Action plan

News media and reputation management

To increase the number of good news stories about KFRS in the local print news media and on radio, no matter how big or small, to reach a wider audience including people without access to the internet or digital devices
Maintain a high profile for KFRS in trade publications by increasing the variety of articles published
Deliver a proactive and reassuring communications campaign for the Ashford fire station redevelopment project
Launch a bi-annual magazine focused on prevention and protection for Home Fire Safety Visit (HFSV) customers that will eventually be available in doctor/hospital waiting rooms
Develop the process of social listening, and the opportunities/benefits it presents KFRS
Promote warn and inform messages to people not on social media

Internal communications

Develop and deliver an accessible and intuitive Intranet with strategically engaging and motivational content.
Continue to develop SharePoint (intranet and Teamsites) to maximise its use as not only a communications resource but also a way of streamlining and simplifying working practices
Research alternative content management systems with a view to review our current intranet before 2025
Carry out regular polls and mini surveys to asses colleagues’ understanding of messages i.e. whether messages have landed and are understood
Ensure communication skills are embedded as a key competency of all roles in KFRS and that team leaders/managers have responsibility to cascade messages and monitor their team’s understanding of key issues
Deliver a robust method to communicate with remote workers including On-Call firefighters and volunteers
Repurpose noticeboard communications to deliver central/corporate communications
Deliver and maintain quarterly/annual internal communications plan covering key messages from all departments to avoid message overload and ensure communications are grouped into a few campaign themes.
Plan, develop and deliver inclusive KFRS corporate theme content around the messages of:
- Everyone Together
- Excellence
- A great place to work and volunteer
Deliver an evaluation and measurement tool or dashboard that supports the delivery of messages, that they’ve been understood and are actioned where relevant

Marketing

All marketing materials will be brand relevant to help build the customer focused brand to showcase KFRS as an inclusive and accessible organisation
Continual development of the KFRS brand.
Audience development
- Introduction and development of customer personas through collaboration with CEBC team
- Development of customer mapping for improved targeting of our key priority customers and under-represented groups
Introduction of a firefighter recruitment strategy and plan – incorporating our brand ‘Together’ and the equality, diversity and inclusion campaign ‘Everyone Together’ identities
Development of digital channels for campaign delivery with consideration of accessibility and digital poverty
Creating plans to use traditional methods for marketing but with innovative and dynamic concepts and approaches
Delivery of recruitment marketing online, to build brand recognition and employee experience
To have delivered refreshed educational materials through the education review by 2025
Continual review of print materials (leaflets).
Research into new technologies:
- Integration with third party apps/products (Alexa and Echo) to deliver direct access to the KFRS website and safety messages.
- Explore the option to deliver a digital home safety assessment.
- Explore new Gov delivery features to deliver even more targeted customer messages and engagement.
- Explore the capabilities of a text messaging service to delivery safety tips and messaging.

Campaigns

Plan, develop and launch a smoking fire prevention campaign (2021-2022)
Plan, develop and launch a kitchen fire prevention campaign (2022-2023)
Plan, develop and launch a campaign to encourage the closing of internal doors before bed (2023-2024)
Plan, develop and launch a smoke alarm testing campaign (2024-2025)
Plan, develop and deliver inclusive brand relevant content to support the everyone together campaign
Support development of KFRS brand campaign content

Social media

Launch and test KFRS TikTok account to target 12-18-year-olds with inclusive brand relevant, educational, safety and fun content
Update and co-own the KFRS social media policy
Develop a live and rolling content plan bringing together both organic and paid social media
Increase the level of customer engagement across all KFRS social media platforms
Review BAU digital safety content regularly in line with the EAST framework, to ensure it’s still suitable, relevant and effective
Utilise customer personas and the EAST framework to help plan new, and develop existing, social media content
Explore the possibilities of social listening and how the service could benefit
Following research and if required, deliver a social listening tool to support the organisation with diverse benefits
Procure a social media management and scheduling platform
Ensure imagery, graphics and videography features diverse customers, removing cultural barriers and improving access for underrepresented groups
Develop the use of inclusive language used across KFRS platforms including BSL (British Sign Language)

Events

Improving accessibility for all customers
- Develop services and pathways to support customers who are neurodiverse or who are living with a disability.
- Video content to include sign language option.
- Open day access through digital channels.
- Access for materials and products to Special Educational Needs Schools.
- Explore offering to teenage and diverse audiences.
Purchase of engaging specialist events vehicles. Allowing for a more sensory experience and brand advocacy.
Development of events being offered
- Rebrand into seasonal events – spring, summer and autumn open days. Allowing events to be more inclusive.
- Limiting and recognising numbers and attendees through ticketing – allowing for better management, quality delivery and audience behaviours.
- Explore event locations across the county to include hosting at sites wider than a fire station, such as SHQ.
- Explore the options to deliver roadshows and reach audiences where they are.
- Explore the possibility of hosting a multi-agency event at the county show for 2023.
Setting of safety messaging at events to include:
- Calling 999
- Testing your smoke alarm
- Escape plan
Development of further messaging and activity to incorporate behaviour change and results of education review.
Volunteers to continue to support events programme by taking on event roles and resourcing events.
Implementation of five resource hubs across the county to give better access to event materials and provide brand consistency and customer experience.
Develop digital asset management system to improve classification, availability, audit and GDPR compliance

