This week falls right in the heart of the holiday season — with Christmas Eve on Wednesday and Christmas Day on Thursday. Fire departments everywhere face a familiar social media dilemma: What should be the fire department social media strategy during Christmas week? Should we post, or should we pause until after the holidays?

The short answer: Yes — but with purpose and automation.

Here’s why it still matters, what you should share, and when to schedule it so it posts at the right time even if your social team is off celebrating.

Why Posting During the Holidays Still Makes Sense

1. Fire Safety Risks Don’t Take Holidays

The holiday season brings unique fire risks:

  • Christmas trees and lights increase electrical fire risk.

  • Candles and decorations raise burn hazards.

  • Holiday cooking increases kitchen fires.
    Sharing safety information now helps reduce preventable incidents. U.S. Fire Administration

Public agencies like the U.S. Fire Administration provide ready-to-share safety graphics and messages for social media use during these dates. U.S. Fire Administration

2. Your Audience Is Active — Just Different

People are spending more time at home, scrolling social feeds, and sharing with family and friends — especially when cooped up due to weather or holiday breaks. Strategic holiday messaging increases shareability and visibility. True Anthem

3. Silence Can Be Interpreted as Absence

In social communication best practices, silence can send a signal — even when intended as a break. When you plan thoughtful content, it reinforces trust and stability in your community voice. Liquid Creative

Automating content ahead of time ensures continuity without requiring staff to work on the holiday itself. Facebook

What Types of Posts to Schedule

1. Fire Safety Tips with Real Value

Share concise, actionable safety reminders tailored to the holiday context:

These posts are timely, relevant, and life-safety oriented, not just greetings.

2. A Simple Holiday Greeting

A brief “Merry Christmas” message from your department still has value — especially when paired with safety reminders or gratitude for community support.

Example:

🎄 Merry Christmas from the [Your Department] family to yours! Stay safe this holiday season — and remember our top fire safety tips throughout the week.
(Then list a link to safety tips or include a downloadable guide.)

3. Scheduled Content for Non-Working Staff

Automate post scheduling with tools like:

  • Buffer

  • Hootsuite

  • Meta Business Suite

  • Sprout Social
    so you can prep content ahead of time and queue it for posting without needing to be online on Dec 24–25. Facebook

4. Optional Engagement Posts

If you want community interaction without heavy workload:

  • 🎁 Post a photo from your holiday decorations at the station

  • 📸 Share a holiday safety graphic (USFA has free, logo-ready images) U.S. Fire Administration

  • 👍 Thank local residents and partners for their support this year

These encourage community connection without requiring emergency or high-effort content.

When to Post This Week

Day Post Type Timing Tip
Monday 22nd Fire safety tip + holiday overview Mid-morning (9–11 AM)
Tuesday 23rd Holiday safety graphic / checklist Afternoon (1–3 PM)
Wednesday 24th Merry Christmas greeting + safety Morning (before 9 AM)
Thursday 25th Light, automated safety reminder Afternoon (1–3 PM)
Friday 26th Recap & New Year safety prep Mid-day (10–12 PM)

Scheduling posts ahead ensures consistent engagement even when your staff is offline.

Conclusion

Fire department social media accounts should not go silent during the Christmas holiday week. Instead, fire department social media strategy needs an integrated approach, publishing strategic, automated posts that combine:

  • fire safety messaging

  • holiday greetings

  • community connection

This approach respects staff time off while maintaining your department’s voice, visibility, and public safety mission.

Brent Faulkner, MAM, FO, is the CEO and Founder of Virtual CRR Inc.
A retired Battalion Chief from Anaheim Fire & Rescue, Brent brings 28 years of fire service experience, including leadership in structure fires, wildland operations, hazardous materials response, EMS incidents, and specialized rescue operations. He also served 17 years on a Type 1 Hazardous Materials Response Team.

A defining moment in Brent’s career came while leading Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) efforts at a DHS-recognized Terrorism Fusion Center. There, he oversaw initiatives to safeguard critical infrastructure from terrorism, natural disasters, and emerging threats — an experience that shaped his passion for Community Risk Reduction and ultimately led to the creation of Virtual CRR.

Brent holds a Master’s Degree in Management, a Bachelor’s in Occupational Studies, and Associate Degrees in Hazardous Materials Response and Fire Science.