PIO Jennifer Myslivy and Idaho Governor Butch OtterElk Fire, Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2013

This webinar will begin at 11:00 a.m. mountain time

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Participant Passcode: 329514

If you are experiencing technical difficulties, please click on Q&A on the toolbar at the top of your screen, write a message in the box that says Type a question for the presenter and click Ask, we will try our best to assist you. Or email Jennifer Jones at jejones@fs.fed.us or call her at (208) 631-0406.

U.S. Forest Service 2014 Fire Communications

Jennifer JonesPublic Affairs Specialist

U.S. Forest Service, Washington OfficeFire and Aviation Management

National Interagency Fire CenterBoise, Idaho

Agenda/Housekeeping

• U.S. Forest Service 2014 Incident Communications Guidance

• U.S. Forest Service National Fire Desk Overview

• InciWeb Update• Incident Notification Program on

the Slide Fire• National Photo and Video Contracts• Commercial Film Projects• Questions and Answers

Beaver Creek Fire, Sawtooth National ForestIdaho, 2013

U.S. Forest Service 2014 Incident Communications GuidanceAvailable online at www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/fs.html

• The U.S. Forest Service (FS) local unit is responsible for the content of fire communications during and after a fire.

• Information about fires of interest to the news media, elected officials, senior FS and U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) leadership, and other important stakeholders should be posted on InciWeb as soon as possible after the incident begins.

• When a fire of interest occurs in your area, regardless of which agency has jurisdiction over it, notify the National Fire Desk and/or Jennifer Jones at NIFC ASAP.

• 2014 NIFC Fire Season Themes, FS Key Messages and other PIO information and training resources are available in the 2014 Incident Communications Toolkit on the NIFC PIO Bulletin Board

• PIOs working on fires on National Forest System lands are authorized to provide information and interviews to all news media about the incident only. All other news media inquiries are to be referred to the local Forest Public Affairs staff.

• When a VIP visit is scheduled or expected on an incident, or occurs by surprise, please notify the WO Office of Communications ASAP.

• The White House, USDA, and Chief of the Forest Service will require frequent updates from incidents with media and political potential.

• The U.S. Forest Service (FS) local unit is responsible for the content of fire communications during and after a fire.

• Information about fires of interest to the news media, elected officials, senior FS and U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) leadership, and other important stakeholders should be posted on InciWeb as soon as possible after the incident begins.

• When a fire of interest occurs in your area, regardless of which agency has jurisdiction over it, notify the National Fire Desk and/or Jennifer Jones at NIFC ASAP.

• 2014 NIFC Fire Season Themes, FS Key Messages and other PIO information and training resources are available in the 2014 Incident Communications Toolkit on the NIFC PIO Bulletin Board

http://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/fs.html

• PIOs working on fires on National Forest System lands are authorized to provide information and interviews to all news media about the incident only. All other news media inquiries are to be referred to the local Forest Public Affairs staff.

Hot topics that should be referred to local FS PAO for response

• Fire policy• Initial response to fire• Fire cause• Illegal drug production issues• Illegal immigrant issues• Airtanker fleet• Budget• Hazardous fuel treatments • Firefighter safety

• When a VIP visit is scheduled or expected on an incident, or occurs by surprise, please notify the WO Office of Communications ASAP.

Senator John McCain, Wallow Fire, Arizona, 2011

• The White House, USDA, and Chief of the Forest Service will require frequent updates from incidents with media and political potential. It may be necessary to assign one or two individuals to this task.

Elk Fire, Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2013

U.S. Forest Service 2014 Incident Communications GuidanceAvailable online at www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/fs.html

• The U.S. Forest Service (FS) local unit is responsible for the content of fire communications during and after a fire.

• Information about fires of interest to the news media, elected officials, senior FS and U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) leadership, and other important stakeholders should be posted on InciWeb as soon as possible after the incident begins.

• When a fire of interest occurs in your area, regardless of which agency has jurisdiction over it, notify the National Fire Desk and/or Jennifer Jones at NIFC ASAP.

• 2014 NIFC Fire Season Themes, FS Key Messages and other PIO information and training resources are available in the 2014 Incident Communications Toolkit on the NIFC PIO Bulletin Board

• PIOs working on fires on National Forest System lands are authorized to provide information and interviews to all news media about the incident only. All other news media inquiries are to be referred to the local Forest Public Affairs staff.

• When a VIP visit is scheduled or expected on an incident, or occurs by surprise, please notify the WO Office of Communications ASAP.

