Springfield Fire Department implements risk reduction plan

(From the Springfield Fire Department)

The Springfield Fire Department is shifting its focus to community risk reduction. Community risk reduction (CRR) involves identifying and prioritizing risks, selecting and implementing strategies, monitoring and evaluating activities, and involving community partners, all in an effort to better protect residents and firefighters. It focuses on not only prevention, but also preparedness and mitigation. To support this shift, the Springfield Fire Department Prevention Division has been formally renamed the Community Risk Reduction Division. The CRR division is led by Division Chief Kevin Trogdon and is comprised of 5 fire marshals, a fire and life safety educator and administrative assistant.

"Community risk reduction is more than prevention," said Fire Chief David Pennington. "It focuses on the 5 E's to reduce risks in our community: engineering, enforcement, education, economic incentives and emergency response."

Through the development of a city-wide CRR plan, the Springfield Fire Department will act proactively as a risk-reduction entity for the Springfield community and will partner with other community organizations as needed to accomplish risk reduction objectives.

"Ultimately, what CRR does is build community collaboration," says Pennington. "It's about working with other city departments, non-profits and the private sector to build programs and strategies that attack problems beginning with their root cause."

The Department's first community risk reduction initiative is Project RED Zone, a program aimed at reducing home fires in our community. This program began last April with an aggressive smoke alarm campaign. On Saturday afternoons, firefighters visit homes in Springfield neighborhoods with a higher than average rate of home fires. During these visits, they talk with occupants about home safety, test smoke alarms, and install smoke alarms if needed. This program has been supported by the entire community, especially partners such as the American Red Cross and SafeKids Springfield, whom have donated smoke alarms to the campaign.