PUAOPE003 — Manage the public information function at an incident

1 Establish public information section

• 1.1Initial briefing, including information required to manage the public information section, is obtained from the Incident Controller where the Incident Controller’s intent is confirmed
• 1.2Public information section objectives and tasks are identified and confirmed with the Incident Controller
• 1.3Information on the current and projected incident situation is obtained from the planning section, the intelligence section, if established, and from external sources including media reports
• 1.4Appropriate structure for the public information section is established, tasks are delegated and briefings are provided to assigned personnel
• 1.5Resources are identified and obtained to meet public information section requirements
• 1.6Safe work practices and health and welfare arrangements for the work area are implemented and monitored

2 Manage public information section

• 2.1Public information plan is prepared and objectives and strategies are specified to meet the information needs of the community and media
• 2.2Analysis of the incident, its risks, constraints and the information to be reported to identified target audiences is incorporated into the public information plan
• 2.3How information is to be communicated internally and externally to the community, media and other stakeholders is confirmed in the public information plan
• 2.4Timely and relevant information on the current and projected incident situation including, incident control objectives, strategies and resources at the incident is collected, summarised and prepared for dissemination
• 2.5Workload, progress and performance of the public information section is monitored and managed
• 2.6Public information section meetings are conducted, as required
• 2.7Structure of the public information section is adjusted during the incident to meet predicted and actual information demands
• 2.8Arrangements are made for a log and/or record of activities and decisions to be kept

3 Manage information and warnings unit

• 3.1Information and warnings unit is established, if required, to provide timely, tailored and relevant information and warnings to affected communities and stakeholders on behalf of the Incident Controller
• 3.2Information is gathered from the incident management team to maintain situational awareness
• 3.3Information gathered directly from the community and used by the information and warnings unit is provided to the intelligence unit
• 3.4Ongoing liaison with the community liaison unit and the media unit is undertaken to ensure that information is disseminated according to the area of responsibility

4 Manage media unit

• 4.1Media unit is established, as required, to liaise with and respond to enquiries from the media at the incident
• 4.2Media unit is communicated as the point of contact for the media, the public and other organisations for general information about the incident
• 4.3Current and timely information consistent with incident requirements and local knowledge is provided to the media, in accordance with organisational procedures
• 4.4Preparation and issuing of media messages is managed by the media unit, working in conjunction with media networks, to disseminate key messages
• 4.5Preparation of key messages for press conferences and other media events involving the Incident Controller, or other members of the incident management team, are drafted and managed by the media unit
• 4.6Media needs and deadlines are communicated within the public information section and to the incident management team
• 4.7Media liaison officers and/or escorts are appointed to support incident ground media liaison as approved by the Incident Controller
• 4.8Organisational requirements for media liaison are applied

5 Manage community liaison unit

• 5.1Community liaison unit is established, as required, to promote two-way communication between the incident management team and affected communities
• 5.2Established community networks, groups and/or systems relevant to the incident area, that may assist with the acquisition and dissemination of incident information, are identified
• 5.3In consultation with relief and recovery organisations the information needs of affected communities are identified and timely, tailored and relevant information is prepared
• 5.4Community meetings and other activities are conducted to respond to community information needs and to log concerns requiring follow up
• 5.5Liaison is maintained with the operations and planning sections, the intelligence section or unit and the resource unit to ensure the accuracy of information disseminated to the public
• 5.6Liaison with the information and warnings unit is maintained to update incident information and potential threats to communities
• 5.7Local knowledge and information provided by the community about risks, issues and local factors provided by the community are communicated to the incident management team
• 5.8Information about the current and anticipated extent of the impact and broader effect of the incident on the community is communicated in a suitable and timely manner
• 5.9Feedback is obtained from the community on the effectiveness of the community liaison unit’s communication strategies and responses to community concerns

6 Contribute to planning processes

• 6.1Communication is maintained, as required, with members of the incident management team through formal and informal meetings, briefings and debriefings
• 6.2Incident management team is briefed on social and/or political issues and is provided with feedback on community needs and concerns

7 Monitor and review public information function

• 7.1Allocation and performance of public information resources is monitored and reviewed, in accordance with organisational procedures
• 7.2Briefings and debriefings are conducted, as required
• 7.3Post incident analysis is initiated and/or participated in

What does an assessment tool for PUAOPE003 need to cover?

To satisfy the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence, an assessment for PUAOPE003 needs to address all 76 unit components: 7 elements with 40 performance criteria, 16 performance evidence requirements, 20 knowledge evidence requirements, and the foundation skills. A coverage matrix mapping each question and task to these components is what an auditor looks for.

How does Auditori generate an assessment tool for PUAOPE003?

Auditori pulls the current release of PUAOPE003 from training.gov.au and generates a complete package: candidate assessment, assessor guide with model answers and observation criteria, and a coverage matrix mapping every component. A suitably qualified person then reviews and approves the draft in a built-in workflow — consistent with ASQA's guidance on AI use in VET — before export as branded PDF and editable Word.

Is the first assessment tool really free?

Yes. Every new account includes one free credit — enough to generate the complete assessment tool for PUAOPE003 — with no card and no subscription required. After that it's pay-as-you-go per unit.

Can I check my existing PUAOPE003 assessment instead of generating a new one?

Yes — upload your existing assessment or learner guide and Auditori maps it against every element, performance criterion, PE and KE of PUAOPE003, showing exactly what's covered and what's missing. Mapping costs a quarter of a credit.