FEMA Basic Academy L105: Public Information Basics

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.

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 campaignIdentify 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

Prerequisites

• IS0029.a: Public Information Officer Awareness