San Diego is Burning

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San Diego is Burning

• What will you do
• when your disaster strikes?
• Bill Polick
• Public Affairs OfficerSan Diego County
  Department of Public Works

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FIRE FACTSThree in San Diego County

• Rounded
• 400,000 acres
• 2,500 residences destroyed
• 22 commercial properties
• 250 vehicles destroyed
• 16 fatalities
• 50 million cost

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FIRE FACTSCedar Fire

• 280,278 acres
• 2,232 residences destroyed
• 22 commercial properties
• 148 vehicles destroyed
• 14 fatalities
• 27 million cost

4
FIRE FACTSParadise Fire

• 56,700 acres
• 221 residences destroyed
• 2 commercial properties
• 75 vehicles destroyed
• 2 fatalities
• 13 million cost

5
FIRE FACTSOtay Fire

• 46,291 acres
• 1 residence destroyed
• 0 commercial properties
• 0 vehicles destroyed
• 0 fatalities

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Breaking NewsThis is Not a Drill

• Where will you be when it starts?
• How will you be notified?
• How will you get to your duty station?
• Is this Personal?

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Stage ITHE EVENTTools Youll Need

• Telephone
• Cell Phone
• Computer
• Printer
• Fax Machine
• Every skill youve ever learned as a PIO

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Stage ITHE EVENTWho Ya Gonna Call?

• Info Sources
• Media
• Your Boss

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Stage ITHE EVENTHow To Get The Word Out

• Media Telephone Calls
• News Releases
• Web Site
• News Conferences
• Non-English speakers?

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Stage ITHE EVENTIts Not Just Your Agency

• Know generalities before the event
• You may have to write talk about things you
  didnt know when the event started
• Learn fast!
• Keep a notebook

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Stage ITHE EVENTPolitics

• Who speaks for the government?
• Briefing the politicos
• Are other governments or agencies besides yours
  involved?

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Stage IIWHEN ITS OVER Theres Still News

• Victims issues
• The Feds move in
• Damage assessment

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Stage IIWHEN ITS OVER Public Involvement

• Volunteers up the whazoo
• Food, clothing shelter
• Cleaning up the mess

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Stage IIWHEN ITS OVER Cleaning Up the Mess

• Property rights vs. community good vs. local,
  state federal regulations
• What to do with all the debris

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Stage IIWHEN ITS OVER When The Media Turns

• What are you gonna do about?
• How come you haventyet?
• Arent you guys gonna?

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Stage IIITHE NEXT ISSUE Storm Clouds Form

• Large storms predicted
• Mudslides feared
• BMPs given to public
• County crews working feverishly
• Inquiring minds want to know

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Stage IIITHE NEXT ISSUE Pressure From The Media

• Telling the same story time after time after time
  after time
• Wheres it going to flood?
• Where will the mudslides be?

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Stage IVIS IT OVER? Continuing Issues

• Getting private property cleared of debris
• Managing resources
• Individual property issues
• Collecting the funds promised
• Answering questions

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What you need to remember

• Know what youre going to do and how
• Have your tools always at the ready
• Prepare yourself for dealing with media
• Understand your organization
• Consider the politicians
• The story isnt dead until its dead
• Create new angles for old stories