NEW: Kass Leaving RI Emergency Management Agency
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Due to budget cuts, Steve Kass, respected as one of the finest Public Information Officers in the country, will serve his last day as Public Information Officer for RI Emergency Management Agency, effective Friday.
In a letter to his colleagues, Kass said he enjoyed working with the agency, but the position is no longer being funded.
“This Friday, August 13 will be my last day as Public Information Officer for RIEMA (RI Emergency Management Agency). The legislature has decided not to fund this position in this year’s budget.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIt has been my pleasure to work with so many talented and dedicated people here at this agency. I will continue to work on a volunteer basis on special programs that I helped establish in Rhode Island, including the STEP Program (Student Tools for Emergency Planning) for elementary school children. We have 9000 fourth grade students in RI and helping prepare them for all hazard emergency situations is the most gratifying thing I have ever done. I will work with (Federal Emergency Management Agency) FEMA and those states that show interest in bringing this program to every eligible child in the US.
I will also do some radio work as a fill in host on WPRO starting this Monday at 12 noon for The Dan Yorke Show. I want to thank all of you for helping us bring the preparedness message to Rhode Islanders. It is just a matter of time when we will be dealing with a major hurricane or flood event or winter blizzard and this agency will need your help in keeping the general public informed.”
Letter from former Ex. Director J.D. Smith to Steve Kass:
“When I arrived at RIEMA in 2008 you were already serving as the PIO for the agency. Your decades of experience proved invaluable as we all worked together to tell the story of our agency. The interaction with various governmental organizations and most importantly the people of Rhode Island was greatly enhanced by your established relationships with all media outlets. We quickly established RIEMA as a familiar "face" to all events of importance.
Furthermore, you and Michelle Collins from FEMA fought tirelessly for the program known as "STEP", Student Tools for Emergency Planning. The recognition by FEMA’s Marty Bahomondie (sp) that children need specialized preparedness training was expanded by your remarkable ability to network with Marieville School, private sector partners, and FEMA. You coordinated with CCRI to gain assistance through their computer science department and ask them to build a website for STEP. This program and your efforts were recognized by everyone at FEMA right up to the top office in Washington. The "culture of preparedness" was also extended into the world of scouting. While their motto is "Be Prepared!", STEP training was brought to their world and into the urban environment. I think all together there are approximately 80% of our 4th and 5th graders who have benefited from this effort. Some told their teachers that during the flood they were not scared because they had the STEP training.
Steve, during our tenure together you helped craft the warnings and language that could succinctly warn the public in a timely and balanced manner. You have earned a respect as one of the preeminent PIO's in the country. It is impossible for anyone outside the workings of emergency management to know how critical the role of a PIO can be during an event. Thank you very much for your service in all facets of PIO at RIEMA. We can share a great sense of pride that may be unique to our environment but it is the professional pride of knowing that people were warned and are better prepared because of RIEMA and the message(s) that they received in all media forms.
Director (X)”
