Whether it be roadside, at the scene of an emergency, or in a crisis situation, rural first responders are often thrust into the role of a public information officer fielding questions from the news media and working with media outlets to quickly and effectively communicate information to the public.
The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC) is making it easier for emergency responders in the Parkersburg, West Virginia area to step into that role by delivering a free U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-certified media awareness course that provides valuable insight into helping to understand how the media works and how best to work with available media outlets. This six-hour instructor-led course, AWR 209 Dealing with the Media: A Short Course for Rural First Responders, will be offered from 8 am to 5 pm on March 18, 2013, at the Judge Black Annex Building, 315 Market Street, Parkersburg, WV 25305 giving emergency responders the skills and knowledge they need to quickly adopt the role of a public information officer if and when needed and to communicate with the public through the news media.
Participants will learn both in a classroom-lecture setting and through group activities. Many rural first responder organizations do not have a full- or part-time public information officer on staff, making this training a valuable asset in learning more about building media relationships and effective communication skills in disseminating information to the news media.
Registration is required for this course – Registration deadline is March 28, 2013.
To register, contact Christian Fernley at gregory.c.fernley@wv.gov or call 304-558-2930.
For more information, contact Jessica Melton, at (606) 677-6000, or e-mail the Consortium at info@ruraltraining.org. To schedule this or any other RDPC training, visit www.ruraltraining.org or call the RDPC help desk 24/7 at (877) 855-7372.
