The importance of evaluation has been proven

Hi everyone!

Today I completed the tenth day of my internship, which marks the half way point of my placement. 

For this blog post, I thought I would reflect on my most valued experiences to date at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

Firstly however, I thought I would point you in the direction of the WinterSAFE website which is now up and running. As discussed in my last post, ‘Tie it down before it flies around’ and ‘Keep your gutters clear from clutter’ were two of the captions I suggested which were chosen.

On the 23^rd of June, some of you may have heard on the news that the inquiry into the Waroona and Yarloop fires was released. This was a big day for DFES and I was called in to observe how things unfolded.

We gathered together in the State Operations Centre (a small room with a lot of computers essentially) and watched, via Sky News, Euan Ferguson and Premier Colin Barnett address the Yarloop community.

We listened to the radio to hear what broadcasters and the public were saying, the next day as well, and discussed the key elements of the inquiry. I felt a great sense of accomplishment among the team as all of the work DFES undertook following these devastating fires ultimately concluded with this inquiry.

This was emphasised by the staff briefing that the Commissioner held for all the DFES staff that afternoon. This was the first time I had really heard and seen him in person, and his address to staff was really encouraging. Although I felt completely undeserving to be in the room receiving such high praise for work I wasn’t even there to complete, it really reinforced the great company culture that the department has.

The best aspect of the inquiry being released, for me, happened the next day. On the 24^th, the media team, along with the other staff in my section of the department, gathered together to debrief on all the work that was done in the lead up to the inquiry.  

Having just completed Public Relations Planning and Evaluation in first semester, this highlighted the value of debriefing. It was a great way for staff to outline what was done successfully and note what should be redone or prioritised in future communications.  As such, I would definitely encourage this form of evaluation to be utilised within all working environments; particularly when considering the discussion and the notes it compiled that DFES can refer to for future action.

The other aspect of my internship I really enjoyed was going to the graduation ceremony of the latest WA firefighter recruits, to hear my speech being read by the Commissioner. Considering the process of drafting it, getting feedback, making changes, having changes made and getting it approved, it was great to hear the final product and know the importance of the address for the graduates and their families.

Overall, I am having fun, working hard, relishing the opportunities provided and looking forward to the tasks ahead in these final weeks. More importantly, I am excited for my future in Public Relations which is being greatly influenced by the work I am completing. 

I hope you are all enjoying your internships just as much!

P.S. The first picture is a snapshot of the media/corporate communications side of the office where I sit, and the second is a glimpse of one of the working spaces I get to use.