Social Media Officer

As technology advances through time, cultures must both define and adjust acceptable behaviors to coexist in harmony. Social media, as a relatively new phenomenon, has forced our society to decide how to best utilize this advancement in an appropriate way. The fire service has not been spared from this, often difficult, process. Furthermore, social media, like most technological advancements, can both have a positive and negative affect on the ability for company officers to operate effectively.

One positive affect that social media can have on an officer’s ability to operate is by enhancing public relations. In recent years, many fire departments have begun investing in both personnel and resources that can improve our ability to positively reach the public we serve. An example is the most recent fire campaign within San Diego County. Per our media services manager, Monica Munoz, the department’s social media page was flooded with positive comments following media features on fire personnel and …show more content…
Due to the fact that we live in a time where nearly every citizen carries a smartphone that can record photos or video, a company officer must now be mindful of how our tactics will be judged after the event. There are numerous cases where fires and medical events are “Monday-Quarterbacked” by not only by the public, but also other fire departments. Although this factor should not play into an officer’s tactical decisions, it nonetheless, is a consideration. Additionally , the company officer must also be mindful of violations to patient’s HIPAA rights. It is not uncommon for bystander’s to reject privacy and attempt to record patient care in sensitive arenas. An effective company officer will have to allocate some of their attention to ensure social media is not negatively impacting the emergency