由托马斯A. Merrill
在我的谈话中firefighters, I often hear a similar complaint. Disgruntled members lamenting the fact they were not informed about a new tool, new standard operating procedure, relocated equipment, or some other new protocol or procedure in the firehouse. “I didn’t know” or “Nobody told me” is a common phrase uttered throughout firehouses. There are a number of steps that can be employed by fire chiefs to help keep their members well informed and up to date on department events and operations. Good communication practices certainly are one of the trademarks of a professionalvolunteer消防部门。
在脱离和保持成员“在循环中”的话有很多好处。一位知情的消防员不仅在他们的部门感到重要，而且非常重要，但也有价值和赞赏。成员也更好地准备工作，并更有信心。开放和清除通信限制谣言，猜测和二次猜测并绘制透明组织的图片。
认识到志愿者非常忙碌，生活在许多方向上占据了它们，重要的是使用各种方法传播这个词来确保成员收到它。从时刻努力重复某些事情，同样重要的是重复钢筋。志愿者消防服务的本质决定了，当讨论新信息时，成员可能不会围绕声明消息或者他们可能会错过会议或演练。有些成员不喜欢阅读，因此他们可能会忽略发布的通知或公司通讯文章。使用不同的手段来沟通确保增加所有成员收到信息的机会。幸运的是，有许多经过验证的方法来搞清楚。
A posted notice is still one of the most basic and easy-to-employ methods to communicate new information. A spot should be designated in the firehouse where members know the latest important information will be posted so when they stop into the firehouse they can give the board a quick glance to see what is new. Firefighters should be directed to get in the habit of checking the announcement board for the latest important updates.
另一个想法 - 而且，再次，这些都可以一起使用，以确保至少收到一段时间 - 是发布每月展示部门活动的月度正常时事通讯。酋长可以拥有每月列，他可以让成员更新各种事宜，包括新的购买，重新安置设备，甚至通过正式欢迎他们在印刷和写作关于他们的简短生物方面来推出新成员。
在侧面笔记中，官员也可以为时事通讯做出贡献，并讨论策略，当前的消防服务活动和其他与消防部门有关的事宜。这是官员的伟大信誉建设者，并展示他们为不仅是一般的消防服务活动而且对其自己的部门来说也是福利和兴趣。
Most fire chiefs deliver a report at the department’s monthly business meeting. Again, even thought the information might already be posted or in the newsletter, the chief can again review it at the meeting to ensure all members have received it. If they had already received the information, at least now it has been reinforced.
使用电子邮件是另一个提供信息的伟大工具。通过在智能手机检查他们的最新电子邮件中埋藏他们的头部埋藏了我们的成员（不仅仅是年轻成员，而且不仅仅是年轻的成员）的频率如何判断。一个好主意是为所有部门成员创建一般的电子邮件地址，并将其链接到会员的个人电子邮件。例如，可以创建子组，以便信息可以仅传递给官员组或卡车委员会组。
很多部门都有一个官方网站，这也为一个酋长提供了一个巨大的机会。可以创建一个“仅成员”区域，其中包含与部门的运营有关的各种信息。酋长也可以通过更新本节来获取字。
通过任何书面通信方法，尽量保持信息，但到目前为止。通常人们将只是撇去通知或文章，如果很长时间，他们可能会错过重要信息。不要使用无数电子邮件绑架成员，因为它们可能开始忽略它们或时间约束可能禁止它们在应彻底读取电子邮件。每周电子邮件更新是一个好主意，除非有一个令人信服的理由做更多。
As I said earlier, I think it’s important to repeat information from time to time to help get the word out. That serves two purposes: It drives home the point and it also informs new members who might not have been around when the message was originally delivered. Several years ago, we were struggling to have our firefighters correctly pack the crosslays on our pumpers. We had adopted a new method that required forming a loop on the last length packed, and for some reason our members either forgot to make the loop or they put the loop on the wrong length of hose. My monthly column in the department newsletter consisted of a series of bullet points highlighting current department events. Starting with the first bullet point, and continuing every fifth or sixth bullet point, I simply wrote: “Remember, when packing the crosslays the loop goes on the last length packed.” A few months later I did the same thing. And several months after that, I did it yet again. I received quite a bit of kidding from my members, but they got the message. To this day, everybody knows how to pack the crosslay. I had successfully gotten the word out.
Finally, don’t forget to communicate with the public either. Inprevious columns we have discussed how social media（Facebook，Twitter等）是加强您的部门专业形象的好方法。不要忘记社区仍有很大一部分，他们可能不使用时尚的社交媒体网点。使用传统的尝试，测试和沟通方法也没有错，例如将新闻稿发送给社区报纸。一些酋长队喜欢在过去一年中发出每年的信函或信息宣传册突出的部门成就。他们可以利用这个机会来解释部门运营，需求，购买甚至介绍部门成员。这些做法有助于更好地与社区接触部门。
与我们的会员分享信息很重要。我们无法围绕设备移动设备，在不正确更新会员资格的情况下建立新的规则和做事的新规则和方式。雇用良好的沟通实践有助于提供知情，高度动力的消防员，他们与他们的部门培养了所有权。一位知情的消防员也可以增强部门的专业形象。得到这个词。
Thomas A. Merrill是一个30年的消防部门退伍军人，位于纽约阿默斯特的斯奈德消防局。他担任署长26岁，包括15年chief officerranks, and recently completed five years as chief of department. He also is a professional fire dispatcher for the town of Amherst火灾报警办公室。他可以达到tamerrill63@aol.com.
