How to Embrace Social Media in Your Fire Department

First, full disclosure. I am “old school” and not a social media expert! I have received no formal training in social media, nor do I have any degree in marketing. In fact, until the end of last year, I sported a flip-phone.

When, as the departmental public information officer (PIO) I was given the task of taking over and upgrading our social media presence, I was dragged into it kicking and screaming. After my first smartphone was thrust into my hands by my fire chief, I surrendered, and started my journey. I have begrudgingly found the use of social media to be not only a benefit, but even with its basic use, an important underlying current to our community risk reduction (CRR) efforts.

I now find myself surprisingly wishing I had this resource available to me when I started my fire prevention (now CRR) journey on the evening of Nov. 21, 1997, in Scarborough, ME. There are departments out there doing incredible things on social media, and they are following statistics and algorithms to guide them. I encourage all readers to learn as much as you can and put it to use.

No longer a choice

When I started out as a departmental PIO, I used a fax machine, and if I faxed a release within 24 hours, it was still newsworthy. The fax machine gave way to the email. If I emailed a release by the end of the day, it was still newsworthy. The email has now given way to social media. If I do not tweet about an incident while it is still ongoing, it is now outdated. Times have certainly changed.

Today’s society has also changed since the days of the fax machine. What today’s society perceives, values and prioritizes in the messages it receives is much different than it was only a decade ago. All indications given by the latest tech news, in conjunction with the attention spans of our children and their ability to navigate the cyber world effortlessly, provides evidence that these trends are no passing fad. We are only in the crawling stages of our future. When my engine company delivered Santa Claus to a local classroom and the first graders barely looked up from their iPads to acknowledge his presence, I knew it was time to change the way we do business. If Santa couldn’t get their attention to deliver his “be good” message, or get them to provide their Christmas wish list, what hope do firefighters have to deliver safety messages?

Communicating with our citizens is a priority for today’s fire departments. Not only to deliver CRR messages, but also to keep the community informed about what their local fire department is up to … today … right now … and what it is doing for them personally; because the fire you put out last week, or the accident you mitigated, is appreciated but that was last week and didn’t involve them personally. “What are you doing for me today?” is a growing question being asked by increasingly insular taxpayers and we need to provide answers. Being able to do so is the difference between a citizen simply raising an eyebrow to your departmental outreach and a citizen who becomes engaged. It’s the difference between a citizen who thinks their local fire department is swell, and a citizen who gets in the voting booth and pushes the “YES” button on the tax referendum to build a new fire station or purchase a new fire truck. Daily and continuous communication surrounding a constant theme and message is an answer (albeit not the only answer).

Social media, departmental policies, and the First Amendment can be an article itself and beyond the purpose of this writing. Every department should have a social media policy that threads the line between our cherished First Amendment and the protection of the department’s image and reputation.

What is your message?

While your daily message will obviously change from event to event and day to day, there should be an underlying theme to each one that is directly, or subliminally, delivered within each post. That message should also be wrapped around your departmental ethos which is found in your department’s mission and vision statements. Continuously posting accident scenes and training sessions is fine—those are the eyebrow-raising types of posts that citizens may enjoy and appreciate—however, those posts probably will not result in positive action in the voting booth. To encourage a “call to action,” a person must believe that call impacts them.

All the power words come into play here. Your citizens must have “ownership,” “buy-in” and “vested interest.” Not only for the overall support of fire department efforts, but also in the pursuit of CRR. In a previous article, “Are We Teaching or Educating,” (firehouse.com/21033734), I discussed the need for CRR instructors to make presentations and safety programs come alive for the students. Videos, songs, pamphlets and repetitious lectures based upon talking points do not always accomplish that and is not true education. The information provided needs to be real for those in attendance. A person who has been through a tragic event is more likely to take precautionary action because of their experience, so the key for a CRR program is to place the student as close to such an experience as possible. The same applies to social media posts. Your posts need to make the subject or issue real and applicable for the reader.

This example post is a sample of making the most of a social media entry. This is one post of several from the Burton, SC, Fire District with a continual theme based upon their ethos. Notice the key phrases used:

The Burton, SC, Fire District uses social media social as a way to continuously remind its citizens of its daily value in their lives and the risks they are working to resolve.

