Crisis communications takes collaboration.

CAPIO teamed up with the League of California Cities for a feature in Western City magazine and a companion conference session at the League’s annual conference, both focused on the importance of emergency preparedness and crisis communications.

Representing CAPIO, Christine Brainerd, Communications Director for the City of Folsom and CAPIO’s Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives Chair, helped lead this effort, connecting public information professionals with city leaders, state partners, and elected officials to share lessons learned from real-world emergencies.

As Christine Brainerd noted in Western City, CAPIO’s work to strengthen crisis communication capacity across California dates back to the wake-up call of the 2016 fire season, a reminder that no community is immune from emergencies. That experience spurred CAPIO to launch its Emergency Communications Academy, which continues to train public information officers to plan ahead, communicate clearly, and collaborate across agencies when disasters strike.

Christine also facilitated the League’s panel session, “Trial by Fire: Communicating Effectively During Disasters,” featuring CAPIO partners from Cal OES (Lori Fowler), CAL FIRE (Nick Schuler), the Mayor of West Hollywood (Chelsea Byers), and the City Manager of Watsonville (Tamara Vides), each offering insight on how preparation, trusted messengers, and creativity can save lives when crises strike.

The Western City article expands on these themes, from the importance of building relationships before a disaster, to the value of consistent, compassionate communication in times of uncertainty.

Read the full article: https://www.westerncity.com/article/its-10-pm-and-crisis-has-hit-your-city-can-you-communicate-your-residents-effectively

This partnership is part of CAPIO’s Strategic Partnerships Initiative — focused on elevating CAPIO’s presence with city leaders and strengthening collaboration between professional associations that serve our shared mission.