It’s been a busy day so far. I am attempting to rectify a crisis communications issue on the regular job, track the large number of alarms the department is receiving for rain and flood related conditions on this part of Long Island, as well as prepare for a business trip to Texas that starts tomorrow. The Texas trip is the one that gives me the most trepidation.
As a one man volunteer fire department Public Information Office it’s tough to leave the fire district. In the old days your pager would stop working when you were out of range with no idea of what was going on back at the firehouse. Ignorance is sometimes bliss. I would always stop by on my way home again to look at the run board to see what I missed.
Today, we are toned on the pager as well as receiving a text on the cell phone. No matter where I am I can trace each and every alarm and its cause. It feels kind of helpless when you are a few thousand miles away, see a house fire alarm on your cell phone screen, and know that you can’t be on the scene to respond both as a firefighter and PIO.
I have a number of members of the department who are willing to take pictures to e-mail to me and the Chiefs and dispatchers to give me their timelines and recap of the incident, but its certainly not quite the same as being their. I send out releases and photos remotely, answer reporter’s calls on the cell phone, but unfortunately I cannot speak with the authority of being an eyewitness to the scene.
I would feel much better if I had a go to person to serve as my “deputy” but the commitment is such, as in must respond to potential PIO situations 24/7, that I just haven’t found the right candidate to back me up when I’m out of the district.
How do my brothers and sisters out their, who operate as the sole PIO find backup when they are out of their district?
Also on The Fire PIO…
- Looks like we are getting some Respect – December 7, 2010
- Even the Walls have Ears – November 24, 2010
- How do I Address a Judge? – November 18, 2010
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