This is a pretty bare bones Power Point presented by the Army titled “Online Etiquette: 5 Things every Solider should know.” When you scroll through the 8 slide presentation just substitute firefighter for soldier and you can see the parallels in online social media interaction etiquette between the two services.
Archives for social-media
When we disseminate information resulting from an incident scene print newspapers are still responsive in reporting on the story. Currently though with print newsroom resources stretched to their limits, the human interest, safety information and feel good stories we like to float around are not in abundance as they used to be.
After my appearance last night on Firefighter Netcast, which I thoroughly enjoyed I sat down to recap exactly what my responsibilities are as a PIO. We touched on a number of the areas last night.
While I was at a conference in Las Vegas last week I had the opportunity to speak to some SONY execs. I always like to hear top corporate marketing people talk about the trends and new techniques they are examining.
The talk turned to social media. As this form of communications continues to evolve the stark reality is if you are waiting at the station the train has already passed you by. If you are not actively engaged in social media or even on the most basic level, frequent updates on the content of your website, you are letting the fastest growing form of communication with you community slip away.
When I departed Long Island for Las Vegas a few days ago I noticed that the TSA was profiling blue hair. Oh I understand everyone is on edge with recent breeches, put this was the definitive example of perhaps spending too much time on the wrong person.
I had the opportunity last August at the American Legion Convention in Louisville to hear Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff speak. During his talk one thing kept on ringing clear to me, Mullen wanted the public to have as much knowledge of the current conflicts as possible so they could make an informed decision on where they personally stood. This was refreshing in that Mullen wanted the public to have access to all the information at hand, both good and bad.
Now Mullen has blueprinted a new social media strategy for himself that is stunning in its scope and outreach. I can think of no other military or public official that has such a keen understanding of the value of social media and citizen outreach. It is a lesson in openness and transparency that we as PIO’s should take note of.
I was cleaning out my favorites file from Internet Explorer last night. Many websites that you initially list as a favorite fade fast from the memory. I came across a site I made a favorite about a year ago. The “Ambassablog” is an employee blog of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Since I last looked several months ago, it has become an “award winning blog.”
This is a testament to Steven Shultz, the deputy PR director for the Authority. We all know as PIO’s, whether in a paid or volunteer department, the difficult process at times of convincing the powers that be to use creative tools to enhance our relationship with both the public and employees. Sometimes it’s better to sun on the beach then go in the water and get hit by a big wave.
I recently hosted a webinar for a freelance marketing assignment I am working on. There were about 100 people in the audience, so I knew, since they couldn’t see my face that I would have to create some quick rapport with them to grab attention.
I recently read the book ”Brain Rules,” by Dr. John Medina, who wrote “You’ve got seconds to grab your audience’s attention and only minutes to keep it.”
I had this brilliant idea last year of doing a public service campaign to promote the fact that my Department had an active Twitter presence that provided relevant information about fire scenes and MVA’s in real time so residents could know what roads where being closed and how traffic was being diverted. This I thought was a great way to utilize Twitter for the public good.
For the Fire Pio blog as well as for my own department’s dissemination of information via social media I always cross post. This means I use the same facsimile of information I am sending out to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Some recent articles I have read make me think now that this might not be the best strategy.
I thank Doug Walton for reminding me to let you know about the SMILE Conference (Social Media in Law Enforcement) taking place this week on April 7-9 in Washington DC. I had planned to attend this conference when I first learned about it a few months ago but could not fit it into my schedule. I’m happy that I can attend the Los Angeles version tentatively scheduled to be held in October.
Although the conference is specifically geared towards law enforcement, there are so many parallels, that Fire Department PIO’s can benefit equally as much from the topics and sessions.
I just read an article in the Public Relations Strategist about how social media is reshaping PR. The story reviewed the incident a few months back between Southwest Airlines and portly film director Kevin Smith who was bounced off a flight because of his weight. Some say the Smith problem was sincere others say he instigated the scene to draw media attention to a new film. Nevertheless Southwest was confronted with Smith’s powerful Twitter presence where he was able to inform his 1.5 million followers about his grip with the airline.
