Conveying Tragedy
I consider myself a student of effective public and media relations. One of the most difficult messages a fire chief or public information officer must convey is that of a tragedy where, despite our...
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Schmittendorf Signs On for Fire Service Leader Round-Table
Chief Billy Goldfeder The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has secured volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention specialist Tiger Schmittendorf as part of a round-table...
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Please CO-operate. It’s a matter of life and death.
Buffalo News Photo of 16-year old Amanda Hansen whose life was snuffed out by Carbon Monoxide - the silent killer This morning’s Buffalo News headline featured the photo of a bright, beautiful 16-year...
View ArticleSchmittendorf Secures $500k for Erie County Chiefs to Conduct R&R
Erie County Fire Chiefs Awarded $500k Recruitment Grant - Offer Opportunities for You to Get Involved The Erie County Fire Chiefs Mutual Aid Organization, in collaboration with the Erie County Division...
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There’s at least Four Cs in NBFC
Earlier today I had the pleasure of joining lots of other folks who participating in the dedication of a new fire station for the North Boston Volunteer Fire Company in the Town of Boston, NY. As I...
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It’s Time to get SAFER!
This article is one in a series of toolkits focusing on recruitment, retention, fire service marketing and leadership. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Are you SAFER than you were last year?...
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RuntotheCurb: Everybody Loves Sparky
Everybody Loves Sparky the Fire Dog! Just as much as kids love firefighters, every kid (well, almost every kid) loves Sparky. Recently I had the chance to catch some Run-to-the-Curb type kids...
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Impact of the Digital Age on Recruitment and Retention
The world is changing rapidly and the fire service is getting caught up in the tornado effect of technology on our society. More and more fire departments are smartly using web sites, e-mail and social...
View ArticleTremendous Loss of a Talented Storyteller
Although I never had the opportunity to meet or speak with the man, I was "in his presence" on a few short occasions and was always impressed by his talented writing abilities. Today we mourn the loss...
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15 Years of Fire Suppression
Recently I had the opportunity to participate in what I thought was going to be a “speed recruiting” event at a local high school, unaware until I got there that the tables would be turned and I was...
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