The Long Beach (CA) Fire Department’s Junior Lifeguard program is a time-honored tradition in the beach city the department’s lifeguards have served since 1906. Started in the late 1960s, the Marine Safety Division’s Junior Lifeguard program provides students from ages 9 to 17 the opportunity to learn about topics such as lifeguard rescue techniques, emergency first aid, marine ecology, and to engage in ocean sports activities, physical conditioning, and public service. The demand for the program is so great that a lottery system must be used to determine which applicants will be able to participate each year. Click here to learn more about the department’s Junior Lifeguard program.
Yesterday over 400 lifeguards, junior lifeguards, and their families participated in the annual Stud Ironman competition. The event was covered in depth by the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Even the Los Angeles Times, which seems to seldom publish positive news about Long Beach, printed several photographs taken at the competition.
The best news is not that local newspapers felt the story was worth covering. Rather, the really great news is HOW the Press-Telegram story was written. That is, rather than talking about the department, reporter Karen Robes Meeks focused on the participants’ and families’ stories, quoting them as they described what the program has meant to them. What better testament to the value of the department’s Marine Safety Division than hearing the words of those who have experienced that value?
“Connect the Dots” tip: stories that focus on the community’s experience with your agency, especially when expressed in stakeholders’ own words, are powerful endorsements of the value you provide.
How has your agency’s value been showcased by the media? Let us know!
© 2013 Pat Lynch. All rights reserved.
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