In this series, Fire Engineering Associate Editor Rob Maloney looks at the things that motivated and inspired instructors to present on their topics at FDIC International 2016. Segments will be posted on a regular basis up to and through the conference, April 18-23.
Michael Fronimos
Public Information Officer
Hebron (KY) Fire Protection District
Public Information Officer 101: Command Function to Community Relations
Monday, April 18, 1:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
“The role of public information officer (PIO) is still one that many agencies, chiefs, and firefighters look upon with disdain,” says Michael Fronimos of the Hebron Fire Protection District in Kentucky. His presentation is the FDIC International 2016 workshop “Public Information Officer 101: Command Function to Community Relations.” According to Fronimos, for years, no one wanted to be the PIO, seeing the role with the “Us (firefighters) vs. Them (media)” mentality, although over the past 25 or so years it has gotten much better. Still, he says many view the position negatively, and feel that there is no need a dedicated PIO—“The Chief can do it.” “However, with training and awareness, the fire service is building relationships with our media, developing partnerships, and getting away from the “Us vs. Them” mindset and helping to market the fire service.”
Regarding the inspiration to become an instructor, Fronimos says, “At very young age in the fire service, I was taught that we are all students of the job—it is our duty to pass along what we have learned to the generations behind us.” One of the proudest moments of his career was as coordinator of the Fire Explorers (Juniors) program. “I saw so many of my kids succeed as adults—whether as firefighters, police officers, joining the military, becoming a lawyer or a nursing professional, or pursuing other career paths, and becoming a successful parent. I cannot explain how proud I am that I was allowed to help shape them into adults.”
Fronimos shared his early inspirations for joining the fire service. “Around 1973 when I was four years old, my mother took me to our neighborhood fire station on the west side of Detroit. I fell in love with it. We moved to the suburbs where my neighbor was a career firefighter and helped steer me in the direction I needed to go to become a career firefighter.” TV shows like “Emergency!” and reading that included Fire Engineering and Report from Engine Co. 82 were also inspirations. He met several Detroit firefighters in his late teen who took him under their wing and he did ride-a-longs. “They were some great mentors!”
Any time there is a firefighter funeral or a fire victim does not survive, it’s a low point. However, Frominos says, “We need to take these incidents and learn from them, pass along the lessons and create a better community and better fire service.”
Serving as his department’s public education coordinator from 2001 to 2005 was a major accomplishment. In just two years of rebuilding the program, Hebron was nominated and won the Goldstar Chili Firehouse of the Year award for greater Cincinnati. The Northern Kentucky Firefighters Association named Fronimos the 2004 Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year. “These are two of the high points of my career that I am most proud of.”
