National Preparedness Month is September

There is a PR “toolkit” for it and the ARRL is registered as a participant.
 
The toolkit is actually a Word.doc file and rather large – over 2 megs.
That’s too big to attach here.  So we chopped it down and posted it in a special place on the Hello-Radio site.  It is NOT listed on the index there.  It’s not for the public – but for us PIOs.  As a .doc file, most of you can cut/paste or edit it as needed for your local areas.

Does YOUR section have PR written into your EmComm plans

As more and more areas of the country are realizing the need of having a PIO at an ARES  deployment’s EOC, the need to have the PR function written into the plan takes higher importance.  We lose far too many good news stories  when everyone grabs a radio and no one is in the Joint Information Centers letting the media know what we are doing.  With the modern  24 hour news cycle, if you don’t get the story out quickly then it doesn’t ever go out at all.  After-action reports and releases days later will not work.  We need PIOs in the JIC who can do the job.

But what plans does your area have? 

Dennis R Zabawa, KG4RUL, is the PIC in SC and doing a monthly emailing to his PIOs about all the events and things coming up in his section, promoting events here and making sure they all know about options.

Perhaps other PICs are sending out information to clubs and PIOs like this, but if so I have not seen it here.  I LIKE IT!

Here’s Dennis’ writing on it:

To borrow a phrase "familiarity breeds content".

How often do you touch bases with your PIOs?  I would suggest a monthly
E-Mail with suggestions and tips on effective public relations
techniques.  Include a reminder of contests, special events, hamfests,
etc., especially those in your and neighboring sections.

Additionally, urge your PIOs to submit news of activities in their clubs to you, your SM and Allen Pitts at ARRL HQ.  It doesn't help Amateur Radio if no one knows the good we do,

The more your PIOs learn, the better they can do their jobs and the more content you all will be.

How Many Hams are there in ______ ???

As a PIO, media looks to YOU to get correct information.  One constant question is how many hams are there.  We’ve mentioned this site before, but it’s worthy of doing again. 
It’s one of the very best for accuracy and ease of getting the real info on license trends.  Don’t guess how many licenses there are – find out!

Bookmark this one!

Public Relations work not only is directed at the general public, but also includes relationships with elected officials.  How often do we hear requests to contact your representatives – but not get the contact info needed to do it?   Here’s a website that allows you to quickly find representatives, senators, federal and state people.

JOTA Coming

Internal Audiences – are you speaking to yours?

At a recent convention, Allen Pitts had the opportunity to speak to a gathering of approximately 60 ARES, RACES and other Amateur Radio leaders from around the country.  He held up the red “Getting the Message Through” brochure about ham radio and EmComm work and asked a simple question.  “How many of you have never seen this before today?”

HALF of them raised their hands!

Despite articles on QST, news releases, booths, speaking events and other outreach work done by HQ staffers, the penetration in our own Amateur Radio emergency community is spotty. Obviously some of the most zealous amateurs are the ARES leaders and they need to know what materials are available for promoting their EmComm work and presenting to elected leaders and other agencies!   The joyous response of the leaders at the convention on learning the materials were easily available shows that this internal audience wants, and has been looking for, just such support.  Do NOT assume they know about it!  You need to tell them.

This National Preparedness Month, in addition to reaching to the external public audience about EmComm operations, please reach out to the EmComm operations people about our PR.  Write an email to your SEC, DEC, EC - or better yet, send them a copy of the brochure.  Make sure they know about “Talk on a Disk” and the videos and all the other pieces available to them tool.

SHORTS and Last Minute Additions

John Kasupski, KC2HMZ asked about the postage on CD or DVD disks.

According to the good folks in the ARRL mailroom....it depends.
How much do you trust the Post Office?

A plain envelope would cost 58 cents postage.
But if you think they would break the disk in their machines, then a padded one runs 70 cents.

This is good info to have if you are mailing PSA's or disks to TV and radio stations.  You sure do not want them to arrive at a media desk with "postage due!"

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Another email asked about what could be done after a major event.  Amateur Radio had been the main communications for the first critical hours after a tornado ran through Fenton, MI but the police and fire representatives were the only ones talking to the press.  They gave their expected statements and thanked everyone but the hams.  Amateur Radio people on scene were never mentioned to the media.  It was as if they didn’t exist. 

The primary problem was that the PIO was called away to do operational work, so no one was available to talk directly to the media.  Still, there remained the question why they were not even mentioned by the served agencies and leaders.  We suggested a two prong attack.  First, go to the media who had been present with a “Man Behind the Curtain” type story.  Promote the idea how hams work to make others look like heroes.  Second, get a proclamation from the Mayor for “Amateur Radio Awareness Day” on September 15th.  If they list the recent event and their role as one of the reasons for the proclamation and take that back to the reporters, they might still get recognition as the volunteers who, working behind the scenes, were there when other systems failed or were overwhelmed.

They tried it and the outcome came in another email shortly later.

“Just thought I would let you know that the Unsung Hero idea has worked. I just finished an on the air Radio interview regarding this whole thing and have 2 TV stations that are interested. One of them is trying to set up telephone interview at this time.”  Jerry Baker, KD8AYL

As the Bear said –    Ya Dun Gud, Jerry!

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FREE Press releases?

Often any “free” press release posted is more advertising than news.  But these sites might be worth a try if you have something good: