Sunday, August 2 | 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Danielle Harris, ENP, CMCP, Dispatch Supervisor, Ingham County 911, Lansing, Michigan
Abracadabra, bippity boppity boo, community engagement for you! Oh wait…
Unfortunately, no magic wand exists to grant agencies views on Facebook posts or to teach the public when (and when not) to call 9-1-1. In this session, Ingham County 911 dispatch supervisor Danielle Harris gave the next best thing — tangible ways for emergency communications centers (ECCs) to approach community engagement through in-person events and on social media.
“Getting started in community outreach, especially when you don’t have a formal program, can be the most daunting part. You don’t know what to do or where to start,” Harris explained. Harris shared how she connected with those responsible for outreach and education within her local police and fire departments. When police or fire goes to events, they extend the invitation to 9-1-1. Building these relationships took a bit of time and effort, but it was worth the investment.
Harris also found public safety telecommunicators in her agency who were passionate about connecting with the community, and she formed a team willing to staff booths at events. “The best advertisement you will ever have for your center is your staff,” Harris stated. “They can give the most honest review of what the job is.” Having telecommunicators as the face of outreach turns any event into a potential recruiting opportunity.
Participating in events doesn’t have to break the bank, either. While Harris’s team has a few branded items, they hand out cheaper items that can be bought in bulk. Small bubbles, stickers, and glow sticks draw people over just as much (if not more) than the more expensive koozies and other branded swag. This approach allows her team to attend more events for a lower cost.
Activities and games at booths are another way Harris’s team attracts attention to their booth. Giant Jenga is a team favorite; each wooden block has a 9-1-1 or safety-related question that can act as education and as a discussion point with community members.
Outside of tabling events, Harris and her team invite groups in for tours of the ECC. They will also go into schools to talk to students about 9-1-1 — education to the younger grades and as a potential career path to the older grades. They have presentations tailored to all age ranges ready to go, so they can more easily accommodate last-minute requests.
On the digital side of engagement, Harris explained that her team is intentional about what and where they are posting. Facebook is used for more serious content, such as press releases and road closures. Staff features are more formal, such as milestone anniversary celebrations. In contrast, light-hearted and humorous content is posted on Tik Tok.
She encourages staff at her agency to suggest video ideas and then involves them as much or as little as they would like. This creates buy-in, which is evident in the content that is produced. The ability to be less serious also gives staff an outlet to relax and joke about parts of the job.
Harris closed by providing four major takeaways:
- Consider starting a team to tackle engagement. A diverse group brings diverse ideas.
- Know your audience and tailor your posts. Create content and post directly to the audience you want to reach.
- Keep on swimming! It’s almost impossible to predict what’s going to do well. Keep trying new ideas.
- For in-person events, be persistent with partners. The more you let yourself be known, the more invitations you’ll get.
Written by Christie Davis
