By Gregory Adams
Standard-Speaker
BUTLER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — —Valley Regional Fire & Rescue took what some might call an unusual step last year — they started a podcast.
The Butler Twp. fire station began producing 116-The Frequency, with their first episode debuting on Nov. 25.
Kenny Cunningham, a fire department captain and president of their board of directors, and John “Jack” Jones, a current part-time firefighter and EMT and retired Assistant Fire Chief for the St. George Fire Department in Louisiana, host the show.
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The station’s business administrator, Miranda Bogansky, says the podcast was Cunningham’s idea.
“He was brainstorming ways to better connect with the community, and as a volunteer organization, we’re always looking for new ways to get people involved,” Bogansky said. “A podcast felt like the perfect way to share who we are, what we do and how we serve, while also creating a platform for the community, not just about the community.”
Bogansky also gets credit for coming up with the podcast name — 116-The Frequency.
“She was tossing around ideas that connected our station number, 116, with something central to our operations. Since emergency calls and radio communication are such a big part of our world, The Frequency just clicked. It ties together who we are, what we do and the way we stay connected,” Cunningham added.
The biggest goal of the podcast is simple: engagement.
While their mission is, and continues to be, protecting life and property, they wanted to find a way to make the community feel like they’re a part of the department.
“The podcast lets us explain what we do and why we do it, answer questions people may not even know they had and mix in some lighthearted conversations along the way,” Cunningham said.
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The duo wants to feature local residents, business owners and community leaders as guests to showcase and support the surrounding community.
Some guests so far include Valley Regional Fire Chief Brice Dalrymple, Country for a Cure’s Tami Leshko and Butler Twp. Police Chief William Feissner .
Cunningham and Jones purchased the recording equipment themselves and donated it to the company.
They turned a corner of their company administrative office in the firehouse into a small podcasting “studio.”
The set up so far includes a couple of cameras, microphones and some editing software. They hope to grow their equipment inventory as the show grows.
An added bonus is sometimes hearing a firetruck rolling out in the background which Bogansky calls “authentic ambiance.”
They are aware of other fire companies around the country with podcasts, some retired firefighters telling their stories and others focusing on training and tactics.
“We wanted something that blends both worlds,” Cunningham said. “Our history and our day-to-day operations, but also something that highlights the people and community we proudly serve.”
Their goal is to release one episode each month but because everyone is volunteering scheduling can be tricky but they are trying to find a consistent groove.
People can listen to 116-The Frequency on Spotify, watch on YouTube and check for new episode announcements on the Valley Regional Facebook page.
“We’re here to serve, connect and have a little fun along the way,” Cunningham said. “If someone has an idea, question, or wants to be a guest, we’d love to hear from them.”
You can leave comments, questions or ideas at communications@vrfr.org.
Although both Cunningham and Jones admit to not having any prior podcasting experience, Cunningham grew up watching “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” and he believes that should count for something.
Would your fire department consider starting a podcast to connect with your community — why or why not?
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