructor and has worked as a Crisis Communications, Emergency Management and Emergency Public Information specialist for the past 16 years, following a 20-plus year career in the newspaper business.

Identifying Fake Images That Could Disrupt Your Emergency Response and Recovery

The challenges with social media are a regular part of the Public Information Officer’s (PIO’s) 24/7 responsibilities. But as leaders/good stewards of information, there are processes that you can use to discern incorrect information. In this Wednesday Webinar, Kevin Sur will help you navigate and use the best apps and steps that are available to aid in sharing the appropriate details for situational awareness and provide a common operating picture for your team and your constituents. Whether fake pictures, AI- generated content, nefarious posts or even just mislabeled pictures, your job with mis/dis/mal information is critically important to the ongoing mission especially when it comes to keeping a positive light on your organization and the profession.

Kevin Sur is a veteran Public Information Officer who is currently the Director of Communications/Public Information Officer for the state of Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security. Kevin is also an Instructor for the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTD).

Data-driven decisions: How to get the most out of your social
media analytics

When minutes matter, how do you know you’ll effectively reach your audience on social media? Data-driven decisions: How to get the most out of your social media analytics will guide agencies in defining their social media goals, identifying their audience(s), determining what analytics to collect and how to evaluate performance against goals. Finally, we’ll explore how analytics can be tracked and presented both internally and to stakeholders.

Bronlea Mishler is a public relations and communications professional who owns Bronlea M Consulting, a firm offering training and communications guidance to government agencies. Previously, Bronlea spent more than a decade as a communications director and crisis communications expert for city and county governments in Washington state. Bronlea managed social media for the 2014 SR 530 landslide and coordinated communications for the 2014 Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting and 2016 Cascade Mall shooting. She has also served as lead spokesperson and communications manager for smaller jurisdictional emergencies and weather events. Bronlea is a FEMA-certified instructor for the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, for FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute, and for Argonne National Laboratory. Bronlea has a Master of Education degree with a concentration in Adult Education.

Kyle Nelson is a seasoned educator and connector who bridges the gap between technical expertise and clear communication. Leveraging experience in emergency management, meteorology, and telecommunications, he equips communities with the knowledge and tools to communicate effectively and make data-driven decisions on social media. Kyle has served as Training Coordinator for the State of Colorado’s Virtual Operations Support Team and as a 911 Dispatcher, where he coordinated and supported digital media monitoring and communications for presidential debates and dignitary visits, the 2015 Planned Parenthood shooting in Colorado Springs, 2017 Oroville Dam crisis, 2018 Lake Christine Fire and many years of Winter X Games. Currently, Kyle is a Telecommunications Project Engineer & Trainer with Pitkin County, and a Mountain Weather Forecaster & Ski Patroller at Buttermilk Mountain. He also serves as Planning Section Chief for the Pitkin County and Northwest Colorado Type 3 Incident Management Teams, and instructor for FEMA’s National Disaster Preparedness Training Center.

Watch Recording

Field PIOs Ready for the Call: How to Deploy, Integrate, and Demobilize for an on-scene Incident

Get valuable insights and practical strategies from a veteran Public Information Officer who has been deployed as a Field PIO. In this Wednesday Webinar, Wade Mathews will share his experiences and best practices when he was deployed to serve as the incident PIO in support of a small, rural community in southern Utah faced with an imminent dam failure, anticipated flooding and pending evacuation orders. Wade didn’t know any of the people he would be working with, but quickly assimilated into the organization and provided successful media and public communications throughout the climax and resolution of the incident. His takeaways will help PIOs who may face similar deployments at a moment’s notice.

Wade Mathews has more than 24 years’ experience as a (PIO), Public Information Officer. Currently, he is the Public Affairs Officer for Tooele Army Depot in Utah. Previously he was the PIO and Outreach Manager for the Utah Division of Emergency Management, former Public Information Officer for Tooele County Emergency Management and a charter member of the (CSEPP), Chemical Stockpile Emergency Management Public Affairs Integrated Process Team. He is also an Argonne National Laboratory, (PAST), Public Affairs Science and Technology Fusion Academy instructor in Crisis Communications and Emergency Public Information. Before becoming a PIO, Wade had a seven year career in the television news industry.

Make (NERDE), National Economic Resilience Data Explorer part of your emergency management tool chest

Make NERDE your new best friend to help you understand your community even more when it comes to emergency management planning. In this Wednesday Webinar, Argonne National Laboratory’s Alison Turner will help you use this system to its fullest capability to aid emergency management on what makes their community tick on the issues of economic development, recovery, and resilience analysis. During and after an emergency, this information is vital to help you plan and get the message out for internal/external stakeholders in your community. This will help you understand who in your area has been affected from a business and personal demographic perspective and help collect valuable statistics needed for government grants.

