Three Helicopters, a Fire-Safety Clown and a Line Down the Street

We Had to Give People a Reason to Come

I wanted the open house to show how good our department was and how much it meant to the community. That required more than opening the bay doors, parking a few trucks outside and setting up some folding tables.

We created an experience.

We held live fire, rescue and EMS demonstrations. We offered CPR demonstrations and quick hands-on training. Kids worked their way through a Fire Safety Adventure Course where they learned how to stop, drop and roll, call 911 and complete other age-appropriate safety activities.

We had DJs, fire-safety clowns, specialty equipment and plenty of opportunities for families to climb into a fire truck and take pictures.

One year, three helicopters arrived back-to-back-to-back.

That event drew more than 1,000 people and earned a full-page spread in the county edition of The Washington Post.

The demonstrations and activities mattered, but so did getting the word out.

We sent flyers home through every school we could reach in the area. We put up big signs, handed out information at other community events and submitted the open house to newspaper and television community calendars. We pursued media coverage instead of simply hoping someone noticed us.

We treated attendance like it mattered.

Looking back, many of the ideas that later shaped my marketing career began at the firehouse: understand your audience, give people a reason to pay attention, reach them through every available channel and make sure the experience is worth their time.

Then Marshall Upstaged Santa

We eventually brought that same energy to other events.

Every year, we took Santa around the community on the fire truck. We spent many, and sometimes very cold, hours visiting virtually every street in our first-due area. Families began to expect it. The Santa Run kept the department visible in a warm, positive way and reminded people that the firehouse belonged to their community.

One year, we hosted pictures with Santa at the station and had a good turnout.

The next year, we added Marshall, the fire pup from PAW Patrol, as Santa’s guest.

The line was down the street before we opened the doors.

And, if we are being honest, Santa was no longer the main attraction.

That taught us another lesson: one creative idea can completely change an event. A mascot, firehouse dog, helicopter, kids’ challenge or great demonstration may be what gets a family through the door. Once they are there, you have the opportunity to educate them, connect with them and show them what their department does.

Community Events Do More Than Raise Money

Fire departments hold plenty of worthwhile fundraising events, bingo, pancake breakfasts, carnivals, crab feasts and more. Those events matter.

But an open house, Santa Run or fire-safety event can accomplish something different.

Our events strengthened relationships with local government and elected officials. They helped drive donations. They gave community leaders the opportunity to see the department’s value firsthand. They helped residents meet the firefighters and EMTs who would be there on what might be the worst day of their lives.

And sometimes they inspired a child to imagine becoming a firefighter someday.

None of this requires three helicopters, a major newspaper story or 1,000 attendees.

It does require some ambition.

Give people something to see, something to do, something to learn and someone to meet. Be creative. Make the event fun enough to attract families, but keep the department’s mission at the center of it.

The real success was never the size of the crowd. It was watching children proudly finish the safety course. It was seeing families connect with our members. It was showing people what their department did, and helping them become a little safer before they went home.

Do not just open the doors and expect people to return next year.

Create something worth remembering.

Ready to Plan Your Own?

I turned the lessons we learned, often through trial and error, into a practical companion resource covering the timeline, marketing, schools, sponsors, demonstrations, event logistics and follow-up.

Continue with Beyond the Bay Doors: A Detailed Fire Department Open House Planning, Marketing and Execution Guide.