Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Public Information, Education and Relations (PIER): National Standard Curriculum (Administrator's Guide)

NHTSA · 1997 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This document is an Administrator’s Guide for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) National Standard Curriculum on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Public Information, Education, and Relations (PIER). The guide facilitates the planning and implementation of an eight-hour seminar designed to help EMS providers develop proactive public information programs. The primary motivation is to raise public awareness, understanding, and participation in the EMS system, thereby improving recruitment, financial support, and patient outcomes while reducing misuse of resources. The curriculum is structured for a maximum of 25 participants and requires two instructors with media experience, along with additional staff for breakout exercises. The training spans approximately eight hours and thirty minutes, including instructional time, breaks, and lunch. The content is divided into five sessions: an introduction to PIER concepts; developing and managing a PIER program through research, planning, implementation, and evaluation; media relations strategies including press releases and interviews; on-scene media relations focusing on safety and information flow; and a summary critique. The instructional design is highly interactive, utilizing hands-on exercises such as mock television interviews, press release writing, and PIER planning scenarios. Required materials include an Instructor’s Lesson Plans Manual, visual aids, video segments, and specific equipment like VHS cameras for recording student performances. The guide provides detailed administrative protocols, including facility requirements (U-shaped seating, breakout rooms), equipment checklists, and instructor qualifications. It emphasizes that instructors should not read lesson plans verbatim but should use their own teaching styles and experiences to engage participants. The curriculum covers essential topics such as establishing a Public Information Officer (PIO), handling negative media coverage, setting media boundaries at incident scenes, and building coalitions. Evaluation mechanisms are built into the process, with participant feedback forms assessing training objectives, session quality, and course design. Instructors are instructed to analyze this feedback to identify deficiencies and improve future offerings. The significance of this document lies in its role as a standardized training tool for EMS agencies to professionalize their public communication efforts. By providing a structured framework for PIER programs, the guide aims to ensure consistent, effective, and proactive engagement with the media and the public. It underscores the importance of preparedness in managing media relations, particularly during negative incidents, and highlights the benefits of networking and coalition-building. The guide serves as a comprehensive resource for administrators to replicate the seminar, ensuring that EMS personnel acquire the skills necessary to enhance their agency’s public image and operational effectiveness.

Key finding

The document provides a standardized curriculum and administrative framework for training EMS providers in public information, education, and relations to improve media handling and public engagement.

Methodology

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• public messaging