S5 - E27: Amy Maxwell, PIO Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management

Summary: In this episode of the PIO podcast, Robert Tornabene interviews Amy Maxwell, the public relations manager for the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Amy shares her journey from working in cardiology to emergency management, detailing her responsibilities as the sole public information officer. She discusses her daily tasks, including managing social media, community engagement, and crisis communication. Amy also highlights the importance of weather radios, the adoption of new alert systems, and her passion for photography and the use of AI in emergency services. The conversation concludes with rapid-fire questions and Amy's insights on organization and continuous learning in her field.

Amy's BIO: Maxwell provides creative support for internal and external communication efforts for HCOEM and 13 volunteer fire/rescue agencies, including print publications, websites, electronic communication, community engagements, media, and video productions. She is the administrator for ten social media accounts and a webmaster for five websites. She prepares Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS) messages for Emergency Notifications for the public and HCOEM Emergency Notification System, REGROUP.