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Walsh County PIO details press outreach, media contacts and emergency exercise planning
Summary
New county public information officer Chris reported 34 press releases, more than two dozen media contacts since August and plans for a mass-casualty exercise with local health-care partners; he said press releases are published on the Walsh County website and reviewed with department leads.
Chris, Walsh County’s newly appointed public information officer, gave a progress report on Oct. 21, saying he has issued about 34 press releases since starting in August and handled roughly 29 media inquiries across a range of topics, most commonly public-safety matters and jail-related updates.
Chris said the county press releases are posted on the Walsh County website in a ‘‘Walsh County News’’ section and that there is a separate page on the sheriff’s office site for sheriff-specific releases. "Everything that I send out is approved by him first," Chris said, referring to coordination with Sheriff Jurgens for law-enforcement items.
He described outreach to regional PIOs and an upcoming call with the state Department of Emergency Services public information lead to develop operating guidelines for emergency communication. Chris said he has begun planning a mass-casualty exercise in coordination with the sheriff, the acting emergency manager (Crystal) and Unity Medical Center; he reported a meeting later that day to tour facilities and discuss a joint exercise.
Commissioners praised the outreach, noting the PIO’s assistance to the Hopel fire department during a recent structure fire and the benefit of improved media relations for county departments.
Chris closed by thanking county staff and commissioners. "The future is bright for Walsh County," he said, and stood for questions.
