Fire & EMS Leader Pro The job of old firefighters is to teach young firefighters how to become old firefighters!
By: Robert Avsec, Executive Fire Officer
In a recent post over on LinkedIn entitled, The Art of Juggling in an All Hazards World, my fire service colleague and 
former “mate” with the Chesterfield County (Va.) Fire and EMS Department, Deputy Fire Chief Rick Edinger, provides a good discussion on how the mission of the typical fire department has evolved.
After reading Chief Edinger’s post, one question “popped” into my head: why do so many fire departments “cling” to a name that no longer reflects their brand? Let’s take a quick look at a definition of branding:
The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products.–Entrepreneur
An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets. More hints can help you to have unique brand . But what exactly does “branding” mean?
Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.
Don’t think you have competitors? Think again, especially if your department is part of local government. When I retired from Chesterfield County Fire and EMS in December 2007, 70 cents of every tax dollar collected by Chesterfield County went to Chesterfield County Schools. Fire and EMS, along with 53 other county departments, was funded out of the remaining 30 cents. That was our competition.
In a post that she wrote for this space, one of my guest bloggers, Michele Nitsch, addressed the topic of fire service 
organizations needing to be proactive in marketing their services to their communities.
Ms. Nitsch, a marketing and branding professional, wrote:
For Fire & EMS departments the “common wisdom” regarding marketing has been primarily, “We don’t need to market our services. When people have a fire, the call 911 and we respond. They don’t have a choice. It’s not like deciding what store to shop at.”
The reality that’s “hitting” home with many Fire & EMS organizations today, however, is that their citizens do have a choice. In the current economic climate, where most local governments are having to make tough fiscal decisions, elected officials and their constituents are making “buy” or “no buy” decisions regarding the public safety services for their community. Don’t believe it? Look at how many cities, towns, and counties are laying off personnel, closing fire stations, cutting back on non-emergency services, etc.
Marketing your brand
Before you get around to changing the name of your fire department, figure out what that name should “convey” to
your customers, those people who need your services. This is where you answer the “What?” question in your marketing plan. What are the services and products that you provide or make available to your customers? Never take for granted that they know what you and your people do.
In marketing, one the most important aspects is to know your PRODUCT and how it can improve someone’s life. While fire departments, large and small, provide an array of services, the one common “denominator” is problem solving. The viewpoint held by many people in the USA, especially since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, is that firefighters are America’s First Responders.
So, what’s your department’s “brand”?
For More Posts on Fire Department Marketing see:
The 3rd “P” of Marketing: Promotion
Learn to Use All the Tools to Market Your Fire and EMS Department
