San Diego Fire-Rescue Department: A Case Study

Diversity is important to any organization. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department serves a diverse community. This community is made up of different race, gender, culture, interests, fears, and the list goes on. For this reason, diversity must be a priority to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. We must make sure that our members understand what diversity is and how it is a tool to be more effective at our mission. As a captain, I will promote diversity in the following three ways. I will discuss with my crew, reach out to community groups, and utilize social media.

I will first discuss the issue with my crew, or any other personnel that I work with. I will ask them to use their own words and write out what diversity means to them. My goal is to ensure that each of them understand that diversity is not simply an appearance or an acceptance of differences, it is the inclusion of all differences and

We can take pictures with different groups at different events. We can use these pictures to post on places like the department face-book page. I will also work with my chief, the PIO, and my shift commander on developing an Instagram account for our battalion. I will coordinate with the rest of the companies in the battalion and create a place which we all can send pictures to be posted on our battalion Instagram account. Social media is the best way to reach thousands of people. Another benefit of social media is that it is free. Utilizing this media outlet will allow us to connect with people of all backgrounds and all age groups.

Clearly, diversity is imperative in the fire department. In order to do my part to improve diversity, I will discuss the meaning with my crew, reach out to community groups, and utilize social media. I will set an example to my crew and the rest of the departmentTogether we will make sure that our community and our current employees feel