B. Press Releases

Twenty Years of Cooperative Fire Protection:

Ninety percent of the Nation's fire departments protect communities of less than 10,000 population. Since 1975, the VFA Program has helped to provide equipment, training, and organizational assistance to over 20,000 volunteer fire departments. The program has a proud track record. Since its humble beginnings, Congress has funded VFA at about $3.5 million annually. While the returns from this program can only be estimated. States like Oklahoma and Alabama claim over $30 million are returned to taxpayers in the form of reduced insurance premiums and fire losses. A conservative estimate of dollar savings for the entire country could exceed $100 million.

VFA funding is leveraged through cost-sharing with local communities. VFA is not a welfare program, but a self-help initiative. The Silver Grove, Kentucky, Fire Department states, "Without this help rural fire departments like ours will not have the equipment to respond to the growing rural/urban interface fire problem." The Winchuck (OR) Rural Fire Protection District says, "Without question, some of our projects and activities would have been delayed or eliminated without the VFA support. It is a very important and productive program, well worth the $56,500 allocated for the entire State of Oregon."

Every Approved Application Tells a New Story

Each time a VFA application is approved, another project is funded and there is a new story to tell. In 1995 over 7,700 fire departments and training academies were awarded financial assistance nationwide. This help permits accomplishment of many types of projects. These include improvements to existing equipment, cost-sharing of new equipment, purchase of safety clothing and equipment, implementation of improved technology such as Class "A" foam, training of firefighters, enhanced fire prevention programs, and development of static water sources. Every project contributes to improved fire protection. These are important stories that need to be told. The assistance can translate into reduced insurance premiums, improved fire protection, and safer communities. Good fire protection helps to stabilize the community and to make it a place where people will want to live and work. However, many citizens and policy makers don't understand the plight of the rural fire department. If information about the VFA Program and the process for selection of fire departments to receive financial assistance is not shared, the program will lose effectiveness. People will not support what they do not understand. Success is 20 percent doing and 80 percent communicating. The continued success of VFA depends on telling the community about the program.

There are Many Ways to Tell the Story

Standard News Release: This is a tried and true method for sharing the purpose and benefits of the VFA Program. The points covered are generic and clearly explain the purposes of the program, the sources of the funding, and how communities apply for assistance. This type of release can prove helpful to the local newspaper by providing facts about the VFA Program from that the paper can write feature articles; or it provides material which small staffs of local newspapers can print as is or with only limited editing. If required by State policy, press releases should be reviewed, distributed and coordinated by the Public Affairs Office. Delivery of equipment such as portable pumps, safety clothing, and radios; and firefighters installing dry hydrants or cisterns, conducting fire prevention activities (especially during Fire Prevention Week), or converting FEPP vehicles to fire engines are all newsworthy items. Photographs from any source enhance news releases.

Promote a Feature Story in the Local Newspaper: Newspapers are interested in newsworthy material. Small rural newspapers, particularly, are always looking for a story to tell. Usually, all that is needed is a phone call to the editor to arrange an interview. The story will often appear on the front page of local papers. It is critical that the sources of VFA funding, how the fire departmentw will use the funding, and the general timeframe for projects be included in the story. A local forester or public relations specialist can set up a reminder file showing approved projects, timeframes for completion and phone numbers of key contacts. Prior to contacting the newspaper, contact the fire department and request that a local fire official (preferably the fire chief) participate in the interview. Then ontact the newspaper and make arrangements for the interview. Any prior standard release can be used as background material for the reporter.

Arrange Presentations: Fire department activities are usually of interest to the local community. When a fire department obtains fire apparatus, such as a new or used pumper or FEPP vehicle, photographs showing apparatus dealers or local State forestry personnel, as appropriate, presenting the keys to the fire chief and other local dignitaries are excellent publicity. Photographs, with accompanying newspaper articles, of State forestry people presenting a large replica of the VFA check to local officials are also effective in publicizing the VFA Program. Local forestry personnel can provide some of the thrust that is sometimes needed to arrange these presentations.

Involve Dignitaries: The fire chief can arrange a time when dignitaries can attend a special presentation concerning VFA assistance given to the department. Have a local forestry employee prepared to take photographs in case the newspaper does not provide a photographer. The State employee can take pictures and provide them to the newspaper along with captions explaining the contents of photographs and the names of the persons shown. A standard news release could also be provided to the reporter. This material should be retained in a file in the local State forestry office.

Send Clippings to the "Right People:" When the story hits the press, don't let it slip away. Take the time to clip it, and send it to people who may have an interest in it. Influential people, State firefighters' associations, and organizations such as a State Association of Counties will be interested in such stories. It is desirable to send a letter with the clipping, preferably signed by the fire chief or mayor, explaining what the VFA Program is and what it has done for the community. Clippings and their associated transmittal letters maintain public awareness and can, over time, build support for the program. Oklahoma was able to secure enough support in the State Legislature that State dollars were appropriated to match the Federal dollars. The Missouri Department of Conservation committed more than $200,000 of State funding in fiscal year 1994 to over-match the $100,000 of Federal VFA funding provided to the State. This additional funding greatly enhanced the VFA Program. Since both the State and Federal dollars were required to be matched, Missouri had a $600,000 program.

Share Information About Your Agency with Local Fire Departments: Since a rural fire department receives subgrants only at irregular intervals, it is a good idea for forestry personnel to maintain contact with fire departments that have received financial assistance in the past. These contacts can be preplanned for particular intervals such as quarterly, semi-annually or annually. Send letters to departments providing information on how many fire departments were assisted, how much money was expended, types of projects that were conducted and funding outlook for the program. Much of this information is already available since it must be collected by the State to complete the Federal VFA Report. Safety notes and tips, as well as other pertinent information, can be included in these letters. The letters help the State forestry department to maintain contact with rural fire departments. Mailing lists are also kept current.

Keep Stories and Records

Numbers are fine, but they don't tell the entire story. It is important to know what assistance was given as well as the value of that assistance to rural communities.

A file folder should be set up for each fire department assisted. This file should include the years financial assistance was received, the dollars awarded, types of projects undertaken, photos, clippings, supporting items, thank you letters, and other pertinent information. A good picture or an effective letter can make a big difference in educating influential people about VFA. The information can be used in official agency reports, contacts with key people, or merely to document accomplishments. When a community receives a reduction in insurance rates this reduction should be documented as VFA funding may have played a role in this reduction; as when a community moves from a class 10 Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating to a 9 rating, or from a 9 to an 8, etc. Statistical data and other information can be computerized for ease of access and updating. This information can be retrieved and combined with newspaper clippings, photographs, and other documentation to meet short notice requests for information from elected officials and others. Good recordkeeping provides a powerful tool for informing the public of the benefits of not only the VFA Program, but other assistance provided by the State forester.

The Bottom Line

The story that is not told is not sold. We can all do our work, and do it well, but program survival dictates that we show the value of what we do. The time spent educating communities concerning VFA can foster the continuance of the program and will inform the public of the importance of the role State foresters play in protecting rural communities.