TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL COUNCIL REPORT - OPERATIONS GUIDELINE FOR USE OF THE MESSAGE BOARD

Council Report

TO: Council
DATE: April 11, 2017
FROM: Paul M Hurst, Fire Chief
MEETING: April 18, 2017

OPERATIONS GUIDELINE FOR USE OF THE MESSAGE BOARD AT THE VIEW ROYAL PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT View Royal Fire Rescue Operations Guideline No. 5.05.03 be adopted.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To put forward the draft Operations Guideline No. 5.05.03 – Use of Community Message Board for consideration of approval.

BACKGROUND DISCUSSION:

At the March 14, 2017 Committee of the Whole meeting, the Committee was presented with View Royal Fire Rescue Operations Guideline No. 5.05.03 for use of the community message board at the Public Safety Building for their review.

Staff is now seeking Council’s approval of Operations Guideline No. 5.05.03.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT View Royal Fire Rescue Operations Guideline No. 5.05.03 be adopted.

SUBMITTED BY:
Paul M Hurst, Fire Chief

REVIEWED BY:
K. Anema, Chief Administrative Officer

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View Royal Fire Rescue OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

PURPOSE: To ensure an approved and consistent approach to messaging posted on the Public Safety Building Community message board, located at the Public Safety Building.

SCOPE: All Fire Department administrative personnel

POLICY: All messaging will be approved by the Fire Chief or his/her designate. Priority for messaging will focus on public safety and education and benefit viewers with important and relevant content. The message board will not be used for commercial advertising, individual political, or religious themes. Non-profit organizations, directly connected and directly associated to the Town, may apply to post approved messages in keeping with a public safety theme or public interest theme. The message board can be used to post real time emergency information for residents or visitors. Emergency postings will take priority over all messaging.

PROCEDURE: To ensure consistent messaging, all posts and themes will be reviewed and approved by the Fire Chief’s office for content.

Submissions for consideration must be received a minimum of 30 days prior to the event in PDF or digital format and will include length of posting, purpose or posting, and relevance to community or public safety.

The Fire Chief’s office has the ability to pre-programme messages of public interest for up to one year. The messages however can change from time to time based on specific or un-planned events, emergencies or special events. Posting of content will be prioritized, with preference given to messaging created by the Department of Public Safety. Messaging for Town residents, which is important and critical may be considered, i.e.: snow warning and a reminder to clear sidewalks.

In an effort to reduce distraction to motoring public, the message board will post messages in a static manner consistent with Town of View Royal Bylaws. It is not the intention to scroll, flash, stream or display messages that distract or confuse drivers.

The message board is not restricted to specific hours of operation or days of the week, and can be turned on or off at any time the Fire Chief or his/her designate deems necessary.

The message board will not be used to promote fund raising themes by organizations not directly associated to or approved by the Town. As all messages are approved by the Fire Chief’s office. Every effort will be made to ensure messaging does not offend, harass or segregate a specific population. Complaints received about specific messaging will be reviewed for content and evaluated on a case by case basis. A complaint about content does not automatically infer removal of the message.

Examples of public safety messaging:

1. Use by the Emergency Management Division
2. Recruiting or volunteers for both Fire Department and Emergency Management
3. Upcoming Fire Department fund raising events
4. Upcoming public safety events, i.e. Open House, Santa Food Drive, Muscular Dystrophy fundraising
5. Announcements beneficial to the public interest by both Divisions
6. Building Department or Bylaw Department information
7. Inclement weather information
8. Time and date
9. Posting of Fire Prevention messaging
10. Posting of current events being held at the Public Safety Building, i.e. “Open House Today”
11. Posting of services offered at the Public Safety Building, i.e. car seat program
12. Hours of operation, time and temperature
13. Messages from the Town’s Police provider
14. Messages from BC Ambulance Paramedics regarding public health or safety.

Examples of community messaging:

1. Fund raising events by local schools in View Royal
2. Charity events in View Royal, hosted by approved View Royal organizations
3. Notice of Municipal Committee or Council meetings
4. Notice of Municipal special meetings
5. Notice of Municipal special events
6. Federal or Provincial public interest announcements, i.e. Canada 150, Remembrance Day.