Field Public Information Officer - OPS

Bureau of Response

State of Florida Division of Emergency Management

This position is available statewide

 

The Florida Division of Emergency Management plans for and responds to both natural and man-made disasters. These range from floods and hurricanes to incidents involving hazardous materials or nuclear power. The Division of Emergency Management (FDEM or Division) is the liaison between federal, state, and local agencies. FDEM prepares and implements a statewide Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, routinely conducts extensive exercises to test state and county emergency response capabilities, provides technical assistance to local governments as they prepare emergency plans and procedures, as well as conducts emergency operations trainings for state and local government agencies.

 

The Division serves as the lead agency for the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), whose primary goal is the coordination of the state’s efforts during disaster response and recovery. This coordination is conducted within the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee. Additionally, the Division manages the State Watch Office; the 24-hours a day operation tasked with providing situational awareness to stakeholders statewide. After a disaster, FDEM conducts damage assessment surveys and advises the Governor of the state of Florida on whether to declare an emergency and seek federal relief funds. It is against this backdrop that FDEM strives to demonstrate its mission of, “Coordinate, collaborate and communicate with our community stakeholders for a resilient Florida” along with our vision of, “Leading the Profession in building prepared and resilient communities”.

 

Position Overview and Responsibilities:

The Public Information Officer (PIO) plays a crucial role in disseminating accurate and timely information to the public during emergency incidents. This position interfaces with various stakeholders, including the public, media, elected officials, and other agencies. The PIO's role is critical in maintaining public trust, providing accurate updates, and promoting community resilience during emergencies. This position is a Command Staff level position on Florida’s State All-Hazards Incident Management Team.

 

Duties for the position include, but are not limited to:   

Interface with the public, media, and other agencies to provide essential information. Engage in active communication and information sharing with elected and appointed officials. Monitor public information sources to ensure accuracy and consistency. Collect, verify, prepare, coordinate, and disseminate community-related incident information to the public through the news media, radio, newspaper, and social media stakeholders to provide information and updates based on changes in incident status. Use information from other members of the Incident Management Team (IMT) and Command and General Staff to develop accurate, accessible, and complete information on an incident’s cause, size, current situation, resources committed, and other matters of general interest for internal and external audiences. Establish an on-site Joint Information Center (JIC) and a Joint Information System (JIS) as necessary. Coordinate messaging with Emergency Support Function 14 at the State Emergency Operations Center. Supervise assistants, as necessary. Interface with PIOs from other agencies and jurisdictions to ensure the release of accurate information to the public and media. Develop and implement a transition plan based on escalating incident complexity. Coordinate and effectively communicate activities with the State Emergency Response Team. Implement priorities and objectives from State Emergency Response Team Command Staff. Perform duties as assigned during activations of the emergency operation center, work non-traditional hours, and travel for extended periods. Employee must be able to deploy to anywhere in Florida or the United States for up to 28 days at a time. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Proficiency in crisis communication strategies and techniques. Ability to convey complex information clearly to diverse audiences. Experience working with news media, understanding their needs, and managing press inquiries. Skill in crafting press releases and conducting interviews. Ability to collect, verify, and organize incident-related data. Familiarity with incident management systems and terminology. Strong leadership skills to manage information flow during high-pressure situations. Work effectively with other agencies, stakeholders, and partners. Foster positive relationships to enhance public communication.

 

Minimum Qualifications:

A valid driver’s license. Must be able to deploy for extended periods with little to no advance notice anywhere in Florida or the United States, work nontraditional hours including weekends and holidays, and perform other duties as required. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (i.e., up to 28 days at a time).

 

Special Notes:

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

 

The Division of Emergency Management is committed to successfully recruiting and onboarding talented and skilled individuals into its workforce. The Division appreciates the service and sacrifices made by veterans and their family members. Further, FDEM recognizes the immeasurable value veterans bring to the workplace and is committed to increasing the number of veterans that serve in its workforce.

 

The Division of Emergency Management is committed to increasing recruitment and hiring of individuals with disabilities and improving employment outcomes. An individual with a disability is qualified if he or she satisfies the skills, experience, and other job-related requirements for a position and can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must contact the FDEM Human Resources Office at (850) 815-4177. FDEM requests applicants notify HR in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

 

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

 

Successful completion of background screening will be required for this position.

 

The State of Florida and the Division of Emergency Management participate in E-Verify. This federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

 

In response to emergency events, Division of Emergency Management employees may be required to work irregular hours, to work more than 8 hours per day, to work extended periods (including weekends and holidays), to work at locations other than their official headquarters, and to perform duties in addition to those outlined in the employee’s position description. Employees must be able to deploy to emergency sites with limited advance notice.