3 Tips for Raising Your Visibility

By: David L. Maack on November 23, 2011

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Photo courtesy of Hans Pennink/FEMA

I recently spoke to a group of emergency managers and the first point I made was that they could no longer afford to hide in a bunker and wait for disaster to strike. Instead, they needed to be visible in their communities, networking and building partnerships and educating the public about emergency preparedness.

While I recognize that most emergency management offices have limited budgets and are understaffed, while juggling a myriad of tasks and responsibilities including planning, training, disaster exercise facilitation and response, outreach is not an option — it should be at the forefront of what you do.

And outreach is not just limited to the public, but also includes elected officials, other department heads, public safety agencies, businesses and schools to name a few. All are stakeholders in what we do, and all have an essential role to play prior to and during the response and recovery to a disaster situation. The more informed they are, the less likely they will panic. If they have a plan in place and understand their role, they can help rather than hinder that response.

So how do you develop an outreach campaign on a shoestring budget?

Fortunately it has become easier over the years. Desktop publishing is available to most anyone with a PC, as are video and audio production. In addition, FEMA has been putting out some great materials that can be utilized at the local level. Outreach, however, is much more than just handing out brochures or developing public service announcements — it involves building relationships.

1. All emergency managers need to be active in their community.

Over the years, I have served on a number of boards and commissions. I have tried to be smart about what I get involved with. I look at who the other board members are and I ask myself two questions: What can I give to this organization in the way of time and talents? What can I get out of serving this group, not from a selfish position, but strategically thinking, are there connections I can make that could be used in years to come?

For example, I served on a working board that put on a cultural event as a fundraiser. Board members included the marketing director from a local newspaper and executives from banks, corporations and utilities. When I planned a large Project Impact event, I was able to secure sponsorships through some of the contacts I had made.

Other groups to get involved with are Kiwanis, Rotary and Optimist clubs. They’re always seeking new members, and these groups are community minded, often assisting with local projects. Emerging groups, like community-based leadership programs and young professional organizations, are excellent ways of meeting new people and learning more about your community.

In fact, I once had a conversation with a leading candidate for the FEMA administrator position who told me that every time he moves to a new community, he participates in the local leadership program. This is not because he needs to learn leadership skills — he could probably teach the sessions — but because of the networking that takes place.

If people see that you are visible in the community and you are working alongside them in the trenches (sometimes literally depending on what you are doing), they are more likely to say yes when you need their help.

2. Develop relationships with those in the media.

How many times have we heard, “Visit the newsroom; get to know the reporters?” And how many times have we heard our colleagues say that they have no use for the media, especially during emergencies? We need to get away from the us-and-them mindset and instead develop relationships with the local media.

If the media is doing a story on preparedness, I want to be the first person that’s called, not the last. That cannot happen if you are not the voice of emergency preparedness in your community. Depending on the size of your community, it may be fairly easy or you may have to work a little harder.

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