SPENCERTOWN–The Spencertown Fire Company (SFC) has announced that they have officially adopted Spencer the beaver as their mascot. Spencer was created by Chatham High School (CHS) senior Alexis Meyers and was one of 12 concepts submitted by CHS Media Arts Students. The designs were submitted during a contest developed by the fire company in partnership with the high school. Alexis’ winning design was unveiled on SFC’s social media platforms on January 22.
SFC then tapped their followers to suggest names for their new mascot. Submissions came from far and wide, and locals had fun suggesting names like Bubba and Al, (references to long time SFC firefighters) as well as more role-oriented names like Douser, Soggy and Burnie. In the end the overwhelming favorite was Spencer and the name was officially adopted at Monday nights’ SFC monthly member meeting.
“We are very excited about the welcome the community has given Spencer! Their support and engagement in the selection and naming processes are indicative of the mascot’s power to provide a unifying identity for residents to get behind and take pride in their fire company,” said Evan Kerr, Austerlitz Fire District’s 2nd chief and SFC firefighter.
Going forward Spencer will assist SFC’s Public Relations Committee in their community outreach, communications and recruiting efforts. He will be featured on marketing materials and merchandise, distributed by the fire company and available at their event booth this coming season.
The booth is a cornerstone of Spencertown’s outreach effort and is present at both SFC and community events throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
In addition to their regular business of responding to fires and auto accidents and regularly drilling and training with other fire companies in the area, SFC is busy refining their outreach efforts. The road sign in front of the firehouse on Route 203 and their Facebook and Instagram pages remain the linchpins of their communications strategy, but they have been gradually overhauling their website and developing a newsletter to enhance their ability to keep the public informed. The newsletter is expected to be ready for public distribution this spring.
Also, on their agenda is putting on an outdoor event this summer and examining how they can add value to their scholarship program, beyond the money and recognition it already provides. “The public is largely unaware of all the work that Spencertown and other fire companies around the country do to support their communities. Many people also don’t know that there are many ways to support the fire service that do not involve writing checks or becoming interior firefighters. Public relations and communications are critical elements in addressing these issues and staffing a fire company and there are opportunities for the public to volunteer professional services or provide support at events. In addition, with some training it’s possible to provide scene support or operate equipment without having to run into a burning building,” said Adam Reznikoff, head of SFC’s PR committee. He continued to say that, “spreading the word about the types of help we need and the opportunities we provide for the public is a big job and we are excited to have Spencer with us to raise awareness and increase our visibility in the community.”
For more information visit https://spencertownfirecompany.org/ and social media pages or call 518 392-5250.
