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Any Fire Chief or Rotarian can bring a Fire Hydrant Decal
Project to their community. The Fire Chief can present it to
local Rotarians as a community service opportunity. The brochure
helps you present the project to both Rotary Club members and
the Fire Chief. Rotarians can offer to fund a Fire Hydrant Decal
Project to interest the Fire Chief. Just follow these simple
guidelines. The project can be scaled larger or smaller to suit
the interest and ability of any Rotary Club. Get both the Fire
Chief and your Rotary Club to support the project and contact
us to order decals or for any further information. The Rotary
Club of Tsawwassen has developed this project and contributes
it to any community participating with us in spreading the fire
safety message. All project information is posted on our web
site at: http://www.versys.net/rotary/FHDWelcome.htm
- Step One - Overview Of A Rotary Fire Hydrant Decal Project
- Step Two - Seek Support From Your Community Fire Chief
- Step Three - Estimate Costs For Your Project
- Step Four - Choose To Support A Local Fire Safety Program
Or Burn Unit
- Step Five - Use The On-Line Quote Page To Get The Exact
Project Cost
- Step Six - Order The Decals And Fire Prevention Brochures
- Step Seven - Apply Decals And Present The Brochures Or
Contribution
- Step Eight - Use A Publicity Plan To Inform Your Community
Step One - Overview Of A Rotary Fire Hydrant Decal Project
The basic Fire Hydrant Decal Project is a community service
project of local Rotary Clubs in cooperation with the Fire Chief
and the community Fire Department. This project is easy, effective,
has high public exposure and low overall cost. There are three
elements to the project:
- Decals Rotary Clubs fund the purchase of highly reflective
decals that have both safety messages and the Rotary International
logo on them. These proven, tough, long lasting, all weather
decals help firefighters quickly locate the marked hydrants at
night. The safety messages are constant reminders of fire safety.
As well, they raise community awareness of Rotary activity. The
community, firefighters and Rotarians all win.
- Local Fire Safety The decals are priced $2.00 over
direct production costs. The entire $2.00 goes back into community
projects. One dollar goes to your choice of a local fire prevention
program or a contribution to the hospital burn unit. Most Clubs
choose to buy fire prevention pamphlets for use in fire safety
lessons at local schools. Alternatively, programs for older adults
or the general public can be supported. Make the selection in
cooperation with your Fire Chief. The intention is to make $1.00
per decal available for local fire prevention. It can be used
for any legitimate fire prevention purpose in your community.
- Project Growth The second dollar goes to the Rotary
Fire Hydrant Decal Project to pay the costs of bringing this
idea to the next community. That is how you learned about it.
The Rotary Club of Tsawwassen paid the start-up costs and supported
two years of development. The dollar per decal enables us to
pay on-going promotion costs such as samples, Fire Hydrant Decal
Project pamphlets, convention and trade shows costs. That is
how we inform professional fire fighters and other Rotary Clubs
about this worthy project. That second dollar is your contribution
to bring the project to other communities. Any community participating
with us benefits from the two years of experiments, tests and
start-up costs paid by the Rotary Club of Tsawwassen. We pass
on those benefits and the knowledge gained from experience in
other Fire Hydrant Decal Projects to any community participating
with us. In the spirit of Rotary service above self that is our
contribution to fire safety in your community.
Step Two - Seek Support From Your Community Fire Chief
The Fire Chief is the key person to get the Fire Hydrant
Decal Project going in your community. An offer from your Rotary
Club to pay the costs of the project will get his attention and
support. Use the brochure to
help present the project. All fire departments are under financial
pressure and welcome contributions and support from local Rotarians.
Each Fire Chief operates under a set of policies and rules that
can vary in each community. Some are happy to have Rotarians
participate in decal application work parties. Others are grateful
for the financial support but want only fire department personnel
involved in the actual decal application.
In either case the Fire Hydrant Decal Project idea and the offer
to fund it will be welcome.
Use the following as a list of the principal benefits when presenting
the Fire Hydrant Decal Project:
- Save lives and property by assisting firefighters.
- Raise public awareness of fire safety.
- When funded by Rotary Clubs there are no direct costs to
fire departments.
- Rotary Clubs get an easy community service project that has
a low total project cost.
- Raises the profile of Rotary in your community.
Note the Contact Us page
on our web site. There are both fire department and Rotary contacts
available by telephone, email or mail. Either the Fire Chief
or Rotarians can talk to someone experienced in the project to
answer any questions or discuss concerns. We are happy to offer
you our experience from Fire Hydrant Decal Projects in other
communities.
Step Three - Estimate Costs For Your Project
Most Rotarians are surprised how low total project costs
can be for a Fire Hydrant Decal Project.
Develop an estimate by figuring the number of decals needed using
these guidelines:
- Marking one fire hydrant per 250 people or 4 hydrants per
1,000 population or,
- Marking 20% of the total number of fire hydrants or 1 hydrant
out of 5 or,
- Marking all the fire hydrants for the maximum number possible.
Generally, fire departments suggest marking fire hydrants
in the central business district, around schools and hospitals
as well as near apartments and residential complexes. Typically
that takes four decals per thousand people in the community.
Through the projects so far we have found that it works out to
marking one out of five fire hydrants or 20% of the total fire
hydrants in your community.
Take your community population in thousands and multiply by four.
For example a community of 50,000 people need 200 decals (50
X 4 = 200). That gives you an indication of how many decals you
need.
Secondly ask the Fire Chief for the total number of fire hydrants
and take 20% of the total or divide the total by 5 to get the
second guideline number. For example in a community with 1,250
fire hydrants divide by 5 to get 250 (1,250 ÷ 5 = 250).
