I just got back from the Oregon Emergency Medical Services conference in Salem, where I talked about the use of social media for crisis communications. After the three presentations I asked one of the conference coordinators if he had heard ...
Read More »1.5 Hours Is Now 1.5 Days
A videotaped interview of four government employees responsible for handling public information functions after the August 24, 2014 Napa, California earthquake reveals real challenges and inherent conflicts between quickly informing the public, fulfilling incident command responsibilities and ensuring the safety ...
Read More »Thoughts on Crisis Comms Leadership
Preaching about the use of social media tools during crisis is much easier than actually doing it. Especially for smaller agencies with limited staff. But, does that mean it can’t be done? Absolutely not. Because of the recent Ferguson, Missouri ...
Read More »Deafening Silence In Ferguson
Over the past two days I’ve closely followed the civil unrest in the small enclave of Ferguson, Missouri, a small suburb outside of St. Louis. A Ferguson police officer shot and killed a young African American male after some type ...
Read More »It’s All About APPEARANCE. Never Forget It.
Cops vs. firefighters strikes again. Dave Statter (@Statter911) recently posted a citizen video of a police officer “assisting” a citizen out of his overturned vehicle. The video, shown here, APPEARS to show a vehicle on its side underneath a presumably compromised overhang struck by said vehicle.
Read More »Mike Tyson Is Right
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson. I saw this quote while scanning an excellent article in the Harvard Business Journal about the changing dynamics of business command and control, often referred to ...
Read More »Don’t rely on Dave Statter
Imagine, you are a firefighter/EMT arriving at the scene of a serious car crash. You begin your sizeup, and approach the vehicle smooshed up against a tree. Radiator fluid and steam are boiling out from the destroyed front end. You ...
Read More »US Air Augers In
Spending all day on the road robbed me of an opportunity yesterday to compete with half the planet in coming up with the wittiest one liners about @USAirways epic NSFW picture posted on their Twitter feed. Mashable posted some of ...
Read More »A Crisis Of Silence
The Seattle Fire Department, and firefighters everywhere, got a big black eye this weekend when two drunk off duty Seattle firefighters allegedly attacked a couple of homeless people at a downtown memorial statue. One of the victims resorted to pulling ...
Read More »Ask Jimmy Kimmel
How many times have you read a feel good story or viewed epic videos and pictures on Facebook or Twitter that put a lump in your throat, brought a tear to your eye, twanged your revenge gene, or made you ...
Read More »