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Good PR for your dept
I was just wondering if anybody could give me some ideas for PR . I have some ideas but need more. I would like to see what other depts do.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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We have two sign boards in our area that we use to post Dept info or requests for my volunteers. Also posts fire burning and safety messages. We use the radio stations, tv station and newspapers quite heavily. Going to the schools, day cares and adult homes is a big pr booster. Anything you can do in your community as far as public service is a pr booster for your department. Take the opportunity every time to get something in the media that puts your Dept in a good light.
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Permalink Reply by Roy Walker on
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You could try getting support from you local news paper for a monthly newsletter to run in their paper . Include safety hints reports on local fire activities and upcoming events your department will be presenting.
We were able to get sponsors together to provide smoke alarms to needy individuals which we then delivered and installed free of charge
Another program we developed was a home fire safety check list which we took door to door and even offered to go through a home and inspect it.
All of these are labour intensive and will rely on some firefighters being willing to donate more time and effort but all are useful to promote your department in the eyes of the public.
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Good stuff Roy!
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Permalink Reply by Station10Capt106 on
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just some random thoughts . . .
1) write monthly news stories for local papers highlighting fire safety and prevention
2) visit service clubs, churches, daycares, schools, ect to teach fire safety and extinguisher classes
3) train regularly and make it visible to the community. Train outside and in various locations. Take pictures and submit them to the papers every once in a while.
4) Invite local TV stations to visit on important events
5) Do smoke detector checks in your community. If someone doesn't have one provide one for them.
6) Participate in fairs, get-to-gethers, picnics and other gatherings in the community.
7) Sponsor Santa at the fire station. Hand out cookies and small gifts and take pictures of kids w/ santa.
8) Teach public CPR classes
9) Do regular preplan walkthroughs with local businesses and industry.
10) Act professional at all times (remember the public is always watching you off duty or on duty)
I'm sure I can think of more but it is almost 4am and I need to get back to bed.
John
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Permalink Reply by Timothy D. Stone Jr on
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One thing were going to do in the next few is have a community wide open house at the fire house
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Permalink Reply by Ed Cunningham on
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The best PR I have found has always been in the giving. It seems kind of odd to toot your own horn when most of us got into this job for others in a selfless way. However, The better PR we do the more funding we can ask for and the more we can inturn do for the public. First build a relationship with a local News Station, News Paper etc. It is a reciprocating cycle. Some examples of what we have done and had articles written about us are...
1) Pediatric Emergency Bears: A Lady in our city crochet's these cool looking teddy bears that we hand out on incidents with children involved or at least effected. Notifying the local paper about this selfless woman and how her products are used was great PR.
2) Charity Drive: Each year pick a new charity or at least one great one the dept can rally around. WE do the MD fill-the-boot every year but this year we are also helping to sponsor one of our own to do the Susan G Koman 3 day walk.
3) Stickers/Hats/Coloring Books. Everywhere we go we keep a ton of stickers in our pockets and every little kid gets a sticker. Even on scenes if they are not so hectic we will stop and give the crowd of neighborhood kids stickers and Fire hats. We also do allot of off shift work in schools doing Learn-not-to burn programs and Drowning awareness programs as Summer nears. We have also set up lunch dates with the elementery schools in our first due every other month.
4) The Big Red Truck. Nothing in my book tells the Public "Thank You for Your Support" then seeing the big Red Truck they bought you clean, waxed and in service. Same goes for the Fire Station itself. We work at keeping the Truck and station neat and clean enough for the public to walk through at anytime (between 0800 and 1700). We wash our truck on the front apron, which happens to be across from a school, as the parents are dropping their kids off. We wave, ding the bell, and do our daily check offs right in front of the public.
These are just a few ideas we do and in truth we have a ton more but I will finish with this. When I was doing ride-alongs here in the valley while working on getting hired I had a chief pull me aside and say some of the best advice I have heard for PR. Because truthfully to get hired on you have to do your own PR work. He said "Treat every person, every job, and every situation as if you are in your oral board interview". If you apply this to Every call, Every shopping trip, Every Carwash, Every staion tour, and essentially every time you step into the uniform you will continuously be doing effective PR.
Hope this helps and Good Luck.
Ed C EMFD
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Permalink Reply by Cory Deaton on
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Thank you guys for giving me some ideas they are all great.
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Permalink Reply by Cody W. Nelson on
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Great PR can be the easiest thing. Think outside the box. We don't have to stick to our "everyday" duties. You can really make a statement by aiding citizens in situations that are not emergencies. Things like helping push a stalled car, giving a stranded civilian gas from the gas can on your engine, carrying groceries out of the store for the elderly, etc. Just being helpful can do a world of good for your department.
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Permalink Reply by Kyle on
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You could go to the schools in your district an teach fire safety. You could have a monthy breakfeast or dinner for the community. (a good fundraiser as well) Support your local school sport teams, i know around here the sports teams ask for donations, an with the donation you get a sign that hangs at the balll field.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Klaene on
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some great ideas in the previous comments but here is a different take.
1. Do your job really well by always truly caring about the people you serve and always placing them first.
You may be surprised how fast word gets around.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Everson on
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We used to hold a Public Safety Expo at our mall. The last couple of years the fire department has been real active in National Night Out. They stop at block parties with the engines. It has had some real good responses with the neighborhood. We also do fire prevention in the classroomat the schools.
Paul
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Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on
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Hi Cory, Good PR is everything! We need to always think of our dept. when we answer fire calls do all you can do. To help the person in need. Word of mouth is everything! If we do all we can do word will get around about how good your dept. is. If not it will also get around how bad it is. We are always in the public eye! just being all you can be goes a long way.
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