Vision 20/20 has created the Fire Prevention Advocacy Toolkit that gives local fire departments the tools they need to prove the value of fire prevention in saving lives and reducing the impact of fire on a community and its economy. The program is available at www.strategicfire.org.
“In this economy, community officials and fire chiefs are confronted with tough decisions when it comes to what services to save and what services to cut,” said Perdue. “We all know that fire prevention saves lives and money, but it’s been somewhat difficult to justify these programs economically. Every day, a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds, someone is injured every 31 minutes, and every three hours someone dies. Annually, across the nation, fires cause $15.5 billion in property damage and these new tools can demonstrate the terrible impact that a fire can have at a local level on people, a community and its economy. A catastrophic fire can not only cause injuries and deaths, but it may also mean that businesses close their doors, resulting in losing both jobs and tax revenue. It’s really quite simple - prevention pays.”
Resources in this toolkit, include…
• Fire prevention advocacy strategies
• Community investment in fire prevention
• Implementing an advocacy program
• Working with the local media
• Evaluating your program’s impact
• Reaching audiences
The Vision 20/20 Fire Prevention Advocacy Toolkit can be found at www.StrategicFire.org. You can also learn more by following us on Twitter @strategicfire and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/strategicfire.