“WHILE YOU SLEPT”—The Burton Fire District begins many of its social media posts with such a BOLD opening; one that draws attention to the post that speaks to the viewer. A continuous theme for the district is their role in working behind the scenes to ensure community normalcy. While the viewer was safe in their home sleeping, the fire district was responding to emergencies to ensure they wake to a normal day.

“Immediate Responders”—The fire district promotes its CRR programs with the theme of preparing bystanders to have the training and resources to become “Immediate Responders,” as well as the role and importance of citizens (the post reader) in the National Preparedness Goal and community resiliency.

“NFPA … 13% increase”—The district takes an opportunity to educate the public with the belief that “public can’t know what it does not know,” and the role and responsibility of the district in educating the community on the risks and challenges it faces. Quoting statistics, either local, state or national, supports the message and adds to the professionalism and credibility of the district and the post. Continuously finding ways to inject CRR issues in any public outreach is crucial to obtaining community awareness, support and buy-in.

“#iSam!”—The district, after providing a brief education on the CRR issue of arson, shows that the problem, also supported by facts (NFPA), is acknowledged by the district, and that they have taken steps to address the issue through its investigation program, which includes arson dog Sam. This also sends a message to the community and potential fire setters that the district has an active investigation program and fire setters will be pursued and potentially brought to justice. From arson dog Sam’s initial public swearing in as a member of the Burton Fire District, the hashtag #iSam has been used to create a little celebrity. By creating a cyber identity for Sam, a base for future public promotions for both Sam and the investigation program, has been created.

The included post can certainly be improved upon, and by no means is anything written here based in marketing manuals or a “Promotion for Dummies” book. It is just a model post the Burton Fire District has been building upon that has produced many positive results. Through increased following of our social media accounts and feedback from the public when our firefighters are out in the public, both on and off duty, citizens have commented on the latest post or departmental activities. Mission accomplished—now they know.

Understanding pitfalls

For the purpose of this article, it is simply important to know that what you post on your social media is considered a direct statement on behalf of your fire department. I have had reporters, in a current day news report, use previous social media posts made months before by stating things such as, “It has been the opinion of the Burton Fire District….” Many times, our tweets have been used as official press releases. Your social media posts present a history of your department’s positions on topics and issues. While this can be a pitfall, it can also be a powerful tool when mastered, especially on subjects like sprinkler systems, firefighter cancer and supporting state and federal laws on firefighter issues. Your social media history can be a root of the grassroots movement needed to attract the attention of lawmakers. Consistent social media posting on the importance of sprinkler systems that generates “likes” and “shares” by constituents can send an important message.

Accept the fact that you can’t please everyone all the time. If you are afraid of any pushback or possibly offending someone, then the social media world may not be for you. Figuring out who your department is and what your values are, which again should be located within your mission and vision statements, is the best you can do. When making posts, wrap your messaging around that ethos, and be consistent. Ask some important questions about your posting intent; for example, if you wish your citizens a Happy Mother’s Day, be sure to do the same come Father’s Day. Is it “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”? Will you recognize Kwanza or just stay away from holidays altogether? If you post memorials, will it be for all LODDs or just state or local LODDS, and will law enforcement also get your acknowledgement? In the world of social media backlash and trolls, these are important questions to ask. Once you have answered those questions for yourself, and they align closely with your departmental ethos, then go with it and be consistent.

Make it a part of your department

While any social media presence can be positive for fire departments, spending a little introspective thought on the underlying themes and ethos of your department and interweaving those with social media messages can create a solid image of your department and how it serves the community. With all the informational noise out there, we need to find our way to shine above the rest. We can no longer take for granted that the public knows what we do or what it takes to serve the community; social media is a great way to continuously remind your citizens of your daily value in their lives and the risks you are working to resolve.

Your citizens can’t know what they don’t know, and what they don’t know can have negative impacts on your ability to deliver services. It is our responsibility to communicate and educate our citizens with the same attitude we bring to the emergency scene—whatever it takes. Social media is a powerful tool in that endeavor, and if an “old school” flip-phone-carrying denier can be made a believer, with a little focus and effort you can, too. n