Timeline of new media use in CFA CFA's social media presence has been building since the launch of its YouTube channel, CFATV , in November 2006. Initially used for content distribution Evolved to online engagement
Exponential growth particularly following Black Saturday Social media enables CFA to keep the communication channels open when the traditional media focus is elsewhere outside the fire season, for example Immediate uptake and ongoing growth of user-generated content (CFA Connect)
CFA’s challenge: diverse, geographically disparate community. CFA had only limited ways to communicate with audience. Print publications and one-way website interactions Social media comes with risk Board and Executive recognised risk and still supported strategy Strategy designed with social media as centrepiece
In May 2009, CFA launched a 'News, Multimedia, Chat' site called CFA Connect (www.cfaconnect.net.au). The launch coincided with the commencement of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and daily Commission updates and live streaming links are featured on the site.
CFA CEO Mick Bourke regularly blogs about issues affecting the organisation and responds to comments on his blog entries.
CFA provides news and emergency updates through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, which display the emergency advice in RSS readers and through CFA Twitter accounts, all pointing back to the CFA website. Share video content with TV networks All media releases published online and accessible through RSS feeds
CFA Connect also helps the organisation better understand the issues members face through their contributions and gives subject-matter-experts the ability to directly respond to member concerns.
In October 2009, CFA Connect hosted the first ever live, online Bushfire Safety Meeting, which had more than 200 ‘attendees’ who asked questions of a Community Fireguard presenter and received responses in real time. A full replay of the meeting was subsequently posted on the site.
CFA has built a strong Facebook community, with nearly 65,000 fans who regularly receive and comment on CFA updates, which include critical safety information like Fire Danger Ratings, Total Fire Ban notifications and home safety and preparation advice.
Launched yesterday (16 March 2010) Integrates community safety information, warnings, fire danger ratings – all from the CFA website – on one Facebook/iPhone application Takes the information to where the people are rather than expecting them to come to us