Risk reduction week to address gaps in fire prevention Jan. 15–21

Delaware State Fire School (DSFS) announced Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week is Monday, Jan. 15 to Sunday, Jan. 21. A grassroots effort led by an informal group of fire safety professionals from across the nation, the annual campaign aims to promote awareness of community risk reduction within the fire service. During the week, there will be programs and demonstrations on the importance of community risk reduction efforts to the fire service.

In 2008, Vision 20/20 held its first meeting, bringing together hundreds experts from across the nation to discuss gaps in fire prevention. This landmark meeting resulted in identifying five specific strategies that needed to be addressed.

CRR week is focused on addressing strategy one, advocacy. Advocating for fire prevention is difficult when fire chiefs have to deal with competing priorities, both within a fire department and within their municipality. This strategy focuses on helping develop tools and information that can be used when advocating for more resources to devote to fire prevention.

The fire service realizes it cannot complete this mission alone, so partnerships with stakeholders are an important part of CRR. Many local entities have a role in prevention, including senior centers, insurance professionals, and healthcare and government officials. All are encouraged to think about what they can do to play a part in reducing risks within the community and be part of the team.  

Vast amounts of data are available via the first responder community, and the data are used to inform the true risks to all and create the right strategies to reduce those risks. That is the concept behind CRR. Data informs the CRR, which then allows for the identification of high-risk areas and behaviors that can then be targeted. Armed with this knowledge, partnerships can form effective strategies using limited resources more efficiently. Benefits of a CRR strategy: identifies new and emerging hazards, addresses underserved communities and changing community demographics, improves Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings, offsets declining budgets of fire and local governments, helps with accreditation.

Vision 20/20, a national organization with expertise in CRR efforts in the fire service, is working closely with the various entities to improve data collection from fire and EMS agencies.