CSAR Basic Public Information Officer (PIO)

The role of a backcountry SAR team PIO is critical to helping teams fundraise, recruit new members, educate the public to decrease the team’s mission load, and create general public awareness of what we do. They also help us advocate for the best interests of BSAR responders and maintain partnerships with other organizations focused on outdoor recreation in Colorado.  While there are good courses available for emergency services PIOs from DHSEM and FEMA, they address a world quite different from ours.  Fire, EMS and law enforcement PIOs focus most of their time on preventative activities rather than incident response, and when they do have an incident it tends to be large-scale rather than small-scale.  Their world is also different because they are generally paid professionals, while most of us are volunteers juggling PIO duties with our rescue roles, day jobs and family responsibilities.  These differences led CSAR’s Public Information and Education (PIE) program to create our own customized, hybrid course for current and aspiring BSAR team PIOs in 2022. 

The series consists of four virtual sessions on weekday evenings and one final in-person session on a weekend.  Attendees have two years in which to complete the series.  We offer the series every year on a similar schedule in the fall.  Those who complete all five sessions will receive a certificate of completion from CSAR.

All virtual sessions begin at 6:00 pm and end no later than 9:00 pm. The in-person final session will be a full-day workshop from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Dates for 2025:

Virtual Session 1:  "So, I'm the PIO...Now What?" - Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
This introductory session will be facilitated by Dave Arnett of DCSAR and Anna DeBattiste of CSAR/SCRG 

Virtual Session 2: Strategic Communications Planning - Thursday, September 18, 2025, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Facilitated by Micki Trost of the Colorado Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and Anna DeBattiste

Virtual Session 3:  Working with the Media - Monday, September 29, 2025, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Facilitated by Drew Hildner of CSAR/RMRG and Anna DeBattiste

Virtual Session 4: Social Media - Thursday, October 16, 2025, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Facilitated by Chris Valentine of EPCSAR and Anna DeBattiste

Full Day, In-Person Final Session: Writing workshop, on-camera workshop and joint information center (JIC) scenario - Saturday, October 25, 2025, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Location TBD based on class enrollment, but it will be a central mountain location. Facilitated by Dawn Wilson of CSAR/ART, Drew Hildner of CSAR/RMRG, and Anna DeBattiste.  

Registration fee: The full series is $200 per registrant.  (If you would like to register for just one session, or you are a registrant from last year looking to make up a session you missed, please email [email protected] to make arrangements.)