3 ‘firefighting’ lessons for public affairs pros

Public affairs pros work methodically and strategically, sometimes targeting government influencers over the span of months or even years. But 2020 changed all that—and rapid response is increasingly part of the job.

Here are three ways to ramp up your public affairs strategy so it’s more responsive—with insights from a FEMA-trained public affairs pro who’ll share how to “put out fires” in Ragan’s March 4 Speechwriters & Public Affairs Conference:

1. Semper paratus! (always ready). “Our firefighters never know when they’ll get an emergency call and need to jump in an engine to respond,” says Scott Thomsen, director of communications and public affairs for the Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) and president of National Association of Government Communicators. “Public affairs pros need to prepare the same way.”

“It’s a mindset more than anything else,” Thomsen says. “Be willing to step out of your typical planning cadence and mix things up.”

2. Implement tabletop exercises. “Firefighters train constantly to be ready for the unexpected,” he adds. “While public affairs pros can’t commit to daily drills, we can implement regular tabletop exercises.”