Public Education and Community Relations
Core concepts
Public education teaches the community how and when to call 9-1-1, what to expect, and how to help. Core programs include 9-1-1 for kids, text-to-9-1-1 awareness, smartphone location education, CPR/Stop the Bleed, and emergency preparedness. Candidates should understand audience segmentation (children, older adults, non-English speakers, people with disabilities) and accessibility requirements such as TTY/RTT and video relay.
Community relations
Know how to build partnerships with schools, libraries, community groups, and media. Understand media relations, social media policy, and crisis communication. Public education should be measurable - track reach, recall, and behavior change, not just attendance.
Traps
Questions often confuse public education (prevention and awareness) with public information (media during an incident). Also watch for assumptions that texting is always better - it is appropriate only when a voice call is unsafe or impossible.
Rule of thumb
Design education around behavior change, not just information. Ask: what do we want the audience to do differently, and how will we measure it?