The 4F Initiative New York State
The Concept Overview
The 4F Initiative is a campaign to enlist the aid of friends and family members of firefighters in spreading important messages to the general public. OFPC has created a series of downloadable flyers featuring messages specifically designed to help the members of the fire service in the State of New York, and is asking firefighters, their friends, and their families to participate in getting them into circulation. The 4F Initiatives objective is overcoming the common, but often very serious, firefighter concerns that are faced on the job.
The goal is to spread essential messages that educate the public on their roles and responsibilities in ensuring the safety of firefighters, as well as themselves. Please download and hang this printable information sheet which features tear tabs of the 4F Initiative web address.
How it Works
Many people work in offices and businesses where you will find lounges and/or break rooms that have bulletin boards on the walls. Many small restaurants, coffee shops, and other public places have places where they allow people to hang or place event flyers. The 4F Initiative is simply asking individuals to print out a flyer, and periodically hang in one of these locations.
Take a moment to consider all the jokes and funny pictures that get forwarded around via email, or the comic strips that people cut out and post on the walls of their faculty lounges. That is the same viral effect we want for these flyers.
A truly effective message needs to be seen, acknowledged, and remembered.
NOTICE: 4F flyers should be posted or placed where visible, but never somewhere not permitted, as that can be an annoyance and potentially counter productive to the objective.
Flyers are also available as low resolution jpg files should you prefer to forward via email.
Submit Your Ideas
Creative Opportunities for Firefighters! Since firefighters are the ones who know best about issues that concern firefighters, we want to invite you to submit your ideas. If you have an important message, or a creative visual concept, phrase, or slogan, we will invite you to submit for review. Though we will not be able to accept and approve every concept, every concept will be considered. Firefighters who submit an idea that gets selected will get their name, as well as fire department, on the flyer as the writer or concept creator.
Please email your concept to: philip.montelone@dhses.ny.gov
The Junior 4F Initiative
In addition to the regular program, we have created additional materials to be used for children's activities. Flyers are made with a specific theme and title. Beneath the title is a blank area where the child or student can draw a picture. From there they may display their creation, which will contain an important safety message, wherever desired.
Check out some of the great drawings submitted to us by New York's creative kids in the Junior 4F Gallery