GEMA Public Affairs Office

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GEMA Public Affairs Office

• Overview

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Who We Are

• Donna Burns, Deputy Director of Administration
  Public Affairs Director
• Ken Davis, Public Affairs Officer
• Buzz Weiss, Public Affairs Officer
• Lisa Janak, Multi-Media Coordinator
• Kathy Huggins, Constituent Services
  Coordinator Administrative Assistant
• Kandice Eldon, Web site Coordinator

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Public Affairs Office

• Role
• Inform
• Communicate
• Educate
• Document
• Primary Audiences
• Governments (local State of Georgia)
• General Public
• Elected Officials
• News Media

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What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• News Releases and Media Advisories during events
  and disasters

• Media relations
• News conferences
• Update audio news service (1-888-216-0760)

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What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• Script writing
• Voiceovers
• Public Service Announcements

• Awareness Campaigns

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What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• Publications for Internal Communications
• GEMA Pager - monthly e-newsletter for GEMA
  employees
• Publications for External Communications
• Update - news at a glance for local EMA directors
• Emergency Manager - GEMA's magazine for public
  safety and elected officials
• The Hurricane Watch weekly e-newsletter for
  local, state agencies May through end of
  hurricane season (November)
• Materials for public awareness campaigns
• Materials for special events
• Marketing materials for GEMA divisions
• Materials to educate general public
• Situational publications i.e. Housing Program
  Status Report, 9/05 to 2/06, Katrina housing news
  for local governments

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What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• Provide support to 161 local EMAs
• Homeland Security clearinghouse
• Open Records
• Basic Emergency Public
  Information Officer Course

Support Training

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Radiological Exercise Support
What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• Radiological Emergency
• Preparedness (REP) support
• Nuclear Power plant
  
  
  
  exercises
• Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) support

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Special Events
What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• -G-8 Summit
• -Severe Weather Awareness Week
• -Safe Schools Week
• -9-1-1 for Kids Day

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What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document
GEMA Web site launched May 2006

• Provides information about the various divisions
  of GEMA
• During disasters Web site provides timely updates
  to educate and assist the general public

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What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document
Georgia911.org launched July 2006

• Governor Perdue directed its creation to benefit
  Georgians
• Provides real-time, accurate information to the
  public during an emergency or disaster

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What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document
Ready Georgia launched January 2008
Ready Georgia is a statewide campaign
designed to educate and empower Georgians to
prepare for and respond to natural disasters,
pandemic outbreaks, potential terrorist attacks
and other large-scale emergencies.
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Photography/Videography
What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document
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Constituent Services
What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• Liaison between elected officials and GEMA.
• Provides updates for elected officials during
  major incidents
• Answers questions and concerns of constituents
• Exhibitor coordinator for Governor's Emergency
  Management Conference
• Open Records Custodian

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Legislative Liaison
What We Do Inform, Communicate, Educate
Document

• Represent the interests of GEMA before the
  General Assembly
• Draft and work for passage of legislation on
  behalf of GEMA
• Track legislation of interest to the emergency
  management and public safety communities

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If an Emergency is declared

• GEMA will establish a Recovery Center or Disaster
  Field Office (DFO), where victims go to learn
  about assistance
• Work with the media to get our message out to the
  public through News releases, press conferences,
  Web site, town hall meetings
• Work out of State Operations Center (SOC)
• Establish a Joint Information Center (JIC)
• Will travel to affected area to support local
  EMAs upon request
• Escort elected officials

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• Contact GEMA Public Affairs Office
• [phone] or
• 1-800-TRY-GEMA
• www.gema.ga.gov