Open Day vs 'Closed Day'

Open Day kits have gone out and we know you are in the last stages of preparation. Exciting!

Below are 6 tips to help you to create an ‘open’ and engaging event (as opposed to a ‘closed’ event that feels like a one-sided information day).


1.  Be a good dinner party hostAn event is an opportunity to be a great ‘dinner party host’. If your visitors feel comfortable you are more likely to have conversations that people will remember. Have you got enough chairs for the less able or weary? Body language, your tone of voice, and a smile are your secret weapons.

Are you practicing ‘active listening’ – nodding, asking targeted questions and actually listening to what is being said? A good technique is to summarise what you understand before you answer – it shows you are listening and have tailored your response.

Finally, don’t forget the entertainment factor. Open Day is a chance to have some fun!



Smokey shows us how to bust a move and be a great host.
Photo: Maree Larkin

2.  Knowing your skills and limits
It’s impossible to know the answer to every single question. Do you know your strengths and weaknesses?

Can you admit to yourself when you don’t know an answer? It’s very important that NSW Rural Fire Service key messages are correct and consistent. Ask for help when you don’t know the answer.

If you can’t find the answer write down the question, person’s contact details and promise to get back to them. If you make this promise, you must follow through.

3.  Don’t hide behind a desk or a wall of yellow

It’s tempting to set up a table full of printed materials with a row of chairs behind it. But wait! You’ve created a bit of a fortress and ‘a wall’ of yellow uniforms. This set up can be very intimidating to community members.

Get up! Get moving! Take turns to step out to the front or walk through the crowd. Ask questions such as ‘How did you hear about the Open Day?’ Once you break the ice you can lead into more in-depth questions e.g. ‘What would you do if a fire came through?’



Are you using the full 'power of the balloons'?
Open Day 2011 - Lakes Team.
Photo: Melissa Baker

4.  Balloons - your secret weapon

We all know kids love balloons … plus you can get in the ears of their parents! So, how can you set the perfect balloon ‘parent trap’?

Helium balloons always attract more attention. If you can afford it, spent the extra cost hiring a tank.

Use balloons for maximum impact. Where do want people to gather? Next to a particular display? Or table taking registrations for property assessments? If so, put the helium tank next to it.

Send out ‘balloon troops’ into the crowd. These troops circulate through the crowd and direct people back to your key display.

5.  Cuppa time?
Having a tea and coffee station is an essential part of events, meetings and Open Days. It not only ‘keeps your strength up’ (as my Gran would say) but it is an opportunity to chat to community members, chart the success of your efforts and build trust.

You might like to ask questions like ‘Do you live nearby?’, ‘Did you learn anything surprising today?’ and ‘How do you think you and your family would go during a bush fire?’


Wollombi Valley Brigades Firewise Cafe in action.
Community members review their Bush Fire Survival Plans
and have a catch up.
Photo: Wollombi Rural Fire Brigade

6.  Handing out a Plan doesn’t mean it will be completed
The number of Bush Fire Survival Plans handed out should not be the key measure of success for your Open Day. We all know that giving a pamphlet or document at someone without an explanation is unlikely to make an impact ... it will probably end up in the bin.

Another fire service is using the expression 'less publications, more conversations.' Remember the old ‘What’s in it for me’ rule when handing out and explaining the Plan. What does it mean for me, my family, my home and circumstances? Pick key sections of the Plan to speak about rather than trying to explain the entire Plan in one conversation. Too many messages can be overwhelming.

Lots of brigades run cafe-style workshops - small groups are helped to complete their Plans over a cuppa, a sandwich or the brigade’s finest cakes. Yummmmm.

Any more tips to share?

We hope you have a successful Open Day!

Nicole Miller
Community Engagement Coordinator
NSW Rural Fire Service