The main function of a public information officer (PIO) is disseminate information– written statements and interviews via social media, the news media, presentations and publications. When you add visuals, you enhance information.
Using photography, whether it’s still photos or video, never has been easier. Just about everyone has a camera that’s built into their personal phone. The photo quality from those devices can approach that of photos from expensive professional cameras.
A cellphone camera also has the capability to take video, with several options, such as slow motion and filters, and it has functions to enhance your PIO work; this includes apps that can edit, produce movies and slide shows, add watermarks to your work and disseminate your work.
How and where you take photos is what the PIO needs to consider the most.
Do it like the pros
If you use a phone and photos/videos are destined for the news media, hold the phone horizontally. If you use your material exclusively for social media, hold it vertically. That said, horizontal photos/videos are acceptable for the news and social media.
When taking photos, find something that’s interesting. As I arrive on scene and walk toward the incident (I usually park a block away), I take several photos and 30 seconds of video. As I get closer, I follow the same technique. In front of the incident, take several photos and 30–45 seconds of video.
While shooting video, move your camera very slowly. If you aren’t using a tripod, hold the camera very steadily (no jerking or fast movements). Stay quiet to capture the natural background sound. (I keep the volume on my portable radio turned up, so radio traffic can be recorded.) Make sure to hold on one scene for at least 30 seconds a few times; this provides editing options.
Make sure all shots show the fire service in the best light. Refrain from taking photos of victims, personal scenes of people or personnel’s emotional reactions.
The best place to perform your photography is on a public right-of-way, basically the street or sidewalk. You always should ask permission to take photos while on private property. Photos never should be taken inside of a home or building without the permission of the owner. Doing so without permission is a violation of the resident’s or owner’s constitutional rights and can cause liability concerns for you and security concerns for the safety of the occupants after the incident. (Images that include personal belongings, the layout of the interior or the location of a child’s room would be helpful to criminals.) PIOs can’t give the news media permission to access private property.
Disseminating
Once your work is complete, make it available to the media. (I usually send the media all of the photos and video that I capture and let them decide what to use. Coverage of our department by the media tripled since I started providing photos/video.) This is good exposure of the services that your department provides that might go unnoticed, because the news media has no one to cover the story. If you do the work, they will use it.
You also can use photos/video for your department’s purposes, such as social media and sharing with members.
Regardless of whether you’re a volunteer, combination or full time, if you’re on duty, the photos/videos are property of the department. Because of that, they become public information. That means that if someone asks you for copies, you should comply. Retention laws also may apply, meaning the photos/videos must be kept on record for an amount of time. Check what local laws require. As the PIO, it’s paramount that you know what applies to your department.
Enhance your dissemination. Nothing adds more to a media release or social media post than a photo. It often says more than words can express.
Timothy Szymanski
Timothy R. Szymanski is a Master Public Information Officer who is the fire public education & information officer for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. He has been in the fire service for 51 years and has worked in every position from firefighter/paramedic to fire chief in his career. Szymanski also is a Master Fire Service Instructor. He was inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2017 and received the association’s Community Service Award. Szymanski also received the National Firemark Award from Liberty Mutual Insurance. He is a PIO instructor for the Nevada Department of Public Safety and was the Fire & Emergency PIO for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
