Program UU (APIOHHE)

Course Name

Advanced Public Information Officer: Health and Hospital Emergencies (APIOHHE)

Target Audience/Disciplines

The APIOHHE course is designed for Public Information Officers (PIO) from state and local Health Departments, Hospitals, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Emergency Management Agencies (EMA), other public health-related services, and traditional emergency response agencies.

Course Description

The Advanced Public Information Officer: Health and Hospital Emergencies course is a four-day course that combines lectures, facilitated discussion, activities, and exercises, allowing participants to apply knowledge and skills to manage a Joint Information Center (JIC) in a healthcare emergency situation. The course has a healthcare focus but benefits all response disciplines.

The value of the course for participants is experiencing an actual Joint Information Center operation. The 4.5 hour culminating exercise allows participants to:

Experience how different levels of government and the private sector collaborate on protective actions that need to be disseminated to the public
Determine the most effective way to communicate with the public utilizing multiple mediums such as television, radio, and social media
Experience how stress affects their ability to function in their disaster PIO roles
Apply interpersonal skills learned in the course to enhance relationships with their community partners and the media
Recognize staff strengths and weaknesses to utilize everyone to their fullest potential in the JIC operation.

A side benefit to attending any course at the Center for Domestic Preparedness is the networking opportunities. Participants gain valuable insight on solving problems at their facility by hearing what other facilities are doing.

Additional Qualifications/Certifications

Training in ICS: IS-100.hc or IS 100.b, IS-200.hc or IS-200.b and IS-700.a (required), ICS-300 and ICS-400 (optional)

Course Length

4.0 days

Course Code

MGT-902

CEUs

International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET): 3.2
Nursing, through Alabama Board of Nursing (nurses only): 32
Police Officer Standards and Training (POST; approved per state): 32