AWR-209: Working with the Media: A Course for Rural First Responders

Course Description

AWR 209-W Working with the Media: A Course for Rural First Responders is designed to provide emergency responders with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to interact with the media and perform public information functions in preparation for and during incidents. Many agencies from small and rural communities do not have a full- or part-time PIO on staff and responders often assume this responsibility without formal training and practice. The intent of this course is to prepare responders for interacting with the media when required, whether it be roadside at the scene of an incident or for conveying directions to the public in a crisis situation.

Course Objectives

• Recognize the role of the media and apply the knowledge and skills to work with them
• Describe the skills and knowledge necessary to deal with the media at the scene of an emergency
• Define components of on-scene and planned off-scene interviews and have the skills necessary to provide them
• Describe the purpose of disaster public education and steps in developing and implementing public awareness campaigns. They will also be able to describe ways to make stories more interesting to the media and know when to best promote a story idea
• Identify elements of effective news releases and apply tips for developing and disseminating news releases to the media

Mission Areas

• Respond

Prerequisites

*Participant must be a U.S. citizen or a foreign national approved by DHS. Recommended NOT required IS 700 and ICS 100.

Disciplines

• Emergency Management
• Emergency Medical Services
• Fire Service
• Governmental Administrative
• Law Enforcement
• Health Care
• Public Health
• Public Safety Communications
• Public Works