2011 Incident Communications

1. 2011 Incident Communications Emeeting will begin shortly To hear audio, you MUST also be connected by telephone Dial in number: 888-390-0677 Passcode: 1499069

2. 2011 Incident Communications Jennifer Jones Public Affairs Specialist US Forest Service WO, Fire and Aviation Management National Interagency Fire Center Boise, Idaho

3. 2011 Incident Communications Becky Rine, Public Affairs Specialist Fire and Aviation Management, Washington Office Phil Sammon, Public Affairs Officer Office of Communication, Washington Office

4. Emeeting Agenda/Housekeeping • Agenda • Leader’s Intent • Tom Harbour, Director, Fire and Aviation Management, WO • 2011 Incident Communications Guidance • Jones, Sammon • From the Washington Office: Policy Communication and Unique Information Needs • Rine • 2011 Forest Service Fire Season Key Messages • Rine • Other Incident Information Items • Jones • Questions and Answers

5. 2011 Incident Communications Guidance US Forest Service Incident Communications Information Available Online At: USFS FAM Intranet Site http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fire/fam/ NIFC PIO Bulletin Board http://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/fs.html

6. Leader’s Intent Tom Harbour Director, Fire and Aviation Management Washington Office

7. 2011 Incident Communications Guidance • InciWeb • News Media Relations • Delegations of Authority • Social Media

8. InciWeb www.inciweb.org

9. InciWeb

10. InciWeb www.inciweb.org To activate your unit, or to create a user account, contact the Help Desk: 1-800-253-5559 fire_help@fs.fed.us

11. News Media Relations • On fires on National Forest System lands, PIOs work for the US Forest Service. • PIOs on incidents can respond to questions from all news media about the incident only. • PIOs will refer all news media questions that are not about the incident they are working on to the local National Forest PAO. • Local National Forest PAOs should refer all questions about national fire and aviation management issues and policies to Jennifer Jones at NIFC: • Office (208) 387-5437 • Mobile (208) 631-0406 • Email jejones@fs.fed.us

12. Delegations of Authority • Should stress the importance of line officer responsibility for incident communications. • Examples of suggested language for delegations of authority are available on the WO FAM intranet site • http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fire/fam/ • and the NIFC PIO bulletin board • http://www.nifc.gov/PIO_bb/fs.html

13. Social Media • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube • Flickr

14. Social Media • Detailed guidance available online in USDA New Media Best Practices and US Forest Service New Media Guides Volumes 1 and 2 on Office of Communication intranet site • http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/pao/ • and on NIFC PIO Bulletin Board • http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/PIO_bb/Agencies/fs.html

15. From the WO: Unique Information Needs • If a fire is in the news, if there are significant threats to lives or property or numerous evacuations, the WO needs to know, even if the fire is not on National Forest System lands. • Any fire can generate political interest in Washington, because any fire can bring sensitive issues that may seem unrelated to the fire. • Notify the WO when a VIP visit is scheduled or expected on an incident, or occurs by surprise. • Time Zones • National Fire Desk • 202-205-1450 • Email address

16. 2011 Forest Service Fire Season Key Messages • Centered on three elements of Cohesive Strategy: Resilient Landscapes, Fire-Adapted Communities, and Fire Response • http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov • Available online on WO FAM Intranet site • http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fire/fam/ • and NIFC PIO Bulletin Board • http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/PIO_bb/Agencies/fs.html

17. 2011 Forest Service Fire Season Key Messages • There are only two types of wildland fire: Prescribed Fire and Wildfire. Suppression, Fire Use, Long Duration, and Resource Benefit, for example, are not wildfire types. • All wildfires will have a suppression strategy to—at a minimum—protect life and property. Some wildfires will also have additional strategies to meet ecological objectives. • Strategies are based on many factors, including risks to public and firefighter safety; type and condition of fuels; weather; land management plan direction; values to protect; and available firefighting assets. Strategies can change as conditions change. • All human-caused wildfires will have one strategy: full suppression.

18. Other Incident Information Items • InciWeb Update • InciWeb Interagency Steering Committee • Rudy Evenson, National Park Service • Yvonne Jones, Bureau of Indian Affairs • Sarah McCreary, National Association of State Foresters • Jen Smith, Bureau of Land Management • Sheri Ascherfeld, Bureau of Land Management • Eric Neitzel, Northern Arizona • Jennifer Jones, US Forest Service (Business Manager) • Keri Vest, US Forest Service (Project Manager)

19. Other Incident Information Items • Firefighter Photography, Videography, and Use of Social Media Letter • Available online on WO FAM Intranet Site • http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fire/fam/ • and NIFC PIO Bulletin Board • http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/PIO_bb/Agencies/fs.html

20. Other Incident Information Items • National Photo/Video Contracts • Photographers • Kari Greer • Karen Wattenmaker • Videographers • Dave Butler • RenetteSabala Kari Greer

21. Other Incident Information Items • Documentary Filming • Olive Eye Films – R1 • National Geographic Television • Wild Horizons, Ltd.

22. Questions and Answers • The Operator will explain how to indicate that you want to ask your question and will un-mute your line when it is your turn. • Please indicate which speaker you would like to answer your question. • Becky Rine will serve as moderator to determine who will answer general questions.

23. Thank You! • A recording of this call, as well as the incident communications guidance, fire season key messages, and other information will be posted online at: • FS WO FAM Intranet Site • http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/fire/fam/ • NIFC PIO Bulletin Board • http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/PIO_bb/Agencies/fs.html • Jennifer Jones Becky Rine • (208) 387-5437 (202) 205-0955 • jejones@fs.fed.usbrine@fs.fed.us