The 2024 election was one of the biggest elections in American history. In addition to electing a new President, voters also chose new representation for local positions and voted yes or no on ballot initiatives that- more often than not- impact their lives more than the national races. While these local ballot items rarely get much media attention, they can radically affect how local emergency services operate. We knew we needed to keep this issue fresh on voters’ minds ahead of November 5th.
2024 Get Out The Vote for Firefighters & EMS Workers
Over the last general and primary elections since 2018, Firefighters and EMS Fund has worked to inform and motivate voters to take an active interest in initiatives that deal with first responders and emergency services, including financing, staffing, or operational regulations.
With so much attention on the national races In the 2024 election, it was a challenge to position local firefighters and emergency services as a “priority topic” in voters’ minds, but it was a vital project to ensure local departments received the resources they would need for the years ahead.
The Messaging
Firefighters and EMS Fund set two main goals at the core of its Get Out the Vote campaign:
- First, to ensure the best possible voter turnout on election day- especially among sympathetic citizens.
- Second, to spread awareness about the local, state, and federal candidates who were most likely to support firefighters and EMS workers.
These objectives required information to be easily available for anyone interested in supporting firefighters and EMS personnel. Next, we had to ensure this information remained fresh on people’s minds leading into election day on November 5th.
To do this, our team developed a location-based voter guide, encouraging people to find and support any candidates who:
- Supported increased funding for Emergency Services
- Supported initiatives to increase the recruitment and training of EMS workers
- Supported candidates who had served as firefighters or had direct experience in the field, especially for Fire Commission candidates.
The Strategy
To get the voter guide to voters who are likely to support firefighters, Firefighters and EMS Fund made approximately 14 million pre-recorded phone calls per month, inviting voters to remain informed on the topic. In addition to the calls, 21,381 informational packets were mailed to voters, with the primary goal of making them aware of the voter guide they could access for free on the fireandemsfund.com website.
Through the election efforts, 21,555 supporters committed to voting, and 1,981 voters signed our Vote Pledge, committing themselves to the pro-firefighter candidates in their districts.
Looking Ahead
For the campaign, Firefighters and EMS Fund zeroed in on the critical needs and concerns of firefighters and emergency medical professionals. This helped keep voters focused on the dedicated professionals who serve our communities.
As 2025 rolls in, we remain committed to supporting those who rush toward danger, protect lives, and serve without hesitation. These heroes are vital to the health and safety of our local communities and the entire country.
