Public information is no longer a collateral duty.

It is crisis leadership.

It is digital strategy.

It is misinformation management.

It is executive advisement.

It is reputation protection.

It is public trust in motion.

And professions that matter require training.

The modern Public Information Officer cannot rely solely on experience. The pace of information, the complexity of media environments, and the expectations of transparency demand ongoing development. If we expect to be treated as professionals, we must invest in professional growth.

Professional identity is not declared. It is demonstrated.

The Foundation Matters

For many communicators in public safety and emergency management, formal training begins with the Public Information Officer track offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The FEMA L0105 Public Information Basics course provides essential grounding in:

• Roles and responsibilities of the PIO
• Media relations fundamentals
• Introduction to the Joint Information System
• Risk communication principles
• Integration within the Incident Command System

It is foundational for a reason. It establishes common doctrine, shared terminology, and a baseline understanding of how public information integrates into incident management.

Too often, agencies assign someone to “handle the media” without equipping them with even this level of training. L0105 corrects that gap. It creates structure where there was once improvisation. It reinforces that public information is not simply about answering questions. It is about operating within a coordinated system designed to manage information during incidents.

A profession cannot mature without a shared foundation.

The Gold Standard for Strategic Communications

If L0105 is the starting point, FEMA’s E/L0388 Advanced Public Information Officer program represents the next tier of professional development.

Delivered through FEMA and frequently hosted in residence at the National Disaster and Emergency Management University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, as well as delivered in host cities across the country, the 0388 course is widely regarded as the gold standard for joint information center (JIC) operations and strategic crisis communications.

The program emphasizes:

• Managing multi-agency joint information centers
• Coordinating messaging across jurisdictions
• Developing strategic communication plans
• Rumor control and misinformation management
• Operating in prolonged, politically sensitive, high-pressure incidents

Participants engage in scenario-driven exercises that mirror the complexity of real-world disasters. The course goes beyond writing news releases. It teaches information leadership.

Importantly, when taken at the FEMA campus, eligible local, county, and state government employees may qualify for travel stipends and no-cost on-campus lodging. In other words, access to advanced professional training is not limited by geography or budget as often as people assume.

The barrier to growth is lower than many realize.

Professional development is available. It simply requires commitment.

Training Is Operational Readiness

In today’s environment, training is not a résumé enhancer. It is risk management.

We operate in an era defined by:

• Rapid misinformation and rumor spread
• Artificial intelligence-generated content
• Real-time social media amplification
• Heightened scrutiny of public institutions

A poorly handled message can escalate an incident.

An unclear update can fuel speculation.

A delayed response can create a narrative vacuum filled by others.

Professional development sharpens judgment. It improves coordination. It strengthens executive advisement. It enhances credibility with media and the public.

Training is preventative maintenance for public trust.

The Value of Sitting in the Student Seat

Even experienced communicators benefit from structured coursework.

Sitting in the classroom, whether virtual or in person, forces humility. It exposes blind spots. It reconnects professionals to doctrine and evolving best practices. It provides perspective from peers navigating similar challenges.

Experience is valuable. But experience without reflection can lead to stagnation.

The communications environment evolves constantly. Platforms change. Algorithms change. Audience expectations shift. Legal considerations expand. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how information is created and consumed.

If we stop learning, we fall behind.

Professional humility is a competitive advantage.

The Value of Teaching the Craft

There is another dimension to professional development that deserves equal attention: instruction.

Preparing to teach forces clarity. It requires research, reflection, and the ability to defend one’s methods under scrutiny. Questions from practitioners test assumptions and refine frameworks. Real-world feedback strengthens theory.

Teaching is discipline.

This spring, I will be speaking at the Public Information Officer Midyear Conference hosted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Tempe, Arizona, focusing on artificial intelligence and the modern PIO.

Conferences like this are more than networking events. They are laboratories for the profession. They gather communicators facing similar pressures and create space to test ideas, share lessons learned, and strengthen collective capability.

When communicators gather, the profession advances.

Associations Build the Profession

Professional development is not limited to federal courses or national conferences.

Associations create continuity, mentorship, and shared standards.

The Emergency Management External Affairs Association, for example, offers monthly webinars, peer collaboration opportunities, and access to a national network of external affairs professionals. At $35 annually, membership provides ongoing education at a fraction of the cost of most conferences.

Associations foster professional identity. They reduce isolation. They promote consistency in messaging standards and ethics.

When communicators organize, the profession strengthens.

Infrastructure Strengthens Access

One of the historical challenges in public information has not been the willingness to learn. It has been discoverability.

Training opportunities are scattered across states, disciplines, and organizations. Conferences are announced in silos. Webinars circulate within limited networks.

That fragmentation slows growth.

To strengthen the profession, we need infrastructure that removes friction between communicators and opportunity. That is the philosophy behind The PIO Calendar — centralizing training events, conferences, webinars, and instructor-led programs into one accessible platform.

If we believe growth matters, we must build systems that support it.

Professional standards do not rise by accident. They rise by design.

Real-World Reinforcement

Yesterday, I had the privilege of helping instruct the FEMA L0105 Public Information Basics course in Largo, Florida, alongside an exceptional instructional team — Tom Iovino, Ashley Giovannetti, Elizabeth Willi, and Sarah Lux.

The classroom was filled with engaged professionals from across disciplines — emergency management, public health, law enforcement, municipal and county governments, US Coast Guard, and fire department — all investing time to sharpen their public information skills.

That matters.

When practitioners voluntarily sit in the student seat, they send a signal: this role is serious. This responsibility requires preparation.

Watching that room engage with doctrine, scenario work, and discussion reinforced something simple but important:

The appetite for growth exists.

The profession is ready.

Our responsibility is to continue building pathways that make that growth accessible.

Raising the Standard

The public information function sits at the intersection of transparency, accountability, and trust.

It deserves doctrine, mentorship, and structured development — not improvisation.

It deserves practitioners who treat growth as a professional obligation, not a convenience.

The credibility of our agencies often hinges on the clarity of our communication. The clarity of our communication depends on the discipline of our preparation.

Training is not an accessory to the role.

It is foundational to the role.

If we want public information to be recognized as a profession, we must behave like professionals. That means investing in foundational training like L0105. It means pursuing advanced programs like E/L0388. It means joining associations. It means attending conferences. It means teaching when we are ready to give back.

It means sharpening the craft continuously.

At PDR Strategies, we believe professional development is the infrastructure that sustains public trust. Through this blog, through speaking engagements, and through tools designed to connect communicators with meaningful training opportunities, our mission is clear: raise the standard of the profession.

If you are serious about advancing your public information program, start with training. Then build systems. Then build culture.

Sharpen the craft.

Because the message always matters.