RESCUE TRAINING ASSOCIATES

Preparing for the worst

THEY RUN INTO THE PLACES OTHERS RUN AWAY FROM, which is why Rescue Training Associates (RTA) takes their mission to train emergency response personnel so seriously. RTA staff members have worked disasters large and small, from rescuing people from building fires to working the response and recovery efforts following the Oklahoma City bombing and World Trade Center attacks.

RTA looked to NCI to help promote a 4-day course called the Community Integrated Disaster Response Exercise (CIDRE) in which RTA teaches fire, law enforcement, EMS, health professionals, emergency management and public health staff how to coordinate their responses to major disasters.

NCI implemented a multifaceted plan that involved producing a fast-paced video to educate potential clients and partners and developing a media relations strategy for exercises taking place in Oklahoma City and Kansas City. NCI coordinated on-site media, provided b-roll of activities taking place in unsafe areas (a partially collapsed building used in the rescue exercise portion of the event), and provided a satellite uplink so local TV stations throughout the country could run the story. The result was near-saturated media coverage at the local and regional level. NCI also facilitated ABC Good Morning America’s coverage of the event.