Insurance companies use data to determine levels of risk. Why can’t a fire department? ICMA’s Center for Public Safety Management recently assembled a group of experts to discuss community risk reduction, a concept that takes data collection combined with GIS mapping to help fire departments assess risks and better allocate resources. 

This March 14 web conference, developed in cooperation with Vision 20/20 Institution of Fire Engineers (U.S. Branch), discussed how fire departments can look at multiple factors – from dwelling type to socioeconomic indicators to determine frequency and types of calls – and then use GIS to map out hot spots within a jurisdiction. This mapping process helps to better determine staffing and equipment levels, as well as improve response times and survival rates.

Tom Wieczorek, director of ICMA’s Center for Public Safety Management, led the discussion along with Jim Crawford, manager of Vision 20/20 Institution of Fire Engineers (U.S. Branch). Crawford explained the concept of community risk reduction, calling it a “change in direction for the fire service.” He outlined the basic elements of the concept: 1) identify fire and life safety risks; 2) prioritize the risks; 3) choose how to prevent the risks or reduce the effects of the risks; 4) focus efforts; and 5) involve community partners.

Jennifer Schottke, municipal fire service and national public safety policy lead for Esri (an ICMA Strategic Partner), continued the discussion to explain the data collection and application using GIS. She was followed by case studies and best practices from Lloyd Ayers, Philadelphia Fire Commissioner; Mark Havener, assistant chief, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue; and John Bonney, chief officer, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (UK).  

More information on this ICMA web conference is available here. On Demand; please visit: http://learning.icma.org/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=16600&pc=news