Alison Turner is a Senior Economic Development Researcher in the Decision and Infrastructure Sciences Division at Argonne National Laboratory.

Lessons Learned and Best Practices for Crisis Communications in the UNLV Campus Shooting

“Run-Hide-Fight.” That was the text that went out to all students, staff and faculty on December 6, 2023, in a mass shooting at (UNLV), University of Nevada Las Vegas that resulted in three people being killed and another three injured. In this webinar, Jeff Donaldson will offer insight into the true challenges of communicating during a major emergency event. Using his direct ties to UNLV he tracked and compiled a fascinating and thought-provoking presentation about some of the lessons learned and best practices displayed during this tragic event.

Jeff Donaldson is an Argonne National Laboratory, (PAST), Public Affairs Science and Technology Fusion Academy instructor and has worked as a Crisis Communications, Emergency Management and Emergency Public Information specialist for the past 16 years, following a 20-plus year career in the newspaper business.

When Minutes Matter: Public Alert and Warning Communications

The field of alerts and warnings (A&W) is rapidly evolving with advances in technology, increasing use of social media, new social science research into effective message design, and public expectations of warning services. In this webinar, Carol Freeman will be your guide to help you reduce process delays in issuing A&W messages. maximize message delivery to the public and create research-based A&W messages that will move individuals to take protective action.

Carol Freeman is a Senior Analyst with Argonne’s National Preparedness Analytics Center. Carol currently works with FEMA Resilience to research, design, and deliver Technical Assistance workshops that help emergency managers improve their disaster preparedness and response plans.

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Enhance and Inform Public Messaging

Providing easy-to-read maps of impacted areas can help the public understand the immediate ramifications during any emergency. In this webinar Carmella Burdi will demonstrate ways in which GIS can help to enhance and inform public messaging; the ins and outs of engaging effectively with your agency’s GIS staff; the basics of maps designed specifically for social media messaging; as well as how to create some quick and simple maps that can be used by PIO’s to engage with the media.

Carmella Burdi, ANL Senior GIS Analyst, has an MS in GIS and a BA in Geography and Environmental Planning from Elmhurst University. Prior to her work at Argonne, Carmella spent eight years at DuPage County, supporting the Office of Emergency Management and the Sheriff’s Office. She is also an adjunct instructor at Elmhurst University.

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to enhance and inform public messaging

Providing easy-to-read maps of impacted areas can help the public understand the immediate ramifications during any emergency. In this webinar Carmella Burdi will demonstrate ways in which GIS can help to enhance and inform public messaging; the ins and outs of engaging effectively with your agency’s GIS staff; the basics of maps designed specifically for social media messaging; as well as how to create some quick and simple maps that can be used by PIO’s to engage with the media.

Carmella Burdi, ANL Senior GIS Analyst, has an MS in GIS and a BA in Geography and Environmental Planning from Elmhurst University. Prior to her work at Argonne, Carmella spent eight years at DuPage County, supporting the Office of Emergency Management and the Sheriff’s Office. She is also an adjunct instructor at Elmhurst University.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Community Outreach and Engagement

This webinar will delve into the intersection of public communications and community engagement to highlight how these two overlap, demystify the differences, and detail critical considerations to ensure both processes are equitable and inclusive. Learn key strategies and practical approaches to identifying vulnerable populations and to engage them in community-based decision-making.

Dr. Kristin N. Williams is the Founder and Principal of NineteenEleven Consulting and an Argonne National Laboratory Associate. Dr. Williams is a community engagement expert who uses her background as a social scientist and equity advocate to help government agencies across the country create and implement inclusive public participation plans. She specializes in the collection, analysis, and reporting of data received through community conversations, particularly ones that are sensitive, controversial, or contentious.

Using Smartphone Video and Livestreaming to Communicate Effectively in a Crisis

Online video is a critical communications tool during a crisis. In this webinar, Kerry Shearer “The Livestream Expert” will teach you the basics about how to use smartphone video effectively during an emergency. He will cover how to make quick turnaround recorded videos; and how to do effective livestream broadcasts. That includes how to prepare; how to title livestreams to avoid viewer confusion; key elements to include in an update; how to engage viewers; and how to confidently deliver your message on camera.

Kerry Shearer has a wide-ranging background as a public information officer, emergency communications trainer, social media specialist, podcaster and conference speaker. Kerry is a former longtime Communications and Media Specialist for the County of Sacramento and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. He served as head of Nuclear Public Affairs for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s former Rancho Seco Nuclear Generating Station. Kerry was also a reporter, news editor, and news supervisor for KFBK NewsRadio 1530 in Sacramento, and on-air host at KVIE-TV 6 Sacramento.

