Wildfire Crisis Communications: Lessons from CAL FIRE PIO David Acuña
From The PIO Podcast · 40:08
Show by Robert Tornabene
Send us Fan MailWhen a wildfire doubles in size in minutes, how do public information officers keep communities informed without sacrificing accuracy?In this episode of The PIO Podcast, host Robert Tornabene welcomes David Acuña, Battalion Chief and Public Information Officer with CAL FIRE, for a conversation about crisis communications during fast-moving wildfires and major emergencies.David shares how CAL FIRE coordinates public information across California, works with local incident commanders, manages evacuation warnings and orders, and delivers accurate information when conditions change by the minute.The conversation also explores Aware CA, an emergency information platform that helps agencies share verified incident updates, along with the challenges of alert fatigue, confusing terminology, communication outages, and public trust.David also discusses why relationships built before an emergency matter, how agencies can evaluate their communication performance, and why supporting exhausted PIOs matters during extended deployments.Whether you work in law enforcement, fire services, emergency management, or government communications, this episode offers practical lessons you can apply before your next major incident.Topics include: Wildfire communications, evacuation messaging, crisis communication strategies, public information coordination, emergency alerts, media relations, and PIO preparedness.Subscribe to The PIO Podcast for conversations with public information professionals working to strengthen emergency communications and public trust.David's BIO: David Acuña works as a Battalion Chief with CAL FIRE Sacramento Headquarters as a Public Information Officer. Acuña holds Chief Fire Officer (CFO) and Public Information Officer (CPC-PIO) designations from the Center for Public Service Excellence. He has been an adjunct instructor at the Fresno City College Fire Academy for 14 years. Acuña has a B.S. in Fire Administration and an M.S. in Fire Executive Leadership-Emergency Services Management, both from Columbia Southern University. He lives in the Central Valley of California, has a daughter, and lives with his wife and very spoiled dog.David's LinkedIn YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thepiopodcast#ThePIOPodcast #CALFIRE #CrisisCommunications #PublicInformationOfficer #EmergencyManagementSupport the showOur premiere sponsor, Social News Desk, has an exclusive offer for PIO Podcast listeners. Head over to socialnewsdesk.com/pio to get three months free when a qualifying agency signs up.
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