1. Presented by: Marrisa Ramírez-Ramos Proposal for a Mesa Fire Department Blog

2. Outline 1. What is a blog? 2. Examples 3. Purpose of a Mesa Fire blog 4. Blog details 5. What next?

3. Text Txt Text 1. What is a blog? A blog is a type of website or a part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, news on a particular subject, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments. It is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.

4. 2. Examples Arizona Emergency Information Network: http://azeinblog.blogspot.com/http://azeinblog.blogspot.com/ Home Safety Council Blog: http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/Blog/http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/Blog/ Long Beach Fire Department Blog: http://firechannel.org/blog/http://firechannel.org/blog/ Red Cross: http://redcrosstalks.wordpress.com/http://redcrosstalks.wordpress.com/ http://redcrosschat.org/ http://redcrosspdx.blogspot.com/ National Fire Protection Association: http://nfpa.typepad.com/fireservicetoday/ http://nfpa.typepad.com/firesprinklerinitiative/ http://nfpa.typepad.com/conference/

5. TEXT 3. Purpose of a Mesa Fire blog Use the blog to publish our own information The blog could be the hub of our social media efforts incorporating the other social media platforms into it to enhance our current social media activities A blog would provide us the flexibility that we are not allowed on the COM website Design Interaction (comments) Other social media platforms don’t allow for long entries

6. 4. Blog details How often will we post? At least monthly, could be more frequently When should article be submitted for review? Beginning of the month that it’s due to be posted When will the post publish to the blog? Middle of the month Should be rather consistent, so that people know when to expect new information Who is reviewing and editing submitted posts? A few eyes are better than one set: Deena, Carrie, myself, another expert on that topic

7. 4. Blog details continued What will we post? Content not covered on Media Monday pitches/press releases Seasonal info: Jan: Feb: Heart Month, Burn Awareness, Child Passenger Safety Wk March: Brain Injury Awareness, Poison Prevention, Water Walk, EMS Wk April: Volunteer Appreciation, April Pool’s, 9-1-1 Call Takers/Dispatchers May: Bike Safety, EMS Week June: Home Safety July: Fireworks Aug: Immunizations, Back to School Safety Sept: Preparedness, Child Passenger Safety Oct: Fire Prevention Wk/smoke alarms, Halloween (costumes, candles, pedestrian) Nov: Turkey fryer, cooking safety Dec: space heaters, decorating, electrical, x-mas tree, ladder/falls

8. 5. What next? Approval to create a blog Begin building the blog Set-up the schedule for the year of bloggers and topics