The Critical First Hour in Emergency Communications

It’s not IF but WHEN a crisis will happen. Managing that crisis successfully takes preparation and planning. In this webinar, we’ll talk about ways to set yourself and your communications team up for success. You’ll walk away with ideas for what to include – or change – in your crisis communications plan, ideas for integrating communications into existing training, checklists of what to do in the first hours of a crisis, and a cheat sheet of first-hour holding statements.

Bronlea Mishler, M.Ed., is an instructor for the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC), FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI), and for Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) PAST, Public Affairs Science and Technology Fusion Academy. She is also a public relations and communications professional who owns Bronlea M Consulting, a firm offering training and communications guidance to government agencies. Previously, Bronlea spent more than a decade as a communications director and crisis communications expert for city and county governments in Washington state.

Empathy: The Crucial Communication Ingredient

This webinar is how to correctly and effectively use empathy in risk/crisis and sunny day communications to help build trust, reduce anxiety, humanize the response effort and set a positive tone for cooperation and communication for internal/external stakeholders. Eric Singer will help attendees better understand empathy, create an empathy statement, and use empathy in crisis communications.

Eric Singer is an Emergency Management Communication Specialist with the Argonne National Laboratory Risk & Crisis Communication Program. He is a popular instructor with Argonne’s PAST, Public Affairs Science and Technology Fusion Academy. He is part of a team that helps provide public affairs training, exercise support, product development and technical assistance for government, non-profit, private sector and international organizations. He has been with Argonne since 2014. With a B.A. in Communication-Mass-Media from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. Prior to his career as a full-time PAST Fusion Academy instructor and being part of exercises to train and evaluate Public Information and Public Affairs Officers, he has more than 30 years as a local, regional and national award-winning, all-platform journalist in radio, television, print and online.

Effective Messaging with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Cultural Competence as Part of Your Communications Strategy

This webinar will deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of the cultural value related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Concepts of cultural competence, cultural humility, cultural sensitivity and cultural awareness will be introduced, explored and made meaning of. Through the development of cultural intelligence, participants will build their capacity to relate and work and communicate effectively in culturally diverse situations. Participants will be encouraged to accept diverse perspectives and given tools needed to engage in candid conversations and cross-cultural relationships. They will then be provided with a framework to create a diverse and inclusive environment that is rooted in cultural competence.

Dr. Adrienne Coleman, a nationally recognized speaker/researcher, serves as the Director of Equity and Inclusion at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA). In this role, she is responsible for assessing potential barriers and developing strategies focused on recruiting and retaining a diverse community as well as implementing IMSA’s equity and excellence plan. She has also assisted other educational institutions, social-service organizations, law enforcement, government and international organizations in this work.

Building Public-Private Partnerships for Your Community to Survive a Disaster

Public-private partnerships are essential to building disaster resilience. Communities build resilience together and a public-private partnership is the way to ensure it works. This webinar will explain why and how you formulate plans to build public-private partnerships in your community, and discuss why partnerships are vital to the future of emergency management. The session will also help you understand how to strategize and structure these partnerships to the benefit of your community and internal/external stakeholders, and will share best practices to build and sustain public-private partnerships for a more resilient community.UC Berkeley Emergency Manager Alicia Johnson is a natural-born problem solver with a penchant for civic innovation. An emergency manager by trade, Alicia has changed the culture of preparedness by using human-centered design to create SF72.org and its open-source sister, City72. She has built strong community collaborations that drive operational efficiency and long-term community resilience. Johnson also leads Two Lynchpin Road, which is an organization dedicated to crafting organizational preparedness and resilience.

Improving Communication and Outreach for Vulnerable Populations

Helping vulnerable communities prepare for a crisis is more important than ever before, especially for those who are not proficient with English as their primary language. What can be done to ensure that English as a Second Language (ESL) populations are being effectively reached? In a 45-minute webinar, you will learn best practices for helping vulnerable groups better prepare for emergencies. In October 2017, our subject-matter expert was working as a 911 dispatcher during the deadly Tubbs Fire when she saw first-hand the severe problems experienced by vulnerable populations who don’t understand English and are confused by emergency alerts. She will talk about what works and what doesn’t for Public Information Officers and spokespersons to reach ESL groups.

Alma Bowen is the founder and Executive Director of Nuestra Comunidad (which means “our community”). Bowen founded this non-profit in Sonoma, California, in November 2018 after she saw a need to help vulnerable populations better prepare for emergencies. Since Nuestra Comunidad opened its doors, Bowen has worked with Sonoma County to re-tool its emergency services and health departments to build a system that serves the needs of all county residents, during sunny days and crisis messaging.

