One of the many duties the fire public information officer (PIO) is to release life-saving information. Although that part of the job typically occurs during emergency situations, it can also be done while educating the public on how to prevent fires and other emergencies from occurring in the first place. All of these tasks can be accomplished through interviews or media releases. Another tool is social media.
Reaching everyone
PIOs today are caught between two different generations: people who get their information from radio, TV or print media, and people who use smart devices, computers and social media. The modern PIO has to know how to handle both approaches. If you do not, you are going to miss a significant portion of the population. For some PIOs, this will be a challenge. Like all new things in the fire service, there is a learning curve that takes time, practice and experience to overcome.
Social media is a great tool that is crossing generational lines more and more. Some of the most popular social media platforms that PIOs can use to deliver their messages are Twitter, Facebook, NextDoor and any blog platform, such as Tumblr, Blogger or WordPress, to name a few.
A unique thing about social media—when compared to the more traditional approaches for disseminating information—is that it is a form of two-way communication. It’s like teaching a class: If the person has a question or comment, they might send it to you in the form of a reply to a Tweet or a Facebook message, for example. You should reply whenever you can. Remember, though, that your answers or comments could be seen by thousands, if not millions, of people. Keep it professional and accurate, as the media could use your comment as a quote. If you are not sure of the answer to a question, look into the issue further before you reply.
My approach
For emergency incidents I use Twitter and Facebook. With Twitter, I advise the media of the incident at the beginning so they can respond. Once on scene, I give updates with photos and video. With Facebook, I use live video so people can watch in real time. The media will often use my tweets and posts with photos and videos for their news broadcast.
The media monitors my Twitter account for emergency information, but they are now using it to deliver safety messages by retweeting my messages or using them for the basis of an article. For example, I may take a photo of the safety tips sheet and then attach it to my Twitter message as a photo. If a member of the media retweets your message, it can significantly increase your outreach to the community.
Whatever you post on Twitter, duplicate it on Facebook as well, but elaborate with contact information or links to other safety information sites. You can add additional photos and videos, too. I also use Facebook to post my media releases.
Blog platforms can be used for special extended messages. I use Tumblr to give detailed information for holiday safety, Fire Prevention Week or disaster preparedness. You can link your blog to your Twitter or Facebook pages, so it reaches those followers as well.
NextDoor is a private social network that allows people to connect with people who live in their neighborhood or nearby. PIOs can post messages that target specific areas. I use NextDoor a few times a year for special occasions, such as Fire Prevention Week, Fourth of July, Change Your Battery and Thanksgiving, to name a few. I get more comments and requests for information on this platform than all others combined, typically about 50–100 replies or requests for more information per post.
All of the platforms I mentioned in this article are free and available via their associated apps. I do most of my social media work on my iPad.
Be a follower
A good way to learn how to use social media is to follow departments that are currently using it. Many departments, both large and small, are already using social media to get their information to the public; you can learn much just by following them. Go ahead and exchange information by retweeting or sharing their posts, too. (See my “Connect with Tim” box below, so you can follow my social media handles to see how I use social media to disseminate information here in Las Vegas.)
