By James McLaughlin
American Military University
One of the few times the community interacts with its fire department, other than during an emergency situation, is at city or town council meetings during budget season. The topics of such meetings range from requests for equipment and apparatus purchases to discussions of code enforcement issues and complaints.
While these meetings often deliver important information to the community, the level of transparency remains limited to certain city officials and the few community members in attendance. Such public meetings do not enable a department to reach the majority of residents, therefore, it is imperative leaders of the fire service work to be more visible on a daily basis as a true partner with the community.
Share Information Beyond Meetings
Make an effort to share information about what you do with the community. Data, such as the volume of calls, types of calls, and services performed, promote the value of a fire department to the community. Departments should make this information more accessible to members of the community, whether through direct mailings or posted on a website.
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