TheBattalion.tv Firefighter Series - Fire, EMS, Rescue, Training

Specialty:
Battalion LIVE Feed - Offline
Chief Spokesperson/Public Information Officer
Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department
Largo, Maryland

Photos

PGFD PIO Mark Brady interviews with Marina Morocco FOX 5 DC News
PIO Brady posts incident update to his Twitter account @PGFDPIO
PIO captures popular image
PIO Brady talks with fan at concert at Fed Ex Field
PIO Brady appears on set of local news
PIO Brady is pictured with reporter promoting smoke alarm safety
PIO Brady Emcees promotional ceremony
PIO speaks with first arriving firefighters about what they found on arrival
PIO Brady updates his Twitter account @PGFDPIO from incident scene
PIO Brady Emcees a Recruit Graduation Ceremony
PIO Mark Brady serves as Emcee at the Housing of the Departments Pink Pumper
PGFD PIO Mark Brady is interviewed by NBC News
PGFD PIO with John Travolta after Ladder 49 promo

Videos

News Feed

Sunday, April 30, 2017 - 11:29

It would take someone from Hollywood to think of this training concept of having the Public Information Officer (PIO) get out from behind the desk and to go live out and about doing their job.  David Furtado, Executive Producer, of theBattalion.tv is just the person to come up with this concept that has gone from under 100 or so viewers the first week to numbers into the thousands.

 

The concept is to broadcast live from spots around Prince George’s County while I’m doing my job.  Keeping the training concept as the focus of my adventures I have engaged in a few “this is how I did it” solo discussions to having a guest ride with me and discuss various topics that could be of interest to viewers.  Our goal is to have viewers learn just one thing during our 30 minute episodes.

 

Being out and about it would be a challenger, not to mention unsafe, to engage viewers in a chat.  Instead I have invited viewers to email me.  Some emails I answer directly and some I will bring up on the next episode.  It has worked out better than I could expect with the numbers of emails I receive rising every week.  I encourage anyone with a Fire or EMS PIO related question or comment to email me at PIOMarkBrady@gmail.com.

 

Watch the show every Wednesday at 3:00 pm EST on my training channel on www.theBattalion.tv.

 

 

Thursday, March 16, 2017 - 13:17

Looking forward to another exciting adventures in my life as Prince Georges Coutny Fire/EMS PIO as I travel across the County discussing the life of a PIO and possible catching an incident, and sometimes I bring on a special guest.  Working with Tule Fog Productions through the years as they have produced our series has been great and now beding a part of this new LIVE series is just another exciting step for our series and our Department either from inside the buggy, on the fireground or training grounds of from our offices. We continue with our schduled LIVE   broadcasts at 1:00 pm East Coast Time, on-time, as possible.  Questions are always encouraged.  Each episode should last at least 30 minutes.

 

 

Friday, January 27, 2017 - 04:47

 

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930

MEBrady@co.pg.md.us     @PGFDPIO

 

With the assistance of FACEBOOK and relentless effort to meet the heroes that saved them, a brother and sister rescued by public safety personnel nearly 58 years ago will reunite with at least one of their rescuers.  The siblings, ages 2 and 3, were pulled to safety from the second floor of their burning home by an off-duty police officer and arriving firefighters.  The children survived their injuries and went about their lives.  Now, after talking about the incident throughout their adult lives they will reunite with one of the firefighters that pulled them to safety.

 

WHAT:               Reunion of rescued siblings with their rescuer from a fire that occurred 58 years ago

 

WHEN:              Tuesday, January 31, 2017, 11:00 am

 

WHERE:            Chillum-Adelphi Fire/EMS Station 834, 7833 Riggs Road, Adelphi, MD 20783

 

 

WHO:                 Siblings rescued from fire with family and friends, a retired firefighter that assisted       in the rescue and current members of the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Dept.

 

Parking available in the rear of the station.

 

 

 

Thursday, November 26, 2015 - 08:48

 

Mark E. Brady - Chief Spokesperson/PIO - Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department - 9201 Basil Court #452 - Largo, MD 20774 - 240-508-7930

PIO Training Opportunity

An opportunity to apply for the E953 NIMS ICS All-Hazards Position Specific, PIO, train-the-trainer class is currently open. The weeklong class will be taught at the National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland, starting on March 14, 2016. Pete Piringer, PIO for the Montgomery County, MD, Department of Fire and Rescue Services and myself will be the Instructors for this class.

