Fire Prevention Advocacy Toolkit

A Guide to Fire Prevention Advocacy

  • Intro
  • CREATE DEMAND
    • Increase Advocacy for Fire Prevention in Your Community
    • A Comprehensive Advocacy Plan
    • Advocating for Increased Fire Prevention Will Benefit Your Community
  • DEMONSTRATE NEED
    • Fire Prevention Benefits from Accurate and Complete Data
    • Fire Costs Lives and Injuries
    • Fire Costs Dollars
    • Fire Costs Businesses, Jobs and Community
    • National Data Support Local Efforts
    • The Consequences of Not Investing in Prevention
  • DEMONSTRATE RESULTS
    • Documenting Results Helps Justify Your Investment
    • Evaluation
    • Fire Prevention Saves Lives
    • Fire Prevention Saves Dollars and Community
  • RELATIONSHIPS
    • Develop Relationships in Your Community
    • Policymakers
    • Business Leaders
    • Community Social Service Leaders
    • The Public
  • YOUR PLAN
    • Set Your Advocacy Program Objectives
    • Develop Your Advocacy Program Strategies
    • Work with Local Advocates
    • Use Real Life Stories as Inspiration
  • RESOURCES
    • Media Relations And Outreach
    • Successful Media Relations
    • Communicating Via the Internet and Social Media
    • Hosting Press Conferences and Other Events
    • Communication Sources
    • Using the Vision 20/20 “Prevention Saves” Video
    • Making Effective Presentations

Develop Relationships in Your Community

DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS

Develop Relationships in Your Community

One of the three top most-admired professions in the United States is fire fighter.* This gives the fire service a tremendous advantage when developing relationships with community leaders. To build support and find advocates for fire safety, you will want to develop working relationships throughout the community leadership including policymakers, business people, clergy, social service providers and educators. It is also important to seek potential partner organizations, maintain good relations with the public and engage the media. In many communities many of the leaders will be involved in more than one of these areas.

*Forbes America’s Most Prestigious Professions [Infographic]

Policymakers: These may be elected officials, members of boards or commissions, professional staff or others who help set the direction for policies and/or control budgets. While they may have the overall interest of the community in mind, they will naturally be most interested in their own areas of expertise. Some that you may want to approach:

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Council or Board Members
  • Planning and Zoning Commissioners
  • Water Board
  • Public Works
  • Building Department
  • Environmental Quality

Other Community Leaders: Think about other groups and individuals that have influence in your community, such as:

  • Public Health
  • Clergy and Social Services
  • Parks and Recreation
  • Councils on Aging and other Aging Advocates
  • Media Outlets
  • Local Celebrities

Use the localized data you have developed to show how fire specifically affects their areas of interest:

  • Cost of Governmental Services
  • Injury/Illness
  • Infrastructure Cost
  • Water Usage/Quality
  • Green Space Protection
  • Economic/Job Loss
  • Tax Revenue
  • Blight

Seek out those leaders that can become strong allies for your advocacy program.

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