Police and fire welcome new assistant PIO for public safety

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - (September 16, 2024) Murfreesboro Police Department (MPD) and Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department (MFRD) announce the expansion of its Public Safety Public Information Office with the recent hire of Assistant Public Information Officer for Public Safety, Dana J. Smith.

Smith began her new position on September 9 and will report directly to Public Safety Public Information Director Larry Flowers. Flowers has handled PIO duties for MPD, MFRD, and Murfreesboro Emergency Communications Center for the past five years.

"Smith has an extensive background in communications and marketing and will be a great addition to the City of Murfreesboro," said Public Safety Information Director Larry Flowers. "She will make an immediate impact with helping to manage social media platforms and the newly redesigned websites for the fire and police departments."

Smith most recently served as the Development Director for local non-profit Journeys in Community Living and as a Communications and Marketing Specialist for Tennessee State University's SNAP-Ed program. Her background includes media management, marketing, and crisis communications.

Prior to moving to Middle Tennessee, Smith was a Journalism professor, teaching news media and marketing courses at two Arkansas universities. She is not new to city government, as she served as Special Projects Coordinator, for the City of Pine Bluff Mayor's Office, where she managed media and crisis communication. Smith also served as Public Affairs and Marketing Coordinator for Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan. She began her early career as a news reporter for the Pine Bluff Commercial in Pine Bluff, AR and as an assistant producer for the morning show for KAIT-TV 8 in Jonesboro, AR.

"My experience in media, marketing, and crisis communications will be valuable in my new role as the Assistant Public Information Officer for Public Safety with the City of Murfreesboro," Smith said. "I look forward to managing social media and coordinating communications for both the fire and police department."

An Arkansas native, Smith has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and a Master of Science degree in Mass Communication from Arkansas State University.

Smith will serve as part of the public safety public information team and will work out of the PIO office at the Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department Administration building on N. Thompson Lane.

Smith and Flowers can be contacted at [email protected] for media and public inquiries.

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