NESA ICSS--PIO Track: Has anyone attended courses?

[Parsifal]

I applied for NESA's Intermediate and Advanced ICSS courses--Public Information Officer track, summer 2011. (I had originally signed up for the commo course.)

Has anyone on the board been a student or instructor in the ICSS-PIO track courses? I'd be grateful for your comments about the course or suggestions or advice for the incoming student.

Thanks in advance.

[Larry Mangum]

This is only the second year that PIO courses have been offered at NESA.

[peter rabbit]

Julie Debardaladen from NHQ and Pat Mitcham from ALWG are listed as the instructors. Ms Debardaladen is listed as being in charge of CAP Volunteer magazine. Ms Mitcham is listed as having been a PIO and wing PAO for two years and a unit PAO for three years prior to that.  I know Ms Mitcham also has prepared a CD for unit PAOs to use in meeting their SUI requirements.

Just some basic background info.

[ammotrucker]

Julie Debardaladen from NHQ and Pat Mitcham from ALWG are listed as the instructors. Ms Debardaladen is listed as being in charge of CAP Volunteer magazine. Ms Mitcham is listed as having been a PIO and wing PAO for two years and a unit PAO for three years prior to that.  I know Ms Mitcham also has prepared a CD for unit PAOs to use in meeting their SUI requirements.

Just some basic background info.

I would hope that it somewhat replicates the L952 Public Information Officer criteria that is set out by FEMA.

[Larry Mangum]

For the PIO track, the lead instructor is Steve Solomom, with Pat Mitcham, Steve Cox and Julie Debardaladen as instructors.

[SARDOC]

You can also check with your State Emergency Management agency for the Basic Public Information Officer Course and maybe do the follow on Advanced PIO at the Emergency Management Institute (DHS/FEMA)

[Parsifal]

I applied for NESA's Intermediate and Advanced ICSS courses--Public Information Officer track, summer 2011. (I had originally signed up for the commo course.)

Has anyone on the board been a student or instructor in the ICSS-PIO track courses? I'd be grateful for your comments about the course or suggestions or advice for the incoming student.

This is a follow-up to the original post and an answer to my own question:

I completed the Intermediate and Advanced ICSS courses (Public Information Officer track) two weeks ago. Here are some personal observations about the ICSS course in general and the PIO track in particular.

The ICS exercises (especially during the second week) were extremely challenging and stressful. I learned much about Incident Command System management, as well as my own capabilities and limitations. The ICS 300 and 400 courses taught during the course provide invaluable knowledge, but the staff-run tabletop exercises were vital to understanding and applying ICS principles and practices.

Major Pat Mitcham, an experienced PAO and PIO, served as the lead PIO instructor. Maj Talmadge Butler conducted part of the PIO training. I learned much from both instructors. They provided real-life examples, mostly from their own experience, to complement the formal instruction. During my two weeks at NESA, I completed the FEMA PIO courses G-289, G-290, and G-291. Classroom exercises included practice media interviews which were recorded on video. During the ICS tabletop exercises, I prepared media releases "on the fly" and worked directly with sometimes aggressive "journalists" and "public officials"--while trying to project a positive image for CAP and maintaining Operational Security.

I'm pleased and grateful for the training I received from the instructors at the Incident Command System School. I hope to work or train with them again in the future.