- Author
- Office of the Fire Marshal
- Title
- Fire Prevention Effectiveness Model: Position Paper.
- Coporate
- Office of the Fire Marshal, Ontario, Canada
- Report
- Position Paper; OFM 97, September 1997, 61 p.
- Keywords
- fire prevention | effectiveness | fire safety | fire detection | fire suppression | fire risk | fire fighting | education
- Identifiers
- program selection, development and implementation; program evaluation; create a fire concern profile; fire incident evaluation; program evaluation evaluation
- Abstract
- In 1991 the Office of the Fire Marshal initiated a long-term research project to develop a Comprehensive Fire Safety Effectiveness Model. This public safety initiative is a holistic approach that will identify all factors that influence fire safety. The result will be a tool that will better enable all types and sizes of municipalities to make informed decisions on the provision of adequate and cost effective fire protection services. In December 1993, the OFM published the position paper, Fire Ground Staffing and Delivery Systems Within a Comprehensive Fire Safety Effectiveness Model. This paper partially addressed fire ground effectiveness, one of the eight components of the Comprehensive Model. The other seven components are: impact of fire; public attitude; fire risk; detection; built in suppression; intervention time; and fire prevention effectiveness. Research has also been conducted on another component - Fire Prevention Effectiveness. In June 1995, a discussion paper was distributed to stakeholders for comment. Subsequent consultation and research has resulted in this position paper. The approach taken here differs from much of the work already completed on fire prevention. Most studies tend to focus on the methods for carrying out specific fire prevention activities. There is generally an assumption that a specific activity will resolve the fire safety issue. However, there is little material on analyzing fire risks and selecting and evaluating effective programs to address the risk. This document tries to take a more objective approach to fire prevention activities. There has been significant consultation during the development of the discussion paper on Fire Prevention Effectiveness. The model is now being distributed to the fire service in the form of a position paper. The concept that the Fire Prevention Effectiveness Model is based upon is straightforward. It is basically a three step process to address fire safety. The first step is to conduct a Needs Analysis. Following the process explained in the model will enable the fire service to create an accurate picture of the fire risk in their community in such a manner that they can be effectively targeted. Second, effective programs need to be selected that are appropriate to address the risk and that fall within the resources that the community can assign to the problem. Once selected these programs must be developed and implemented. The third step is to evaluate the success of the selected programs in achieving their stated objectives and in reducing the targeted risk. Evaluation of fire prevention programs will enable the fire service to make improvements to its programs, demonstrate program values and allow it to re-allocate available resources as the targeted risks are reduced. Evaluation is an essential and continual process.