Over the last three years the Ray City Fire Department has worked to educate the media about firefighting, fire prevention and training. The idea being that by educating the media you can educate the public. The first steps were opening up a direct line of communication with all local media. With the department having a firefighter/photographer media outlets would now have access to selected photographs and video of incidents. The first year was label a success by both the department and the media. When the worst wildfire to hit Georgia in fifty years broke out in Waycross in April of 2007, Firefighters from Ray City were deployed to the front lines with in six hours. News outlets like the Valdosta daily times and Berrien Press now had access to photographs right from the front lines of the firestorm surrounding the city of Waycross. Weeks later while the Waycross fire was still raging another fire in the near by Atkinson County broke out. Once again Ray City firefighters under the direction of Chief Bob Mikell were deployed to the front lines, giving the media direct access to photographs. Ray City FD Firefighter/Photographer Rick Pennock also caught the attention of Sheila Elloitt who works for Congressman Jack Kingston of Georgia. Fire Chief Bob Mikell and Rick Pennock met Elloitt at the command post after spending eight hours battling the fierce fire. When She learned that they had photographed the severity of the fire, Pennock was asked if he could supply photographs to be passed on to Congressman Kingston.

   In 2008 Ray City FD stepped up the media program. The fire department held it’s first media night. WALB news reporter Alicia Eakin was invited to take part in a training exercise. The RCFD has a building that can be filled with simulated s