Design and content

Develop, deliver and evolve refreshed KFRS brand including brand assets and campaign content
Develop, deliver and evolve EDI identity including brand assets and campaign content
Develop and deliver identity for FireStoppers outdoor fire prevention campaign
Create identity for Smoke Outside safer smoking campaign
Create a new suite of animations for general safety messaging and Warn and Inform duties on social media
Create content strategy for website and workflow management
Create refreshed information for business and commercial customers around RRO and fire safety compliance
Continue developing Everyone Together/EDI brand and messaging across digital, environmental and vehicular spaces
Continue to develop storytelling capability across the creative solutions team with new IT hardware allowing for more power-hungry options such as 360 video and possibly augmented reality (AR)

Digital and online

Deliver a refreshed and accessible public website with new, powerful, extensible and open-source digital experience platform (DXP) based on Drupal 9 which will enable further development of web-based tools to improve service output, including digital asset management (DAM) and workflow management (WFM).
Deliver and service online print portal to ensure consistency, availability of print assets and to support overall efficiencies of print costs.
Develop digital asset management system to improve classification, availability, audit and GDPR compliance
Develop workflow management tools alongside content strategy to improve efficiency and streamline getting team tasks done across digital and physical media
Discovery work on DXP integration with iTrent recruitment portal
Discovery work on DXP integration with social media platforms, reducing the need for third-party products
Discovery work on DXP integration with Dynamics CRM to enable ‘Choose and book’ for home fire safety visits (dependent on outcomes of phase 3 of Project F)
Discovery work on digital signage for internal and external use, with testing as part of SHQ environmental graphics refresh
Discovery work on smart home assistant integrations for public safety advice, powered by DXP
Implement findings of smart home assistant integrations
Implement findings of digital signage project and deploy, powered by DXP
Refresh website UI/UX based on focus group testing, customer feedback and ongoing changes to web technologies

Innovation and new technology

Integration with third party apps/products (Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Siri) to deliver direct access to the KFRS website and safety messages.
Explore the option to deliver a digital home safety assessment.
Explore new Gov delivery features to deliver even more targeted customer messages and engagement.
Explore the capabilities of a text messaging service to delivery safety tips and messaging.
Development of digital live events through social channels and through specific hosting platforms.
Explore available text alert services as an alternative and direct way to share warn and inform messaging (Gov.uk Notify)
Monitor technology available to investigate alternatives to current channels, for example digital noticeboards for internal communications

Volunteers

Secure ‘Investing in Volunteers’ Award and maintain best practice
Recruit a Volunteer Officer role to support growth of scheme
Set up five resource hubs across KFRS estate to improve access to equipment for VRT and events
Deliver a recruitment plan to build number of volunteers up to 60 members
Develop a communications/engagement plan for regular two-way communications with volunteers and staff
Development of new strategic volunteer roles to support business need
An annual survey for staff and volunteers to monitor and improve the scheme
Improvements for on-boarding (induction, uniforms, IT support and initial training) of new volunteers
Continue the integration and visibility of volunteering across organisation
Create an area on website volunteer portal dedicated to volunteer wellbeing information and links
Improve process for staff to feedback to volunteers
Work with HR to enhance, develop and update a set of policies and procedures to fully integrate the volunteer scheme into the HR function
All volunteer role descriptions to include EDI statement and use of inclusive language
Develop plans that improve accessibility of volunteer scheme for everyone
Use diversity data to understand areas to improve inclusivity and accessibility
Develop an EDI workshop
Positive Action for recruitment plan to be developed including a volunteer taster session to improve access for under-represented groups
Complete the volunteer journey mapping recruitment process
Develop an enhanced exit plan from KFRS volunteer scheme including signposting to other organisations
Develop ‘Life volunteer’ role for retirement from active volunteering plan for volunteers to stay in touch
Develop process for analysing inactivity of volunteers
Develop volunteer buddy (mentor) scheme
Introduce skill sharing events using on-line platforms for accessibility

Team training and development

Enhance the marketing knowledge and capability within the team through CIM training
Enhance junior team member knowledge and experience around crisis communications through CIPR training
Support specialist content owners to develop accessible content in line with PSBAR legislation, working with Organisational Development
Evolve storytelling techniques to help us better tell the stories of our customers
Outsource a creative writing workshop/training for the team
Get more involved with major incident table-top exercises within the service, and with partners externally
Continue to broaden team knowledge around behaviour change marketing and PR
Create an e-learning package for staff to reinforce and improve understanding of the updated social media policy
Introduce a rolling programme of basic media interview training delivered in-house, for level 2 and level 3 officers
Deliver/arrange for outsourced media training for the most senior staff
Encourage team members to utilise LinkedIn Learn platform
Deliver training to support enhanced content creation using animation
Guidance/training material for staff on best practice for working with volunteers to be developed and put on the intranet
Update volunteer training including e-modules and other training courses.
Develop coaching structure and strategy for VRT.
Develop Leadership Training Programme for VRT Lead, Mobilisers and volunteers with over 3 years’ experience
Monitor and build team member’s CPD plan
Review team structure and skills – succession planning

Evaluation and measurement

Deliver an evaluation and measurement tool or dashboard that supports the delivery of internal communications messages, that they’ve been understood and are actioned where relevant