The FEMA Independent Study Program is one of the delivery channels used by the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) to provide training to the general public and specific audiences. In addition to this course, the independent program of study includes courses in floodplain management, radiological emergency management, the role of the emergency manager, hazardous materials, disaster relief, the role of the Emergency Operations Center, and an orientation to community disaster drills. The course completion deadline for all FEMA Independent Study courses is 1 year from the date of enrollment.
The registration date is the date that the IKE Office of Independent Study will use for the completion of all required course work, including the Final Exam.
Communicating Effectively
Basic Communication Skills
C OMMUNICATION
S KILLS
Introduction
Communication Models
In the send-receive model, receiving or listening is as critical as sending the message because, without listening, it is impossible to personalize and respond to the message. What specific behaviors did the person exhibit that led you to believe that he or she was not caring about you? If you're speaking face-to-face, pay attention to the speaker's facial expressions and other nonverbal cues for more insight into the message.
Check your perception of how the interlocutor feels to put the text of the message in an emotional context.
Practice Active Listening
Communicating in an Emergency
E MERGENCY
Identifying Community- Specific Communications
Issues
So far in this course you have learned basic communication skills and how communicating in an emergency situation is different from communicating in everyday life. In this unit you will learn about why traditional messages do not always work across cultures or with groups with special needs. Develop a strategy to refocus your emergency communications to meet the specific needs of the community.
Why Traditional Messages Don’t Always Work
As you begin your talk, you notice that the Indian members of the audience are slowly shaking their heads from side to side. Take the time to learn the basic customs of the ethnic groups in your community. This strategy is especially useful when you are new to a community or from a different part of the country.).
Making yourself aware of important cultural and other differences that you will need to address in an emergency will help you learn what to expect from the groups and whether your message is being communicated. After exchanging initial pleasantries, Mrs. Jones, who appears to be in his early sixties, takes you on a tour of the facility and introduces you to the residents you meet along the way. For the rest of the trip, you notice that Mrs. Jones doesn't have much to say, but it doesn't bother you.
By the time you finish your tour, you are very excited because of all the ideas you have to help with the evacuation plan. Jones kept you on hold for 10 minutes, it could indicate a last-minute phone call — or it could indicate her irritation that you were late. It is critical to consider cultural differences when addressing cross-cultural or special needs communications.
It is important not to assume that everyone thinks and reacts the same way you would to a situation. Then use the space below to write down five things you can change to improve your next communication with your selected group(s).
Using Technology as a Communication Tool
T OOL
Technology as a Tool
The table below lists tips and cautions when using various types of technology during an emergency. Assess the listener's understanding by repeating key points or asking for them to be repeated back to you. If your conversation is on speakerphone, you may have other listeners in addition to the person you called.
Be sure to promote the TDD access number whenever another phone line is promoted. Test the TDD system from an equipped phone to ensure it is working properly. Be aware that other people may hear your message besides the intended audience.
Transfer speed does not preclude the need for good writing and/or good manners. As with faxes, fast delivery does not preclude the need for complete sentences and correct spelling and grammar. In most cases, you can use a mix of high-tech and low-tech tools to support your message.
Review the case studies that follow and consider how technology can be used to support the message and audience needs.
Technologies
Technologies (Continued)
Effective Oral Communication
In the previous unit, you explored some of the ways technology can enhance successful communication. During the day-to-day conversation, you make automatic adjustments to your message and delivery to ensure you get your point across. This unit will also help you identify and adjust your speaking skills in the various situations you are likely to face.
Matching Communication to Message and Audience
It is important to establish reliable and productive working relationships with media representatives. Make sure the informational messages you give to the media are worded as if they are being addressed directly to you. Here are a few tips to help you stay in control of the interview process.
If possible, review the scope of the interview with the reporter before the interview so you can anticipate what may be asked. For example, if the reporter opens the interview by saying, "Thank you for speaking with us today," you might respond, "I'm proud to speak on behalf of the community's unified response effort," or. Do not refer to the reporter by name, as the reporter may not be included when the interview is broadcast.
Since up to 65 percent of your message's meaning is unspoken, learning to "read" nonverbal communication is imperative. As you relay the details of the incident, she begins flipping through a color catalog of protective gear lying open on the desk. Review the nonverbal behaviors below and note how the behaviors might be apparent in each of the situations described.
Standing upright but relaxed, connecting with people in different parts of the room, leaning forward slightly with a speaking face. Most likely, you smiled at the jokes, sat down to listen to the messages, and can't remember any of the jokes that were told.
Speech Anxiety
Preparing Oral Presentations
O RAL
P RESENTATIONS
What Makes a Good Oral Presentation?
It is likely that you will be giving one of two types of presentations - either informative or motivational. For example, if you are asked to give fire evacuation instructions to residents of an apartment complex, you will give an informational presentation. Below is an example of how that presentation would be organized using the three steps listed above.
Use a vivid illustration to emphasize the importance of the need or problem to the audience. Create a need for your solution or idea and emphasize one or two benefits instead of offering a laundry list. Show how your specific ideas solve the problem or meet the need you've identified.
Tell the audience how, when, what and why they can do to carry out your proposal. Identify as many messages as you can in the following case study and decide whether they are best presented as informational messages or motivational messages. The main water line that runs through the central part of your town burst and flooded two blocks of small businesses.
Electricity was out for 6 hours during the ordeal, and many area streets were closed to traffic while repairs were made to the water line. You have been asked to make an oral presentation on the status of the cleanup effort.
Continued)
After the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery, the day's keynote speaker, Edward Everett, compared his long speech to President Lincoln's short words, the "Gettysburg Address." Mr. Everett wrote: "I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I got as close to the central idea of the event in two hours as you got in two minutes." Present your speech in front of a mirror with a clock to check your pace and ensure your message fits the allotted time.
Job Aid 7-2: Writing Your Speech
Delivering Your Speech
Course Summary
S UMMARY
Present the information in order; Present the reason for the message, supporting information, and conclusion. Selecting the right media for both the message and the audience is essential for effectiveness.
Community-Specific Communications Issues
Using Technology as a Communication Tool
Since up to 65 percent of the meaning of your message is unspoken, learning to read nonverbals is essential. When the speaker's body language is aligned with the verbal message, the message is reinforced. Whatever the source of your speaking anxiety, these steps can help you reduce nervousness and gain control over your presentation.
After determining the "who, what, when, where and why" aspects, it is easy to determine the right message and the most effective delivery. Complete the final exam in the back of the book by marking the correct answers. To submit the final exam online, go to http://www.fema.gov/emi/ishome.htm and click on the courses link.
Click on the title of that course and scroll down the course description page to find the link to the final exam. After you select the final exam link and the online answer sheet opens, download your answers and fill in the required personal information. To submit the final exam by mail using the standard answer sheet, follow the instructions printed on the form.
Which of the following media would you not use to inform the public of an approaching tornado? If the media asks you a question you're not sure about, you'll look bad if you admit you don't know the answer.
