IMPROVING COMMUNITY FIRE SAFETY AND EDUCATION
BY ALEXANDER D. LOBETO
Today, it is imperative that fire departments maintain a high profile within their community to help promote a fire-safe environment. Fire service professionals must reach out to all segments of the community they serve, from corporations to neighborhood day care centers to the residents. Some of the ways the Cedar Hammock and Southern Manatee Fire Department has done this are presented below. Your department may already be using one or several of the listed programs or others.
THE FACT SHEET
The first step in establishing a relationship with the public is to acquaint community members with your department–what it is, who its members are, what they do. Unfortunately, in some cases, civilians become aware of their fire department only after the department has responded to an emergency at their homes. This encounter may lead them to expresses curiosity about the type of fire safety and protection services they are buying. They may ask questions such as the following: How many en-gines respond to house fires? How large is the department? How many personnel are employed? What area does the department serve?
Our department uses a single-page, folded pamphlet that serves as a fact sheet to acquaint the public with our department and answers some of these questions. Such a pamphlet is not expensive to prepare and can be a valuable information tool. Its content addresses the four W`s of informative communication–the who, what, where, and why pertaining to your organization. The fact sheets can be displayed at the department`s business offices, distributed by engine companies, and attached to business fire inspection forms.
Among the information that may be included in the pamphlet are the following:
department location,
department size,
area covered and population,
types and numbers of emergency calls,
services offered,
mission statement and purpose of the fire department, and
department history.
FREE HOME SAFETY INSPECTIONS
Home safety inspections present department personnel with an opportunity to meet the public face-to-face and discuss fire safety recommendations for their homes. Evacuation plans, smoke detector installations, exit routes, home fire drills, and post-emergency family accountability techniques are among topics that can be discussed. The public can speak one-on-one with the same firefighters who may respond to emergencies at their homes. Firefighters will benefit from awareness of the diversity of the people in their districts and knowledge of the area, including hydrant locations and any building construction.
FREE SMOKE DETECTORS
A free smoke detector program is one of the most important fire safety programs a fire department could institute. Installing working smoke detectors or batteries can save many lives. Many businesses may gladly support such a program by donating detectors or contributing funds so the fire department can purchase the detectors.
Engine companies may also keep a supply of detectors and batteries on apparatus to ensure that occupancies have working smoke detectors before firefighters leave an emergency scene, as warranted. Information departments can provide includes the following: the type of smoke detector needed, the quantity required, the locations in which they should be placed, and directions for maintaining the smoke detectors. They can save lives (see “Smoke Detector Credited with Saving Three Lives” on page 120).
NEWSLETTERS
Newsletters can be an invaluable medium for keeping the public, other fire departments, public service agencies, retirees, and other groups informed of the department`s growth. Staff and line personnel can contribute articles, statistics, and other relevant information. What an opportunity for delivering positive information regarding your department, such as an article entitled “No Increase in Fire Assessments, Again!” Our department`s newsletter, “The Lifeline,” is similar in design to the information pamphlets. It, too, is not costly to produce and is an excellent way to communicate with the public.
TAILBOARD CHAT PROGRAM
The Tailboard Chat program was first developed by Inspector Leslie Adent of our Fire Prevention Bureau to reach citizens who were not receiving adequate fire safety information. Conducted by in-service engine companies and inspectors, the chats are promoted in the targeted areas through posters and other advertisements. Community leaders are urged to attend along with the neighborhood`s parents and children. The session is usually limited to two hours. Information is provided on home evacuation plans, smoke detectors, fire extinguisher use, the hazards of careless smoking habits and lighters and matches, and other safety-related topics. Residents` questions are answered. The program provides an opportunity for interaction between the fire department and residents.
BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS
Our Tailboard Chat program also makes it possible for us to target groups. As an example, a program directed at our elderly population provides regular monitoring of their health. It is offered primarily during staff business hours. The seniors are encouraged to come in and have their blood pressure taken and recorded on specially designed business cards. The card provides a means for keeping a log of blood pressure readings. A brief reference chart identifying normal, borderline, and high blood pressures may also be included.
