Many fire departments function without a formally trained public information officer. In some cases, media relations falls to the chief; in other cases, it is simply nonexistent.
Yet this is a critical function for fire departments because media and public relations efforts allow departments to manage public opinion. And how the public perceives its fire department can be a deciding factor in budgeting, staffing, equipment purchasing and other areas critical to safely and successfully protecting that very public.
It was with those things in mind that we at FireRescue1 and Fire Chief developed this free, downloadable Fire Department Public Relations Toolkit. We looked at outside sources and our own internal expertise to build this 10-page how-to guide to working with local media outlets.
In it you’ll find simple-to-follow instructions for building stronger media ties, templates for media releases and additional resources. This toolkit will help even the smallest fire department maximize the good work it already does for its community.