Understanding False Information in the Digital Era

Disinformation is a national security issue that targets individuals with the attempt to influence how and what decisions they make. But lying on the internet isn’t new–so what makes disinformation different? What can you do about it? In a 45-minute webinar, learn how adversaries are using the social media algorithms to their advantage, basic tips for spotting disinformation, and a strategy to mitigate disinformation. We’ll go over what it is that we know about disinformation as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Information Officers or those serving in that capacity; emergency managers; external affairs professionals; organizational leadership; and others who may utilize social media in investigative capacities are especially encouraged to attend.

Lisa Kaplan founded Alethea Group to help organizations navigate the new digital reality and protect themselves against disinformation. Kaplan served as digital director for US Senator Angus King’s successful 2018 re-election campaign, where she designed and executed a strategy to identify, understand, and respond to disinformation. She is one of the few people who has firsthand experience combating disinformation on the campaign trail. Previously, she consulted with PwC to the State Department, and served as a US Senate aide. Kaplan has briefed policy makers and officials on disinformation and frequently appears in the press.

How GIS Can Inform Your Public Messaging

This 45-minute webinar will discuss ways in which Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can help to enhance and inform public messaging. Providing easy-to-read maps of impacted areas can help the public understand the immediate ramifications to themselves and their loved ones during any kind of emergency event. In this training, Carmella Burdi, a Senior GIS Analyst at Argonne National Laboratory, will teach you the ins and outs of engaging effectively with your agency’s GIS staff. She will cover the basics of maps designed specifically for social media messaging, as well as how to create some quick and simple maps that can be used by Public Information Officers in their engagement with the media.

Carmella Burdi is a Senior GIS Analyst in the National Preparedness Analytics Group at Argonne National Laboratory. She has an MS in Geographic Information Systems from Northwest Missouri State University and a BA in Geography and Environmental Planning from Elmhurst College. Prior to her work at Argonne, Carmella spent eight years at DuPage County, supporting the Office of Emergency Management and the Sheriff’s Office. Carmella is also an adjunct instructor at Elmhurst University. Her current areas of interest include web mapping applications and using mapping to aid in Emergency Management Operations.

Livestreaming Video in an Emergency

Online video is a powerful communications tool, and is especially useful during a crisis. In this training, Kerry Shearer “The Livestream Expert” will teach you the basics about how to use livestreaming video effectively during an emergency. He will cover how to do live broadcasts, including how to prepare; how to title your livestreams to avoid viewer confusion; key elements to include in an update; how to engage viewers; and how to confidently deliver your message on camera. This is not a passive talking-head webinar! Kerry will pack this training with live demonstrations and video examples from his multi-camera mini-studio in Sacramento, CA. You’ll come away from the training feeling energized, inspired and better prepared to use live video for crisis communications.

Kerry Shearer has a wide-ranging background as a public information officer, emergency communications trainer, social media specialist, podcaster and conference speaker. He specializes in teaching communicators how to use smartphone video and livestreaming effectively so that they can create compelling content quickly and position their agency as the “go-to resource” for information. He thrives on assisting his communications colleagues across the country enhance their emergency communications capabilities and develop deep social media and web video skills.

Video Teleconferencing Showdown

Looking to better understand which teleconference platform is best suited to your organization? Which one has the optimal features? This webinar will outline the top-tier teleconferencing platforms and their similarities and differences. Join us August 5th at 12 noon (CDT) for “Video Teleconferencing Showdown” presented by Kevin Sur, Emergency Manager for DuPage County Illinois. He is an experienced PAO and instructor with FEMA and the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center.

Kevin has more than 20 years of experience in Emergency Services/Management Professional, focused in operations, public information, training, outreach and exercises with extensive healthcare leadership in EM/Disasters and municipal Fire Departments.

Trolls and Their Toll – on YOU!

In addition to personal social media accounts, public sector social media pages are increasingly targeted by online trolls, with agency staff experiencing more than their fair share of trolling. But not everyone that disagrees with a message is considered a troll. Join Brandi Bates, Public Information Officer at Santa Rosa County (Florida) Board of Commissioners, for “Trolls and Their Toll – on You!” to learn more about the six basic personalities you come across on the Internet, and how to handle them.

Brandi is an experienced local government public information officer with a demonstrated history of working in crisis communications as well as non-profit and the private sector. Brandi oversees Santa Rosa County’s public information office, promoting the plans, programs and policies of the board of county commissioners. Brandi graduated from FEMA’s Master Public Information Officer Program in September 2019 and was awarded Florida Public Relations Association Pensacola Area Chapter’s Communicator of the Year for 2019.