CHILDREN`S FIRE SAFETY HOUSE
Designed and built by personnel from our department in 1987, the Children`s Fire Safety House is a scale model of an actual two-story home. It was designed to educate children in home fire safety. An engine pulls the house to schools, businesses, open houses, and other special events.
Equipped with working smoke detectors and a smoke machine, the safety house exposes children to fire situations that are as realistic as possible. We have found the house to be a very effective means of educating the children in fire safety. We receive constant feedback about their experience while touring the house from the children during other juvenile fire safety talks.
PUBLIC FIRE SAFETY TALKS
The local fire department should promote itself as a valuable community resource for a host of public safety topics. The information can be delivered through organized lecture/ talk programs and fire department exhibits. Most communities have within their jurisdictions community colleges, technical schools, universities, community action groups, or open houses through which they can promote fire safety and education.
The Cedar Hammock and Southern Manatee Fire Department consistently teaches fire safety programs that have become mandatory requirements for completing several nursing courses and college education programs. Our department works with the Manatee County Sheriff`s Office in training corrections officers before they are assigned to detention facilities. These officers are given extensive training in areas such as self-contained breathing apparatus, fire extinguisher use, live fire evolutions, hose stream practices, and rope skills.
We offer our training facility to local ROTC groups, other fire departments, and other public safety branches for several types of training.
SPECIFIC TARGETED PROGRAMS
One season-specific program we offer involves several commercial and private Christmas tree vendors who set up shop throughout our community. A 3 2 5 yellow paper tag is attached to the trees before their sale. The tag instructs the consumer in how to maintain the tree`s freshness and how to use decorative lights safely and gives general fire safety information regarding Christmas trees.
The tags are distributed to vendors, who are asked to ensure that one be given with every tree sold. The vendors are receptive to this program, which is well received by the community.
Another targeted program involves fire extinguisher recharges. Our department has instituted a program that offers to recharge without cost the fire extinguishers of individuals who have used theirs to assist another person. This program promotes good public relations as well as fire prevention and helps to get across the message that fire safety is everyone`s responsibility.
POSTFIRE RECOVERY PROGRAM
Often fire departments respond to fire emergencies, extinguish the fire, and then leave the occupant or homeowner with little or no direction for recovery. Although some may argue that it is not the mission of the fire service to do postemergency assistance, many would beg to differ. Many times, individuals and families do not know about services offered by public safety organizations and have no idea of what to do after the fire engines or ambulance rolls away.
Not unlike a mercantile business, fire departments sell or offer a service, and we must ensure that we produce a complete package for our consumers. Our goal differs from that of the commercial provider of services, of course, in that instead of repeat customers, we aim for completely satisfied customers.
Information for postfire recovery can be included in booklets your department develops or purchases. They generally include information regarding shelters, insurance, clothing replacement, cleanup services, fire department operations, records and documents, salvage hints, telephone directories, and several other reference items. A recovery handbook used in Manatee County (FL) was developed with the assistance of the American Red Cross, Manatee County Chapter; the Manatee County Fireman`s Mutual Aid Association; and Manatee Memorial Hospital.
With these and other programs, fire departments can enhance and reinforce public fire safety by saturating the public with preventive information so that injuries and deaths from fire and other types of accidents and fire loss can be prevented. n
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Manatee County Emergency Services training facility. “Fort Rescue” provides many public and private agencies with training in confined space, rope rescue, live fire evolutions, underground gas lines, and electrical power lines. (Photos by author.)
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“Fact Sheet” published by the Cedar Hammock and Southern Manatee Fire Department.
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“The LifeLine” Newsletter.
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Through the Tailboard Chat program, direct fire safety information reaches those who may not receive it in conventional-type settings.
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Children`s Fire Safety House.
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Blood pressure record card.
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n ALEXANDER D. LOBETO, a veteran of the fire service since 1987, is a suppression captain with the Cedar Hammock and Southern Manatee Fire Department, Bradenton, Florida. He is a Florida state-certified EMT and fire officer instructor and has an associate of fire science degree from Manatee Community College.
