public affairs/ public relations

I recently inquired here about free courses in "public affairs", which is basically governmental public relations

Not much response but I subsequently found several FEMA courses, both online and residential. As is almost always the case with government courses, the coursework is well-presented and the exams are pathetically easy.

Emergency Management Institute - FEMA Independent Study Program

IS-29 Public Information Officer Awareness

This course covers basic information about the role of a State or local Public Information Officer. The goal of this awareness course is to provide an orientation to the public information function and the role of the Public Information Officer (PIO) in the public safety/emergency management environment.

IS-250.a Emergency Support Function 15 (ESF15) External Affairs: A New Approach to Emergency Communication and Information Distribution

basic training on the concept and practical application of the ESF 15 Standard Operating Procedures to all FEMA External Affairs staff, regardless of duty station, as well as to staff in all other agency divisions and federal, tribal, state, local, private sector, military and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) partners.

IS-702.a National Incident Management System (NIMS) Public Information Systems

The public information systems described in NIMS are designed to effectively manage public information at an incident, regardless of the size and complexity of the situation or the number of entities involved in the response.

In addition to online courses, FEMA provides residential training at various locations. Usually these are free but one must be sponsored by an emergency management agency. It may be that CERT will suffice.

These course offering are coordinated by by state emergency management agencies (in CA
Course Catalog)

G290 Basic Public Information Officer (16 hours)

This course provides basic PIO skills training for local, state and federal public information officers at all experience levels. It includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:
• Communication Tools
• Media Relations and the Scene
• New Interviews
• Public Information in Expanding Incidents

CCM1 Crisis Communication and the Media (three 40 hour courses)

It is designed for people who work with the media in times of crisis. It is also applicable for day-to-day media relations. The program emphasizes the importance of developing a Public Information Officer (PIO) team, communications skills, teamwork, and leadership. Participants engage in public speaking exercises and media interview sessions.

These courses are available only at nation FEMA training centers

E388 Advanced Public Information Officer (Maryland)
E389 Master Public Information Officer