I want to thank Doug Walton for passing along this piece which originally came from the definitive social media website Mashable. Many of the tips in the piece can be directly correlated to the types of social media we use as fire department PIO’s.
From felons on Facebook to tips through Twitter, social media is being used more and more by law enforcement agencies, and not just to fight Internet-related crimes. We’re talking about solving crimes that are happening on the street and in your community.
When I teach Probies in my departments internal fire school, I always tell them that they already know more than many veteran members. Because of the most up to date tactics that they are learning, they already have one up on the older guys who become complacent and are hesitant to constantly upgrade their skills to be on the cusp of today’s standards.
The same is true for PIO’s. If we do not constantly stay up to day on the latest trends and tools we are always taking a step backward.
One of the areas on my Department website that I am not satisfied with is the Media Pressroom tab. I had information in the Pressroom, but was never really satisfied with the way it was presented. So, on this Monday, I present you with some of the items I will place on my retooled media area and look in return for your suggestions on administering a Pressroom on your website.
I encourage you to take the time this weekend to participate in a social media survey. If you are a Fire Department Public Information Officer this survey conducted by California State University, San Bernardino, is gathering data to see if, when, for how long and how effective social media is for your department.
The 35 question survey only took me 10 -15 minutes to complete. In addition to providing data, some of the questions were compelling enough to make me think about my own use of social media in my department.
A few months ago a fire took place in Smithtown, NY where I serve as the fire departments PIO. It was as routine as a small working fire could be. A heavy rainstorm caused a neon sign in the window of a nail salon to catch fire after water leaked through the plate glass seal. The fire was quickly knocked down and we headed for home.
Late Friday, the U.S. Department of Defense released its official policy covering new media and social media. With some three million employees, the DoD is one of the largest organizations in the world, so this is major news.
Yesterday I reported on the story out of Las Vegas where public discontent was directed at the Fire Department due to citizen observation of full apparatus crews with their rigs parked in front of area health clubs. Firefighters, backed by current regulations, are required to workout 90 minutes a day. Department members can either work out with limited equipment in quarters or pay for their own membership and use a public gym. It is an interesting story that I will continue to follow.
Two points that come out of this local Las Vegas story that should concern every PIO is how the news traveled quickly and was almost instantaneously placed under the national microscope of analysis.
The Salt Lake Tribune just posted an interesting story about SGT Craig Martinez, the new Public Information Officer for the Orem Department of Public Safety. Martinez has scored a triple play with his use of social media via blog, Twitter and Facebook to help keep the residents of Orem safe and informed.
I have taken a few days to review all the public information related quotes pertaining to the plane crash and fire in Austin, Texas.
From an Austin Fire Department perspective they did all the right things. On the fire ground their response, attack and search all followed SOP. During the initial news conference Austin Fire Chief Rhonda Mae Kerr spoke briefly, discussed the fire, thanked the Department and applauded the response of the entire unified command in the city. She turned the investigation over to the FBI.
Away from the fire house, in other work that I do, I have quite a bit of interaction with the United States Army and several of their PAO’s. I have been amazed over the last few years of the new openness the Army is exhibiting to the media as well as their attempts to start embracing various forms of social media.
The most practical government applications for Twitter are in public safety and emergency notifications. I’m currently kicking around a blueprint for exactly how I can use Twitter more effectively to keep the community instantaneously informed of fires, road closings from MVA’s, power outages etc.
The use of Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and YouTube can be valuable tools for your Department to use to reach out to the public. While internal controlled social media has become a bonanza for getting across significant information at a rapid pace to a wide ranging audience as well as building your Fire Department’s brand image, there are also some major pitfalls.
Lindsey Miller from Regan Communications recently wrote about the effective use of Twitter in the Charlotte and Mesa Fire Departments. It offers good insight into how a Twitter plan can be built that leads to interaction with other forms of social media.
