DEM Info Report - Thoughts?

So... at the beginning of each month, I have the ability to go through the web site traffic data and see who is reading what. Primarily, I am using it to see how we might craft our new, in-development web site to best meet the needs of the emergency management community, the public and the media. To be frank, the DEM Info Report, has very low traffic today and historically. In stats going back 2 years, the reports generate around 200 hits each week, topping out at around 800 per month with a few exceptions - the IMT position announcement, ICS forms update and the FEMA pdf on how to improve recruitment and retention of volunteers bucking the trend of the sub 1,000k readership levels. Still, the most-read of these exceptions topped out at around 2,300 readers.

The number of people on the email circular for the Weekly Report is 496.... so 200 hits...

The new DEM web site will be significantly more "active" and, when combined with the other integrated tools including social media, the new WebEOC and other tools we have in the works, I hope to generate a greater regular readership online and greater participation. I hope our new online era will see DEM provide more timely and more focused support and serve as a central, must-have resource to you in the field for every phase of emergency management.

With that effort in mind, I also want to make sure our efforts here are yielding results so I would love some feedback on the Weekly Report if you get a second. Is it a useful tool or do you just delete it each week after scanning titles? Is it your primary way of learning about training opportunities or do you visit the CDEM training page regularly? If you are one of the die-hard 200, what is it that you like or would like to see more of? With some of these insights, I may be able to design a more bullet-style send around with links, change the timeframe to a shorter, as-it-happens email notice, a monthly training report or disband it. In the end... we may just keep it the way it is.

It is a tool for you and I am interested in how you use it and what you would like to see. I get some, but very few requests for info to include. I am always happy to do so, of course!

Up to you - let me know!

By the way... if you were wondering how this compares to the readership on http://www.twitter.com/COEmergency? we have just shy of 500 daily "followers" including citizens, emergency management and media readers and, on 15 July, set a DEM record for reaching over 7,000 unique, known readers with an estimated pool of up to 18,000 readers on that one day!

Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) A-Team Training

Participants interested in joining the State's Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) A-Team should apply for the training online at the CDEM training page. There two application documents can be downloaded and will require sign-off by your local jurisdiction and the State to join the team. For specific information regarding the training, the process or the documents linked above, contact Robyn.Knappe@state.co.us.

STILL OPENINGS!!! -- NIMS/ICS "Train the Trainer" Application Documents

STILL OPENINGS!!!! -- To facilitate the info and application documents for the upcoming NIMS ICS Position Specific Trainings, we have posted them online on the CDEM training page. NIMS ICS Position Specific training is designed to provide all-hazards competencies and behaviors for the eight Command and General Staff positions and select unit leader positions.  The competencies in the training are focused around the ability of the student to assume the position responsibilities, lead assigned personnel, communicate effectively, and to ensure the completion of assigned tasks to meet identified objectives for the position. NIMS ICS Position Specific training should be completed by personnel who desire to eventually be certified as a member of a Type III Incident Management Team (IMT) or who desire to seek credentials/certification in an ICS Command and General Staff or Unit Leader position.

For more information and for the application documents, contact Robyn.Knappe@state.co.us

Any comments, additions, or other suggestions you have for this report or on the DEM site? Don't hesitate to contact me at (303) 472-4087 or at brandon.williams@state.co.us