A Fort Lewis College marketing professor is teaming up with the U.S. Fire Administration to promote fire safety and education.
Through an initiative called Fire is Everyone’s Fight, students will use social media marketing skills to spread awareness. Fire Is Everyone’s Fight aims to unite the fire service, life safety organizations and professionals to reduce home fire injuries, deaths and property loss by changing how people think about fires and fire prevention.
“We’ve partnered with higher education institutions like FLC to equip students with the knowledge and skills to create impactful branding and social media campaigns that can drive behavior change, with a specific focus on fire safety awareness,” said USFA Fire Specialist Abigail Christian in a news release.
According to the Durango Fire Protection District’s 2023 annual report, Durango Fire responded to 6,612 incidents in 2023. The highest number of incidents were reported in July.
The USFA is collaborating with marketing and communications professors to implement a lesson plan that teaches students how to craft key messages, use digital platforms effectively and adhere to compliance guidelines, ultimately preparing them for successful careers in marketing.
This will be part of Professor Christian Sepulveda’s Social Media Marketing course.
“Being situated at Fort Lewis College, amidst forests and facing high fire risk, it's imperative for our students to grasp fire safety concepts,” Sepulveda said. “When this opportunity came my way, I recognized its suitability for our students. This initiative not only serves as fire safety education but also offers a practical avenue to delve into marketing strategies and promote awareness for our students and the overall community of Durango.”
In order to enable students to immediately apply these insights in work situations, the course aims to provide them with practical skills relevant to the continuously changing landscape of social media tools and methods.
This aligns with the U.S. Fire Administration’s emphasis on proactive risk management and community safety.
This helps students take responsibility for fire safety and help create safer environment for all by adhering to its principles, the college said in a news release.
“For most students, the last fire safety training they received was in grade school, so as they enter more independent phases of their lives, it's crucial that they understand the vulnerabilities to fire risks and the prevention strategies that could literally save their lives,” Christian said. “By integrating fire safety into their learning, we're equipping them with practical tools and knowledge that transcend academic achievement and contribute to the well-being of their communities.”
tbrown@durangoherald.com