• The White House, USDA, and Chief of the Forest Service will require frequent updates from incidents with media and political potential.

http://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/social_media.html

Engagement and Outreach through Social MediaA Partnership Network Peer Learning SessionThursday, July 10th, 20142:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

RSVP Link: http://www.nff.wildapricot.org/event-1700533

Forest Service Social Media Guidelines• Current guidance is available at http://

fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/pao/publications/social-media-guide.pdf

• Guidance will be changing soon – Forests and Grasslands that want to have a Facebook page through a partnership with the National Forest Foundation must attend a webinar on Thursday, July 10:

Tiffany HollowayPublic Affairs SpecialistOffice of Communication202-205-1028 tholloway@fs.fed.us

http://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/messages.html

Brienne Magee Presentation to AC/IC Meeting on Social Media available on the NIFC PIO Bulletin Board at:

N A T I O N A L F I R E D E S K

Kaari CarpenterManager, National Fire DeskUSFS Headquarters, Washington, DC

N A T I O N A L F I R E D E S K

What the NFD does•Chief’s Stand Up and Incident Updates: 0800 & 1000

•Briefings to the USDA Undersecretary

•State Briefing Papers summarizing fire activity and/or individual fires of significance

N A T I O N A L F I R E D E S K

•Urgent requests for information on incidents

•Hearing Preparation

•Keeping FAM leadership informed of incident activity that could be of interest to high level government leadership

N A T I O N A L F I R E D E S K

Key Points

•Requests made to NFD are not always directly related to federal resources, jurisdiction/ownership and/or the incident.

N A T I O N A L F I R E D E S K

Key Points•Requests made to NFD are often urgent.

▫This requires the staff to obtain information in the quickest manner possible.

N A T I O N A L F I R E D E S K

Key Points

•The NFD provides information for leadership that resides in the Eastern Time Zone.

▫Information requests can be early in the morning.

N A T I O N A L F I R E D E S K

National Fire DeskManager, Kaari Carpenterkaaricarpenter@fs.fed.us

or firedesk@fs.fed.us

202-205-1450

Updates and Changes for 2014:

• Improved performance and reliability• Integrated NIMS 209 fields• Improved video feature• Stream-lined user input on the Administration Site

Looking Ahead:• Mobile App or Mobile web site• Re-engineered public web page

http://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/social_media.html

USFS established a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with GovDelivery

Integrated mass email/text messaging/social media services for use during wildfires for a pre-determined amount of time

PIO input solution to incident communications

GovDelivery meets federal government security requirements where free-services don't.

Provides mass email and text messaging services on an 'as needed' basis

Is set up on short notice within 24 hours

Allows interested individuals to independently 'opt in' or 'opt out' of service through a web-link

Multiple authorized PAO's & PIO's can send emails and text messages from any internet enabled location or device

Account holders receive a special link - username and password to manage account

This BPA is available for use by unit public affairs staff and Incident Management Team PIO's during wildfires and other types of incidents; prescribed fires; and fire related activities.

Individual Forests can pay for a one time set-up fee to use on the forest - then pay usage fees OR IMT's can pay usage fees to use Forest account while on an incident on that Forest.

The fees for use of this service are:Flat Account Set-Up Fee - $4,635.00

Plus flat usage fee for capability to send up to 10,000 emails and 10,000 text messages within a 24 hour period, 7 days per week:

30 days - $618.0060 days - $1,133.0090 days - $1,545.00

Accounts established by IMTs will be owned by the unit that the incident occurs on, not by the IMT. Host units will own the accounts – the usage fee is paid any time

the program is activated on the host unit.

Since 2013, the Incident Notification Program was activated twice on wildfires:

Yarnell Hill Fire – 2013

Slide Fire - 2014

Both accounts were set-up and ready to use, training included, within 24 hours or less.

Yarnell Hill Fire managed nearly 750 subscribers; Slide Fire managed more than 2,000 subscribers.

Photo and Video Contracts

• 2 photographers and 2 videographers available on national contracts.

• Photographers and videographers assigned to incidents will be determined by NIFC.

• Rights to images shared between U.S. Forest Service and photographer/videographer.

• To hire a photographer or videographer, contact Jennifer Jones or Christine Schuldheisz at NIFC on a weekday if possible.

• Photographers and videographers cannot begin working without at least verbal approval from NIFC contracting.

Commercial Film Projects

• Commercial film permits are required for “nongovernmental audiovisual productions” (FSM 1654.1) that are not “breaking news.”

• WO FAM only accepts proposals for nongovernmental audiovisual productions from September through February each year for filming during the following fire season.

• WO FAM has approved 2 nongovernmental audiovisual productions for 2014:• ABC Nightline “A behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to manage a large

wildfire”• Commercial film permit has been issued

• Earth Vision Trust “Chasing Now: the Story of Our Time”• Commercial film permit application has been submitted

Questions and Answers

Elk Complex, Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2013

U.S. Forest Service Incident Communications Team

Jennifer Jones, 208-387-5437, jejones@fs.fed.usChristine Schuldheisz, 208-387-5145, cmschuldheisz@fs.fed.usMike Ferris, 208-559-5367, mferris@fs.fed.us

Additional U.S. Forest Service Fire Communications staff

Nancy Guerrero, 208-387-5290, nhguerrero@fs.fed.usAmparo Garcia, 202-205-1503, amparogarcia@fs.fed.usRobert Westover, 202-205-1777, rwestover@fs.fed.us

FS Fire Communication Materials available on the NIFC PIO Bulletin Board:http://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/fs.html