(Sharing a press release from partner organizations.)
WASHINGTON, DC – January 4, 2024 – CRR Week kicks off January 15 on Martin Luther King Day, a National Day of Service, and runs through January 21. The goal of CRR Week is to raise awareness among the fire service nationwide about the role of CRR (Community Risk Reduction) and how any department, no matter the type or location, can use CRR strategies to make their community and department safer.
Each year CRR Week focuses on one of the crucial intervention strategies known as the Five E’s: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency Response and Economic Incentives. This year the focus is “Enforcement.” This strategy supports the U.S. Fire Administrator’s Summit on Fire Prevention and Control codes and standards critical issue. Check out our “CRR Toolkit” with resources to kick start your CRR Programming”
CRR Week is a grass roots effort organized by a group of fire safety professionals from across the nation. The idea is to help promote awareness of Community Risk Reduction within the fire service by having a week where everyone can conduct CRR programs and demonstrate its importance to the fire service.
With this data-driven process, communities can identify and prioritize local risks, followed by the integrated and strategic investment of emergency response and prevention resources to reduce their occurrence and impact and build healthy, safe and resilient communities.
During CRR Week and throughout the year, participants can take advantage of an extensive toolkit of resources, including videos, podcasts, data tools, online guides, standards, risk assessments, online forums, a fire safety materials generator, home safety visit app and educational courses. This year CRR is working on their next toolkit item, “Effective Enforcement” focusing on Codes and Standards.” These free resources can all be easily accessed on the CRR Week website.
Additional resources include a Participant Patch Wall displaying participants’ patches, logos and their plans for CRR Week, and a downloadable model proclamation community leaders can customize to help raise awareness of CRR within their jurisdictions. Proclamations are great ways to focus attention on an issue and can also help attract media coverage.
Since CRR Week is locally driven, departments have the flexibility to design their own campaign to meet their individual needs. While it’s suggested that each day could focus on a different E, it’s just that – a suggestion. Depending on their circumstances and resources, departments may choose a different structure for the week.
Fire service professionals are encouraged to take the “CRR Essentials” course on IFSTA Resource One, and to sign a pledge to actively look for opportunities to incorporate CRR into their service delivery and interventions.
For more information and to participate in CRR Week, visit www.CRRWeek.org
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