That gives you the second indication of the number of decals
needed.
Finally, simply take the total number for the maximum possible
or 1,250 fire hydrants in this example.
The numbers (200, 250 and 1250) give you a good idea of the minimum
number of decals required to have an effective Fire Hydrant Decal
Project in your community as well as the maximum possible. In
our example the project could be as few as 200 decals or as many
as 1250.
Together with the Fire Chief your Club can decide how many hydrants
you wish to mark.
Turn the numbers into dollars by using a "guesstimate"
of $4.00US or $6.00CDN per decal. Prices vary by decal size but
this gets you close so you can get an understanding for the scale
of project possible in your community. A few hundred dollars
goes a long way in this project.
Small projects can be done at one time. Larger projects can be
done over two or more phases. In the case of large projects in
cities with multiple Rotary Clubs several Clubs can participate
over several phases.
Step Four - Choose To Support A Local Fire Safety Program
Or Burn Unit
One dollar ($1.00) per decal goes to support local fire prevention
programs or to the hospital burn unit serving your community.
The choice is yours.
Often the Fire Chief has clear preferences; if so they will guide
you to the best choice for your project. If he does not have
a clear preference he can tell you of the needs of his local
fire safety programs and you can make inquiries to learn the
burn unit needs in your community.
Support for local fire prevention programs can be through the
purchase of brochures or other educational material approved
by the your Fire Chief. It can include National Fire Prevention
Association (NFPA) brochures or any other material.
Other fire prevention needs of your fire department or school
board can receive the contribution. Most Rotary Clubs make the
final decision of where the money goes in consultation with their
Fire Chief.
Typically Fire Hydrant Decal Projects use a modest number of
decals. Therefore the number of fire prevention pamphlets may
be fewer than you need. In such a case you can buy more pamphlets
to ensure there are enough to bring the message to children in
your community. The pamphlets are supplied at cost without any
markup.
The second dollar is used to grow the Fire Hydrant Decal Project
itself. That is how you learned about the project and how we
pay costs such as displays and sample decals. The Rotary Club
of Tsawwassen paid the two-year development costs of the project.
We also funded the first projects and paid to bring the project
to other communities. We hope to give every Rotary Club the opportunity
of having a Fire Hydrant Decal Project in their community. Like
all of our Rotary projects this one is 100% volunteer with all
funds raised going back into community service.
Step Five - Use The On-Line Quote Page To Get The Exact Project
Cost
Work with the Fire Chief to designate the specific number,
size, shape and slogans required. See the Decal
Placement Guide page and the Quote
Request form for the decal sizes shapes and slogans.
Note that there are various shapes and styles of fire hydrants.
Most fire hydrants can be classified as either smooth surfaced
or fluted surface. All decals work on the smooth surfaced hydrants.
Decal Set "E" works on hydrants with a fluted or grooved
body.
Once you have the exact number and size of decals as well
as the slogans and colors go to the Quote Request. Fill in the
details and click the "submit the form" button. Normally
you will receive a quote by fax within 24 to 48 hours. This gives
you the total costs for the specific number, size, shape and
slogans you specify. With the quote in hand you can make decisions
and get any necessary approvals.
Step Six - Order The Decals And Fire Prevention Brochures
When you are ready to order, email, fax or phone a request
for a proof sheet for your final approval. The proof is an exact
drawing showing the size, shape, color and slogans selected.
It will be mailed so you can see exactly what the decals will
look like. If everything is satisfactory sign the proof sheet
and return it with payment and your decals will be promptly produced
and delivered to you.
Step Seven - Apply Decals And Present The Brochures Or Contribution
Coordinate with the Fire Chief to organize a work party of
Rotarians and firefighters to apply the decals. Like all Rotary
work parties this can be fun. Don't forget the cameras and be
sure to invite the media. Firefighters like the publicity as
much as Rotarians do.
Step Eight - Use A Publicity Plan To Inform Your Community
Publicity helps get the fire safety message out to the community.
The best way to get publicity is to plan ahead. The media, newspapers,
radio, TV and magazines as well as on-line sites and email newsletters
all love pictures and great stories. Present your project as
a great story. Be sure to prepare a news release that tells who,
what, why, when, where and how the Fire Hydrant Decal Project
came about in your community. Any local slant to the story is
usually well received. Keep it short, absolute maximum 2 pages
double-spaced; one page is better. The purpose is to get the
media attention so they want to follow up with you.
Send your news release and photographs to all local media. Be
sure to designate a media contact. Have full background information
and project details available in writing then give the media
advance notice of the pending event. The media wants news so
be sure to present yourself as a newsworthy story. The Fire Hydrant
Decal Project is about saving lives and property. That is a great
story hook; you can use it as the theme of your news release.
Broadcast and print media have different deadlines; be sure to
accommodate them. Make inquiries and arrange interviews and photo
sessions. It could be a minor change in your schedule gets you
on the evening news. Fire trucks and firefighters in gear with
reflective decals and Rotarians can make a very photogenic backdrop
for an interview with the Fire Chief, Club President or school
children.
The presentation of a check to the hospital burn unit or presenting
fire safety brochures to a room of school children can be a memorable
event. Have the Club photographer on hand as well as the media.
Please be sure to send us pictures and a news release. We will
use them to spread the word on your project and of course to
promote the Fire Hydrant Decal Project to other communities.
Rotary Club of Tsawwassen, Fire Hydrant Decal Project contact
is Bryan Kelly,
Phone: (604) 943-1494
email: Rotary@dccnet.com
mail: P.O. Box 1405 Delta, BC, V4M 1M1, Canada,
web pages: http://www.versys.net/rotary/FHDWelcome.htm
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