YORK COUNTY, SC – The York County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer has earned the highest certification from the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the PIO profession. On September 22, 2022, Deputy Trent Faris graduated from the Emergency Management Institute Master Public Information Officer (MPIO) program.
The MPIO program is a three-week course series of intensive study that prepares public information officers for an expanded role in delivering information and warning using a strategic whole community approach. The program reinforces qualities needed to lead community public information programs, provides relevant management theories and concepts, and uses case studies to enhance external affairs skill sets.
Participants contribute to the body of knowledge for emergency management through the evaluation of leadership, group dynamics, and functional best practices of joint information centers (JICs) by observing students in the advanced PIO courses. Additionally, students propose, design, and develop a research project on public information which the National Emergency Training Center Library then publishes in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Faris joins 137 others across the U.S. and just six in South Carolina as a recognized Master Public Information Officer (MPIO). Master PIO is the Department of Homeland Security’s highest level of training and credentialing for public information professionals.