Internet Marketing
A Fire Service Tool for the Next Century
by Derek Rowan
| Derek Rowan is the President of HLP Associates, Inc., a full service computer, networking, and Internet firm. He is also captain with the Greater Springfield Volunteer Fire Department in Virginia and a Rescue Specialist with VA Task Force 1, one of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Teams. Derek holds many computer industry certifications and writes regular computer columns for a local newspaper and magazine. He can be reached at: 1-800-HLP MY PC. |
This article can be found on
page 24 of the Jan/Feb 1998
issue of 9-1-1 Magazine.
The fire service has discovered the Internet. Many fire departments have been launching Web sites that show pictures of their fire trucks, fire stations, and the like. While this is great for the members to see once or twice, it does little to get the public to understand what the fire department really does. It also doesn't fill the primary fire department role of prevention and public safety.
The Internet is an excellent vehicle for getting the word of the fire
department out to the community. With proper marketing, it can also be utilized
to get substantial press for the department and its programs, and to provide
a valuable public safety tool. For volunteer departments it can also provide
additional revenue and attract potential new members. It is also a great
tool for streamlining internal communications.
What Should You Put on Your Web Site for the Public?
Educating the public is our first priority. The Internet allows us to do this very inexpensively and effectively. Think of all of the questions that your fire department gets asked. That is some of the information that you want to make available. These include, but are certainly not limited to:
- Hazardous waste disposal
- Fire code questions
- Request for public speaking
- Barbecue grill questions
- How to become a firefighter
- What do I do after my fire
- Environmental concerns
- Questions about incidents
A well-constructed Web site can provide answers and information on items of interest to your customers that they haven't thought about asking. How about things such as:
First Aid By properly advertising this information, citizens in many cases will have gone to the site and looked through the information. This information can help people use proven medical treatments and not resort to home remedies for their injuries.
Stop, Drop, and Roll Animation showing this critical skill should be on your Web site. Information on how fires are extinguished and other information will be a benefit to your readers.
EDITH Visually giving information and examples of Exit Drills In The Home is ideal for a fire department Web site. You can also have information on different types of occupancies such as office buildings and high rises.
Smoke Detectors Information on smoke detectors and CO detectors, where to place them, how often to change batteries or cartridges.
Business Fire Code The customer can click on some questions about their business and it will automatically display the appropriate fire code items and forms. It is even possible to have the forms filled out online and E-mailed or faxed to the appropriate office right from the Web site.
Fire Extinguishers Since it is important that people know how to use fire extinguishers, a video that can be played through your Web site would allow them to at least see basic functionality.
Helping to catch arsonists Some fire departments report that some of the younger arsonists were computer buffs and through E-mail tips were able to capture them. Let's capitalize on this and use the Internet as a forum for helping catch more.
Seasonal Information Information on items such as fireplace ashes, Halloween tips, Christmas tree tips, bicycle safety, fireworks safety, and water safety.
News and Information Here is your opportunity to get information out to the public quickly, easily, and inexpensively. You can offer this information on both your Web site and as an E-mail item.
What You Do Give everyone an idea on why you do what you do. How
it affects them, and the decision making process during an incident.
Fund-Raising Opportunities
Volunteer departments are always looking for new ways to raise money. Why not use the opportunity to offset the costs associated with a web site or perhaps even have the system increase your department's revenue?
Advertising is a simple method for gaining revenue. Web advertising is typically done on a view per thousand cost. So each time a vendor's ad appears when someone looks at your site costs the advertiser from two to five cents each.
Selling speciality items online is a way for departments to not only
give the community something that they want, but also provide an easy revenue
stream. Items such as T-shirts, cookbooks, videos, and hats are some ideas
that you can provide to the public. There are companies that will handle
the outsourcing of actually selling the items so all you do is collect money.
Getting People to Visit Your Site
Advertising is the key to getting people to come to your site. Remember,
just because you have a Web site does not mean 50 million people will look
at it. Put your web address on everything. Letterhead, business cards, promotional
items, signs, banners - even your rigs.
What Should You Put on Your Web Site for Your Members?
Many people don't realize the value and money savings of a Web site when it comes to getting information around to your internal customers. Whether you are in a career or volunteer department, one of the most difficult tasks is communications. Getting information passed on to volunteer members is extremely hard since you often don't know when you will see that person again. Shift schedules and different stations also make this task needlessly difficult for career departments. Working on committees can be frustrating and slow moving. What is needed is a simple system to assist with this communication process.
Internal Discussion Groups and Chat: Imagine a group of department officers easily conferring on a particular subject over time. The questions, answers, and comments can clearly be seen and followed. You could even have a committee refine issues between meetings through this medium. Discussion groups are great for this kind of collaboration. Chat is another great tool for internal communication.
Internal Calendaring and Scheduling: Almost all fire departments have a need to keep schedules and calendars up to date and available to a lot of people. For a department with several stations, keeping this information distributed is difficult enough, but it is also hard to keep it up to date. Placing these calendars on the Web allows people to see them anytime from anywhere.
Your own Intranet can provide secure news and information to your members very easily. This is a great place to post your internal newsletter and post information on SOPs, policies, training manuals, employee benefits, insurance information, volunteer length of service awards programs, and other information that is important but sometimes not handy.
To find out more information about how your department can benefit from the use of Internet technology, visit http://www.hlpmypc.com and click on White Paper.
