Maintain and enhance communication efforts
1. Review and update the existing communications strategy to reflect a shift from planning to implementation. Identify and develop community collaborative information needs.
2. Develop a speakers' bureau to meet with stakeholder groups and other publics to promote understanding, to learn about and respond to stakeholder concerns, and to encourage engagement and action. (Recognize that all stakeholders have a responsibility and need to be part of the solution).
3. Educate and inform the public on the Cohesive Strategy and the Western fire issues, including the ecological benefits of fire and the impacts, such as smoke management.
4. Identify interested groups and seek participants from interested groups and other Federal, state, Tribal, and local agencies to assist in the communications efforts. Ensure that communication is two-way.
5. Develop and utilize existing networks to share information both internally and externally that relates to policy changes, budget issues, and other pertinent information.
Katie Lighthall
541-408-3048
KLighthall@bendcable.com
Ongoing
All stakeholders are collaborators. Review and update communications strategy annually. Task 1 - Katie has been appointed Chair of Regional Communications Committee. Communications work group reviewing and updating strategy and is working on identification of community collaborative information needs. Communications strategy noted in National Risk Analysis and Strategy August 2013 Communities are beginning to ask for CS presence at workshops, meetings, conferences. Information needs are: success stories; tying CS together with local efforts, demonstrating the umbrella of CS and how each of the goal areas can play out in communities, agencies, etc. Communications efforts are substantial as expected. WGA modified contract with Cheryl Renner to assist in communications coordination, works with RSC Coordinator. 4/17/14 Continue to identify needs of various audiences. Bump eNews efforts to two per month through Oct, then one per month for Nov and Dec. Renner contract to be extended through Dec to produce this publication. At WFLC meeting April 9, 2014 strong emphasis on continued and enhanced communications. Task 2 - Utilizing geographic locations to make travel easier, and pairing up with other speaking opportunities where/when available. May 2014 - now keeping separate list as it's quite long. Task 3 - Monthly updates, eNews. National Comms WG created national monthly digest with regional updates, for website, and regional delivery. Twitter feeds ongoing. National Communications group working on social media plan. National Facebook site launched Aug 2013. West Brochure - initial run of 1000, Region 6 produced another 2000, need more. Year in Review publication designed and produced, delivered hard copies to WFLC members in April 2014 and made available online at F&R.gov. eNews gets tremendous readership each month over 1400 opens. Task 4 -Engaged Marjie Brown from JFSP in communications planning and networking. Engaging TNC & FAC to broaden dialogues. Getting folks to talk about CS is easy. The challenge is in having volunteers produce materials or something needed to send out. These are paid activities so Cheryl and Katie do the bulk of them and rely on committee members and others to spread the messages and materials. Task 5 - 4/17/14 Continue to utilize new and existing networks, expansive email lists to spread messages, materials. FB & twitter. June 2014 - started a blog to communicate about western centric CS issues, and also provide archive for western documents. 8/4/14 Draft Strategic Communications Plan
