STEP 9: PUBLIC RELATIONS

Create a Public Relations Program
A public relations program is another essential component to the FireFree program. Generating news coverage is a vital, effective and manageable tool for non-profit organizations such as FireFree. And best of all, it’s free!

Develop a Public Relations Plan
The public relations plan for FireFree will simply be an outline of your goals, objectives, target audience and most importantly your news release schedule. The goals, objectives and target audiences will be consistent within any FireFree program.

General Public Relations Goal: Through a managed public relations process, establish the awareness and value of the FireFree program in the minds of the public and develop their active participation in the program.

General Public Relations Objectives: Create awareness with home and property owners of the ability to create defensible space and motivate them to do so. Provide home and property owners with educational materials they need to participate and encourage general community interest and involvement.

Target Audience. Make sure you formulate your messages to and for the right audience: Area homeowners—especially those at the wildland/urban interface, homeowners’ associations, property developers, schools and business associations, public officials, local opinion leaders and others.

Develop a Key Media List
Include news directors at your local TV and radio stations. Find out which reporters at your newspapers to include: Community editor? Environmental editor? City desk reporter? All of these writers may be interested in covering different angles of the FireFree story.

Select a Spokesperson
It is a smart idea to choose a spokesperson for your FireFree program. The spokesperson typically would be a member of the original committee. Depending on the size of your program and the number of volunteers involved, you may want more than one spokesperson.

Develop a News Release Schedule
The news release schedule will outline all news releases and feature stories you plan to send out to local media with the release dates of each one. The schedule should also incorporate the release of public service announcements (PSAs) to radio and television. When developing your schedule, think about potential interviewees who would improve your releases or news stories. Click here to view the sample letters section.

Develop Relationships with Key Editors and Reporters
Call them. Introduce yourself. Take them to lunch. Tell them as much as you can about FireFree. Get them interested. Show them why FireFree is important for their readers, viewers, and listeners.

Set Interviews
Always have someone from your committee available to help the media set interviews. Go to the interviews, if possible, so that you can make sure the correct message is being given. It is also helpful to have a list of “experts” on certain fire-related or insurance topics. This helps when a reporter calls for more information on a certain subject, and you’re able to refer him or her to the expert in that area.

Hold a Media Event
If your committee has the time and resources, hold a media event such as an informational breakfast or a news conference. This event will officially launch the FireFree program. Use this time with the media to educate them on the FireFree program. Hand out FireFree brochures and videos. Let them know who on the FireFree committee is their main contact and how to get in touch with him or her.

Prepare and Disperse Public Service Announcements
As mentioned previously, public service announcements are another way to get coverage at no charge. You provide the radio and television stations with a ten second script on FireFree, and they may run it as a public service when they have extra time on-air. (Remember, if any station agrees to run these announcements, they are an important FireFree partner. They will need the recognition the other partners are given.)

Tips on Presenting Stories to the Media
Your job is to make their job easier. Get to know your key editors and give them the information they want. Find out how each reporter wants to be sent information (mail, fax, email). Help editors research topics by providing names and phone numbers of those they may be interested in interviewing. After a story runs, contact the writer/reporter and thank them for a job well done. Keep a list of the results of all media contacts and copies of all news stories they run.

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