While getting ready for a reception at the town hall for new residents, the fire chief was planning on a good evening of talking business with the mayor so he could get that new equipment he wanted. The mayor also was preparing for the reception, planning on a pleasant evening with the new residents of the community and hoping that the fire chief wouldn't buttonhole him again to discuss the fire department.

In the current political climate, knowing how and when to talk to elected officials is crucial. Fire service leaders must understand the nuances of their relationships with elected officials and be skillful communicators. With the economy and changes brought by the onset of the Department of Homeland Security, it's more important now than it has ever been for fire service leaders to be political without being partisan.

Open communication with elected officials must be regularly maintained. Fire chiefs must know the community's long-range plans and make sure that the department's strategic plan is intertwined. Fire chiefs must view themselves as members of the community's management team and be involved continually with the local governing body, stating their opinion on various issues such as the building of parks and the planting of trees, and not just concern themselves with fire department matters. They can only do this by attending town meetings all year round, not just at budget time.

It goes without saying that to gain that all-important trust of elected officials, the fire chief must respond to the emergency and safety needs of the community in a fiscally responsible manner. This trust can be enhanced if the fire chief notifies elected officials of any serious incident as soon as it's feasible to do so. This will help an official avoid possible embarrassment if asked about the incident while it's in progress or shortly after it has been mitigated.

Also, the fire chief shouldn't be in contact with elected officials only when the department needs something. It is a good common practice to ask elected officials what they need from the fire department, maybe posing for a photo, publishing a thank-you letter that you sent him or her, or using your fire station for a meeting.

These officials are the voice of the people, and their decisions must be based on factors outside the fire department. These officials determine the acceptable level of risk in the community, but it's the fire chief's responsibility to provide input about that level of risk. It's the fire chief's further responsibility to keep elected officials informed of how the department is meeting the community's acceptable level of risk.

Educating elected officials about the intricacies of running a fire department will enable them to understand your job better. It's quite possible that elected officials know only that when the alarm goes off, the apparatus rolls, the fire or emergency is taken care of, then the apparatus returns to the station. They probably have no idea of what's involved in the entire process: training, maintenance, record-keeping, standards, and performance and duty. These officials should be kept informed of the difficulties the department is encountering and how these difficulties relate to the community's acceptable level of risk. They should be informed of how some of their decisions, such as zoning and development proposals, may affect that acceptable level of risk.

As part of the education process, departments should involve elected officials in training activities, invite them to pre- and post-incident briefings and department business meetings, and keep them informed of problems — but don't be afraid to let them know of the good things that the department is doing.

Fire service leaders should try to maintain a balance between the public officials' concepts and their own, realizing that there are two sides to every issue and compromise is essential to survival. View these officials as an essential part of the fire protection system. After all, they control the purse strings and the legislation that are absolutely necessary for us to do our job effectively and efficiently. We should pick our battles wisely and not always expect to win. If we lose, we should never write off the opposition. Make sure, at a minimum, that each member of the fire department is a registered voter who votes in every election, no matter how large or small the issue might be.

Elected officials say “yes” when presenters are fiscally responsible and know their subject well. It's always helpful to use national benchmarks and projections within programs like Excel — public officials admire people who can put together a good presentation because this shows dedication and attention to detail. Proposals must fit within the community's master plan and be realistic and good for the community. The benefits of the proposal must clearly outweigh the cost. The presentation of the proposal must be well-delivered and professional, so the elected official can justify the decision to their constituents.

Giving the elected official a good reason to say “yes” is a simple concept. If a parent gives something to one child in the family, the other children will want the same thing. The parent must be able to explain why one child received the item and the others didn't. Similarly, the mayor has five children: the fire department, the police department, the public works department, the town hall employees and the public. That mayor must justify why the fire department received funding and the others did not.

Here are some good phrases to use in a proposal to give the elected official a good reason to say “yes:”

• Value-added.
• Maximize service.
• Progressive.
• High-level.
• Cost-effective.
• Available funds.
• Quality.

In the past, it was an unwritten rule for the fire department to stay out of politics. Fire service leaders weren't experienced in the political arena. The fire service was, and still is in a way, fragmented and unable to speak with one voice. Until recent developments, the fire service hadn't realized that it is essential to be political and to develop a rapport with all public officials, both those who are elected and appointed.

We must learn the political process. We must learn to be a player and, most importantly, we must be in the game and know the rules. One of the most important rules is to be political but not partisan. It doesn't matter what party gives us what we need. We must hold elected officials accountable; we must praise them in public when they do good and express dissatisfaction when they do not, no matter what party they represent. We must collaborate with all public officials, local, state and national, and remember the CFSI motto: “Working together toward common goals.”

We all know that we shouldn't act like the chief described earlier, but why not just stop by the office of a public official you know and ask them out for a cup of coffee for no other reason then to get to know each other a little better? Who knows — they may even buy the cake.

Chief Mike Chiaramonte is a 35-year member of the Lynbrook (N.Y.) Fire Department and a past chief of the department. He's currently the chief fire inspector, where he's responsible for code enforcement and prevention education. Chiaramonte was a past chairman and board member of the IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section Board and New York State Director to the IAFC Eastern Division. He's also a National Fire Academy Instructor and an adviser to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Chiaramonte is a state EMT-CC and an instructor at the Nassau County EMS Academy. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and a master's degree from Hofstra University, both in communications education.