Course Description
To equip participants with the skills needed to be full or part-time PIOs, including oral and written communications; understanding and working with the media; and basic tools and techniques to perform effectively as a PIO, both in the proactive/ advocacy times and crisis/emergency response.
The learner must achieve a minimum passing score of 75% on final knowledge assessments or demonstrate mastery on performance assessments or research assignments to earn the IACET CEU.
Selection Criteria: This course is intended for newly appointed emergency managers from Federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and emergency management agencies, and prospective professionals transferring from another discipline to emergency management.
Course Objectives
Using the strategic communications planning model, develop a public awareness campaign (95%)
Using the strategic communications planning model, develop an incident communications strategy (5%)
Indicate the purpose of a public awareness campaign
Identify the steps in developing a public awareness campaign
Develop a strategy for an awareness campaign on a selected topic
Change the method of developing a plan to follow the 8-step StratCom process
Demonstrate the role and function of the PIO in both day-to-day emergency environments
Compare actions PIOs can take to work with the news media during day-to-day and emergency situation
Describe different public information written products
Apply effective news release writing guidance
Adapt or repurpose written media products for social media
Describe what types of impressions specific body language might convey during an interview
Identify elements of an interview the PIO should consider ahead of time
Identify steps a PIO needs to take to prepare for and conduct a news interview
Demonstrate effective techniques for on-camera interviews
