How to Schedule a Program

Community Fire Safety Operational Guide Scheduling Guidelines

With your Community Risk Assessment complete, you can now develop your scheduling strategies. Delivering fire safety programs does not have to be complicated, time consuming or expensive, as the data you gather from your community risk assessment will lead you toward both your fire problem, as well as your primary target audience. In many instances, the groups you are targeting are already established; take advantage of delivering programs to school groups, day care centers, service clubs, businesses, churches and senior groups as just a few examples.

Unfortunately, in most of your citizens’ collective busy lifestyles, coming to your fire station to request fire safety information for their family does not occur on a consistent basis. Your challenge is to determine the locations where your citizens gather. Target these locations and groups as you are planning your delivery schedule; much of the hard work may already be complete.

How to Schedule a Program

Sounds simple doesn’t it? Have you ever missed a program or showed up at the wrong location without a call back number or contact to call and verify where you are supposed to be? If so, you’re not alone. This happens many times and is a situation that is absolutely avoidable on the department’s part. This is embarrassing to the department and shows a lack of attention to detail, which could make all the difference in donations or support. Not to mention it’s very unprofessional.

By using a simple process and form to keep your schedule accurate and to ensure the program is still on for the scheduled date, you will avoid this situation for the department. Of course, there will be times when the program will be a “no go,” but it will not be because of the fire department. (See Module 3 Appendix for form and example.)

Create and implement your process with the following steps:

Create a department program request form
from the template in Module 3 Appendix
Have a main program administrator for your department who is responsible for all program activities. (The department contact person can be preprinted on your program request form.)
Make sure the requester has the department contact information prior to ending the call.
The department should ensure everyone
is familiar with the program request form and understands that the form must be filled in completely.

Review the information with the caller for
accuracy and completeness.
It is important to have a contact name and best contact phone number to confirm the program prior to the delivery date. Confirming the program will prevent unnecessary rescheduling and may assist with last minute requests.
Keep a master department program scheduling calendar in a conspicuous location for all members to see. The program administrator will be responsible for keeping this up to date.

The program administrator (or whatever name you may have for that position) should be the only one coordinating these fire safety programs within the department. Any department member can take the request, but it should be up the program administrator to handle the logistics of ensuring someone will be available to present the requested program. The program administrator acts as a coordinator; s/he is not necessarily the program presenter. These are areas that departments manage internally.

Checklist for the program administrator:

Program scheduled and confirmed
Program presenters and alternate presenters
scheduled
Program materials and props compiled and
ready for program presenters
Program added to department program
calendar
Prior to program date call the main contact
person identified on request form to verify
program particulars
After the program is delivered, submit the
Program Request and Data Form information
to the data collection module (See Module 3
Appendix) via www.vsfemsa.org

VSFEMSA is capturing all program data in accordance with the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant award guidance.