On an incident that requires several information officers, it will become critical for the group to meet as a group and share information. Many people have said they dread the meetings information officers have because they share so MUCH.
Experienced lead information officers recommend that the group meet at least once a day, and optimally, twice a day. In once-daily meetings, daily tasks should be assigned and recorded on a large sheet of paper where progress on their completion can be tracked by everyone in the office. If the assigned individual can’t get to a designated task, someone can step in and complete it. Most lead PIOs elect the “volunteer” method of task assignment because of the simple psychology behind the method: people have an aptitude to do well at self-selected tasks.
In addition, the Federal Communicators Network offers these tips for more effective meetings:
-
- Start and end meetings on time.
- Have an open agenda on a chalkboard or flipchart. Participants can add items to the agenda, but they must be prepared to lead the discussion if they put an item on the agenda. If an item isn’t on the open agenda, it can’t be discussed.
- Give each item on the agenda a time limit. Three minutes is a good amount of time. If action or discussion cannot be completed within the allotted time, it must be delayed until the end of the meeting.
- After all agenda items have been discussed, address the delayed items and estimate how long it will take to discuss them. Decide if the item can be discussed today or needs someone to perform an assignment or activity first. Maybe the item needs more research, details, data, or opinions.
- Any delayed item should be the first item on the next open agenda.
- Summarize and record action items before adjourning the meeting.
Public Information Officer Group Meeting Agenda – this resource is a one-page template for planning, preparing for and tracking the progress of PIO meetings. This may be a difficult format for information offices to adapt to, but after a few meetings the procedure usually makes sense.
A Guide for Information Officers Brochure – this tri-fold brochure was developed several years ago by lead information officers serving on the California Interagency Incident Management Team 2. It is included here with the idea that it provides a template that may be of use to those who want to build one for their teams or groups.
List of Assigned Information Officers – this table presents one idea for collecting basic information on the personnel assigned to the information function. On large incidents with a lot of personnel involved, this summary of contact information will be critical for staying together as a group.
Information Officers Data Sheet – this form, developed by the California Interagency Incident Management Team 2, helps supervising PIOs to track and assist the personnel assigned to the information function.
Information Demob Plan – Experienced information officers recommend this be one of the first tasks assigned to someone in the function. Tracking on this information throughout the incident will enable the lead PIO to make decisions concerning replacements.
Daily Task List Table – This table is a mini-version of what should have been developed at the daily information officers meeting. Sometimes it is helpful to fill in this table and make copies for everyone to have in their pockets.
PIO Daily Assignments – For the ultimate in organizing the information function, look at this one-sheet template for making assignments.
Blank Phone Log – This form is well-known among experienced PIOs and it’s very useful to have a template that can be changed to fit your needs. Phone logs will need to be kept next to each phone that is answered by a PIO during an incident. The logs become part of the final documentation package turned in at the end of the incident to the hosting unit.
Contact Log – Another version of a phone or contact log. This one was developed by a PIO who made notes about contacts and then transferred the notes to the table at the end of each day. This method was developed because of a specific request by the hosting unit’s PAO who wanted more detailed information about the contacts made during the incident. And typing it had the advantage of making it more legible.
Unit Log – Unit logs are completed individually by each member of the information function. It is important to remember that these logs are not to be used as diaries. The logs are an official reminder to document important developments. At the end of each day, individual logs should be compiled into a comprehensive unit log for the group, on a large fire, or the whole function on a smaller one. This serves two purposes: It meets the incident documentation standards and helps supervisory PIOs become aware of and track emerging issues.
Answering Machine Message – This is an example of an answering machine message that was recorded on an incident in Montana several years ago. This template is offered as an idea for how messages can be organized for the public’s use.
