Public Safety Insights Newsletter: Public Image Lesson from Port of Los Angeles Fire

Public Image Lesson from Port of Los Angeles Fire
Public Safety Insight:	With a little effort, you can communicate the value your agency provides as well as keep the public informed during an incident.

On Monday evening September 22nd, a spark from a welder’s torch at the Port of Los Angeles caused a pre-World War II era wooden wharf under a warehouse at one of the container terminals to go up in flames. As the fire grew to a four-alarm incident, the Los Angeles Fire Department, assisted by the Long Beach Fire Department and other agencies, fought the inferno from fire boats, on land, and under the water. All eight container terminals at the Port of Los Angeles were closed, as were three of six terminals at the adjacent Port of Long Beach; about 850 terminal employees were evacuated. Although the fire was contained in about 2.5 hours, it continued to smolder into Tuesday evening. Thousands of longshore workers were sent home on Tuesday, students at a nearby elementary school were bused to another location, other schools suspended outdoor activities, and residents of nearby cities were advised to remain indoors due to the heavy and possibly toxic smoke.

LAFD Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas emphasized the difficulty of fighting this fire. PIO/Captain Jaime Moore did a great job describing the dangerous conditions under which firefighters worked. They kept the public informed about how to remain safe, and about firefighters’ progress in quelling the blaze. In short, they did everything they should have done to report and update the news about this incident.

However, with a little effort, they also could have demonstrated more clearly the value they provided.

Consider these facts: the Port of Los Angeles handles an average of $780 million of cargo a day. In addition to being the largest port in the U.S., together with the adjoining Port of Long Beach it comprises the third largest port in the world.

What if the LAFD had taken its communication a step further, addressing not just the methods used to fight the inferno but focusing attention on the economic impact of its efforts? For example, firefighters’ effectiveness enabled both Ports to re-open their closed terminals fairly quickly. As a result, Port workers and contractors were out of work for only one day, which minimized wage losses. Shipments were delayed by only one day, or in some cases, part of a day, diminishing the costs of late shipments to businesses and consumers across the country. When you consider the impact of losses avoided due to the firefighters’ successful efforts to mitigate the damage, you’re talking about huge numbers. Even on much smaller incidents, the value of the property saved and the lives and businesses that were not disrupted often overshadow the actual damage. Providing both pieces of the picture – savings as well as losses – creates a context that enables the public to recognize your agency’s true contribution to the community.
 
The lesson: tell the public what’s going on, what they need to do to remain safe, and when the danger has passed. In addition, focus on the relevant impact on the lives and property of those affected – e.g., the value of the property saved, how people’s lives were undisturbed or returned to normal quickly, the minimal interruption of revenue to businesses and cities – rather than only the damage incurred. The impact information tells the story of the true value you provide your community.

To read about three specific ways you can highlight the value your organization provides, take a look at my article How to Demonstrate Your Agency’s Economic Impact.

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To find other articles and resources that may be of value to you, I invite you to visit my web site at www.PublicSafetyInsights.net.

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©2014 Pat Lynch | Public Safety Insights