- Author
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Title
- Public Fire Education Today: Fire Service Programs Across America.
- Coporate
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC
- Report
- FA-98, September 1990, 237 p.
- Contract
- EMW-89-C-3060
- Keywords
- public education | fire departments | fire prevention | fire safety
- Abstract
- Five years ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) published "Public Education Today: Fire Service Programs From Across America". This publication proved to be one of USFA's most popular reports. Since that time, there has been a gradual but clearly visible increase in the fire service's commitment to public fire education. For example, more fire trade magazines are carrying fire prevention articles, many fire chiefs spend time describing their public education campaigns at national meetings and Americans are placing greater demand on the Federal government for fire prevention materials and technical assistance than ever before. However, barriers still exist at the state and local level in presenting fire safety education to the public. Most department spend only a small fraction of their budget on public fire education. In many schools, fire curriculum is ranked as a low priority among a crowded curriculum. In addition, dut to current budgetary difficulties facing local governments, public fire education positions and materials are not being sufficiently funded. Despite the fact that studies continue to show that it is the most effective fire prevention activity, many of today's fire service recruits are not being instructed in public fire education. This report is an attempt to provide the reader with a feel for the many types of public fire education programs and approaches in use today. Highlights include how and where departments are obtaining materials; identification of assistance provided from outside organizations; programs used in schools, businesses and civic associations; programs for senior citizens, non-English speaking, and other special populations; and ways of presenting information to the public through use of print and broadcast media.