Tactics
All KFRS communication must be clear, understandable, and accessible for everyone. These principles are used at the planning stage of all engagement activity to ensure that our delivery is inclusive.
Every member of the Engagement team is encouraged to develop through continuous professional development whether it’s with professional bodies, industry/sector experts or through online learning like LinkedIn Learn. We are actively encouraged to share learning with colleagues within KFRS, across the fire sector and with our partners.
We look to our colleagues across fire service UK for best practice and to share our learning and work – through FirePRO, National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) or partnerships. We horizon scan beyond our sector and the emergency services for innovation, ideas and best practice that can be adapted. We encourage feedback and constructive viewpoints.
External communications
The team works with several KFRS departments to deliver across a variety of projects, campaigns and business as usual tasks.
Storytelling lies at the centre of much of the team’s work, sharing real life experiences from customers to highlight safety messages and their gratitude to the service.
Behaviour change plays a part in a majority of communication activity surrounding safety messages, whether it’s support from the Customer Experience and Behaviour Change (CEBC) team for larger campaigns through research and COM-B analysis, or the external communications team applying the EAST framework to plan and develop day-to-day materials and content.
Warn and inform is a statutory duty that is supported by the press office function and on-call press officers.
Internal communications
Internal communications will be largely steered by our strategic objectives and aims - all interlocking under the umbrella of our commitment to ‘Working together, saving lives, reducing harm.’ The team will continue to deliver effective, timely and relevant internal messages. The team will continue to ensure that all colleagues have information that supports their responsibilities to work collaboratively towards KFRS’ strategic objectives.
The team will be working within the themes of ‘A great place to work and volunteer’ (employee experience), ‘Excellence’ (customer experience and service and professional development) and ‘Everyone Together’ (our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion).
The team will support strong internal brand emphasises consistency of message and shared organisational goals, ensuring that in turn we present a consistent view and experience of KFRS to our external customers. Our colleagues continue to be key to our reputation and brand.
Marketing and events
Marketing will continue to deliver headline campaigns developed as part of the campaign planning group. These campaigns will be based on research and targeted to encourage the audience to adopt safer behaviours. We will use appropriate channels, including a mix of digital and traditional methods depending on the target audience and the most efficient and effective way to reach them. We will also be looking to develop and deliver ‘business as usual’ messaging through our digital channels to reach audiences who have been identified as high risk and priority through the customer personas work carried out by the Customer Experience and Behaviour Change team. Working with a variety of teams across the Service we will continue to research, deliver and generate creative ways to make sure that our campaigns and events are seen, heard, attended and understood through a number of appropriate channels including print, digital, radio and physical. We will also continue to make sure we deliver what we can to the best of our abilities and in the most effective and efficient way, with continued evaluations and development.
Events will be delivered across areas in Kent and Medway where there is an identified need to reach customers who are most at risk. These events will aim to deliver identified inclusive safety messages including safe and well, building safety and recruitment. This will support prevention and also introduce the service to the people living in those areas, raising the profile and aiding in meeting our objectives especially in removing barriers and improving access to our services, particularly to under-represented groups. There will be a series of events both digital and physical to encourage attendance and promote inclusivity and manage any digital poverty. Seasonal events in spring, summer and autumn will be delivered.
Volunteers
The volunteer scheme will be continually shaped by the work to achieve the ‘Investing in Volunteers’ award. This framework has provided key areas for focus and ambitions to enhance the scheme to build on the benefits the volunteers bring to the organisation, but importantly, for the overall experience of the volunteers themselves.
Volunteering at KFRS will continue to deliver the support of achieving strategic objectives and provide a rewarding experience to the volunteers. Volunteers will continue to respond quickly to emerging risks and provide exceptional customer service as an additional cost-effective resource. The volunteers will continue to support and enhance our customer connections through the people and where they live across Kent and Medway. They will support the gathering of local intelligence and act as ambassadors promoting safety messages to their families, friends and communities and encouraging positive behaviours.