All-Hazards Position Specific training should be completed by personnel who are currently members of IMT’s and/or by persons seeking credentials or certification for Incident Command System (ICS) command, general staff, or unit leader positions. The primary goal of Position Specific train-the-trainer classes is to prepare the student to teach the class in the field as a member of a two-person team of instructors. As such, student teaching is an integral part of the class and each student will be expected to teach a portion of the curriculum during the program.

Basic prerequisites for the class include:

· IS/ICS 100, 200, 700 & 800 · ICS 300 & 400

· Prior completion of the course for which the student is applying for train-the-trainer, or demonstrated experience in the position to include completion of a Position Task Book

· Qualified as an instructor

· Possess a thorough knowledge of the National Incident Command System (ICS)

· Documented experience in serving on an Incident Management Team (IMT)

Persons interested in applying should submit a completed FEMA application form 119-25-1 through their State Training Officers or (for Federal employees) their NIMS Compliance Officer to NETC Admissions. These classes generally do fill up, so I would suggest making application as quickly as possible to avoid being wait-listed. All students except Federal employees who attend resident classes at EMI are eligible for student stipend reimbursements. This program will reimburse students for their travel costs, as well as provide lodging on campus at no cost. Federal employees who wish to attend classes should request a Travel Authorization from their respective agency. 

 

Thursday, August 27, 2015 - 10:39

By: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson/Public Information Officer

Friends and new acquaintances often ask me after they hear what I do for a living, “I bet you have seen everything?”  My response is always, “I may think so until the next incident occurs.”

On Wednesday, Aug. 26 two journalists were shot and killed by a disgruntled ex-employee of the television station they worked for, a CBS affiliate, WDBJ, in Roanoke, Virginia. 

Countless viewers witnessed the premeditated homicides during the live broadcast and replayed the footage many times after the attack.  The murderer, positioned just feet away from his targets, waited during a live early morning news broadcast until Adam Ward, a 27-year-old cameraman, was focused on Alison Parker, a 24-year-old reporter. 

Both Ward and Parker were shot and killed in the attack.  Vicki Gardner, head of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, was being interviewed by Ward and Parker and sustained a gunshot wound during the attack.  She is expected to survive.

The use of social media, a valuable tool in our public information officer (PIO) toolbox, also played a role in that the gunman recorded the heinous act and soon uploaded the video to Twitter and Facebook.  Did this action and attention strike a chord with others?

PIOs and our media associates must continue to provide news as we always have, however, is there a need for safety concerns for yourself and the media you are working with? Absolutely. There has always been and there will always be safety concerns within a fire department incident scene or simple stand-up on-camera interview.   Now, we must be aware that this has occurred and could happen again, anywhere at anytime.

While most of our interview opportunities are held in relatively safe environments, as compared to our law enforcement counterparts, there is always room to remain vigilant and safe.  As the PIO, you are responsible for the safety of the media on your incident scene.  While the Smith Mountain shooting appears to have been an isolated vengeful attack, it remains our goal to ensure everyone goes home after every call.  If this means relocating a media area away from the general public or off the shoulder of a busy road, it is our responsibility to ensure for everyone’s safety.  Once the media makes their way to obtain other interviews or to get that “better angle,” there is not much a PIO can do to control their safety except to make it perfectly clear that they are on their own.   Reality is that nothing short of having additional staff and security present during the early morning live shot could have made a difference in the outcome.  PIO’s should note this tragedy occurred and never forget it.

Remaining vigilant is a high quality for a PIO.  Being a good PIO is being aware of your surroundings, situation and ongoing incident status, all while keeping an eye out for the “live truck” or reporter and videographer like Alison and Adam, at all times.  After yesterday, awareness and a higher degree of vigilance should be included.

Just as you critique your departments’ operations after a significant incident or your personal performance of your duties as PIOs, you need to examine the Virginia incident and put yourselves in the position of Vicki Gardiner and ask yourself, “Would I or could I have done anything differently?”  Your answer, most likely, is no.  We need to walk away with the awareness that this incident has occurred and with the crazy potential that it could occur again.  We think we have seen everything until that next incident occurs.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015 - 14:18

It seems too easy.  You have a smartphone and you capture a few images of your Department at work.  You post the image and caption to the many social media networks available for everyone in the world to see.  Does this make you the Department's Public Information Officer (PIO)??  No, you are doing what any person with a smartphone can do and sometimes they get it right and sometimes wrong.  If you are a member of a Fire or EMS Department, do you have permission from your Chief and/or your Department to operate as the PIO??  This is your first step; prepare yourself through education and ask your Chief and Department for the authority to speak on behalf of your departments, post images, attend community events and talk to reporters, to name just a few few roles of the PIO.

Your next step is to acquire as much knowledge about the role of a PIO as possible.  Search for PIO classes offered in your area or on the internet.  Ask PIOs from other Departments if they have meetings or training sessions.  A great first step in your education is the on-line class, FEMA PIO Awareness.  Your State Training Office should be able to tell you about any upcoming 2-day Basic PIO Class and the 2-day Joint Information System/Joint Information Center Class (JIS/JIC).  As you start to grasp the basics consider attending the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland which offers a 1-week resident class, Advanced PIO Class.

Your State Training Officer should also be able to tell you about the Incident Management Team - All Hazards PIO Class offered regionally through the Emergency Management Institute.  This is a week long class that delves into operating as a PIO within the National Incident Management and Incident Command Systems.  There are several pre-requisites to take this class so please read what is required before signing up.  My point here is that you should acquire as much education as possible about the role of being a PIO as you can.  The FEMA classes are free and readily available.  Take advantage of the training and use it to your advantage.  

The use of social media is not an "End All - Be All" to being a PIO - it is just another tool in the PIOs toolbox. It's important to learn the basics of PIO 101 before going social worldwide into PIO 2.0.

Next we will discuss your internal and external audiences.

Group of PIOs from around the Country that recently completed the L-952 IMT - All Hazards PIO Class in Columbia, SC taught by myself and Pete Piringer

 

 

 

PGFD PIO Mark Brady is interviewed by NBC News, PIO Mark Brady serves as Emcee at the Housing of the Departments Pink Pumper, PIO Brady Emcees a Recruit Graduation Ceremony, PIO Brady updates his Twitter account @PGFDPIO from incident scene, PIO speaks with first arriving firefighters about what they found on arrival, PIO Brady Emcees promotional ceremony, PIO Brady is pictured with reporter promoting smoke alarm safety, PIO Brady appears on set of local news, PIO Brady talks with fan at concert at Fed Ex Field, PIO captures popular image, PIO Brady posts incident update to his Twitter account @PGFDPIO, PGFD PIO with John Travolta after Ladder 49 promo
Monday, June 15, 2015 - 14:53

It seems too easy.  You have a smartphone and you capture a few images of your Department at work.  You post the image and caption to the many social media networks available for everyone in the world to see.  Does this make you the Department's Public Information Officer (PIO)??  No, you are doing what any person with a smartphone can do and sometimes they get it right and sometimes wrong.  If you are a member of a Fire or EMS Department, do you have permission from your Chief and/or your Department to operate as the PIO??  This is your first step; prepare yourself through education and ask your Chief and Department for the authority to speak on behalf of your departments, post images, attend community events and talk to reporters, to name just a few few roles of the PIO.

Your next step is to acquire as much knowledge about the role of a PIO as possible.  Search for PIO classes offered in your area or on the internet.  Ask PIOs from other Departments if they have meetings or training sessions.  A great first step in your education is the on-line class, FEMAPIO Awareness.  Your State Training Office should be able to tell you about any upcoming 2-day Basic PIO Class and the 2-day Joint Information System/Joint Information Center Class (JIS/JIC).  As you start to grasp the basics consider attending the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland which offers a 1-week resident class, Advanced PIO Class.

Your State Training Officer should also be able to tell you about the Incident Management Team - All Hazards PIO Class offered regionally through the Emergency Management Institute.  This is a week long class that delves into operating as a PIO within the National Incident Management and Incident Command Systems.  There are several pre-requisites to take this class so please read what is required before signing up.  My point here is that you should acquire as much education as possible about the role of being a PIO as you can.  The FEMA classes are free and readily available.  Take advantage of the training and use it to your advantage.  

The use of social media is not an "End All - Be All" to being a PIO - it is just another tool in the PIOs toolbox. It's important to learn the basics of PIO 101 before going social worldwide into PIO 2.0.

 

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