The Power of Public Affairs

It began with a phone call and ended with more students than the classroom would hold and an order for more than double the normal number of “About Boating Safely” textbooks. That’s the power of Public Affairs.

Flotilla 85-West Alabama, decided to offer the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s “About Boating Safely” in advance of National Safe Boating Week. This decision created the perfect opportunity for Public Affairs to do what it does best; communicate.

As a public affairs officer I took the directive from the National Staff to actively develop a team concept between public affairs and public education to heart. I got busy contacting the local media outlets by telephone with the course information. I followed up with a written release to each of those same media outlets.

The media release was treated as a public service announcement which got “air time” on nine radio stations. I was also contacted by one of the radio stations and was requested to participate in an on-air interview which would air on three stations. I received 20 minutes of air-time to speak about “America’s Boating Safely”, other boating safety courses, Auxiliary membership, and National Safe Boating Week.

Full sized visual aids were used

Print media was also included in the media release and the pertinent class information was printed four times in the local newspaper. Our information was placed on the front page of the business section, one of which was in the Sunday edition. During a follow-up phone call, the business editor stated that he had passed the information to the outdoor editor who was interested in additional information.

As a result of our public affairs efforts, valuable media contacts were made which will serve us well into the future. In addition, thirty-two people will be safer, more educated boaters. Additional people, who were not able to be included in the current class, will be part of a second class later in the month.

After the class ended, I made a follow-up phone call to the newspaper, thanking them for their help in making the class a success. This resulted in an opportunity to increase coverage for our next class. The business editor of the “Tuscaloosa News” stated, “Perhaps we can do something beyond announcements for the next class, maybe even sit in and write about it, if that's doable, of course”. Naturally, we will make sure he has a seat in the class.

Sandy Gordon teaches knots

Flotilla 85 Auxiliarists participating in this effort included Ward McFarland, Sandy Gordon, Richard Byrn, Jim Colby, Bill Kirk, and me, of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

~HRW 05-01-10