GR Fire Dept Takes Educational Approach To Fire Prevention

Press release from the City of Grand Rapids:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Fire Department (GRFD) is pivoting its focus on fire prevention through an educational and collaborative approach towards residents, businesses and community organizations. As part of this plan, it is forming the Community Education and Engagement Team to implement the three key parts of its plan – building on the Residential Safety Program, distributing information to the public and streamlining the central/hazmat inspections process.

In 2020, Grand Rapids experienced a significant increase in fire fatalities with nine lives lost in five fatal fires. In light of these fatalities, the GRFD believes a pivot in its approach to fire prevention is needed.

“These fatalities were in different areas, affected different ages and had different causes,” said Fire Chief John Lehman during a recent presentation to the Public Safety Committee, “but the one thing they all had in common is no working smoke alarms.”

In previous years, the Residential Safety Program received funding from FEMA grants to purchase smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for underserved households, but this year it did not obtain the funding necessary to fully sustain the program. While the GRFD will continue to find funding for this program, it will also focus on educating neighborhoods, citizens and schools on what to do to prevent a fire and what to do when a fire occurs. The new educational approach aims to empower residents to create fire-safe environments through information on installing and maintaining smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for early detection and notification as well as creating exit strategies in case of a fire emergency.

The GRFD will also take a new approach to fire prevention in businesses, providing self-inspection details by partnering with Downtown Development Authority, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. and inclusion of all chambers of commerce and neighborhood associations for community engagement purposes.

“Having entities such as these will help us relay the importance of life safety in buildings and property conservation,” said Fire Marshal Rick Dokter. “This will allow us to save time and resources on having a successful inspection the first time we visit.”

For the GRFD’s PowerPoint presentation to the Public Safety Committee, CLICK HERE.

This press release was produced by the City of Grand Rapids. The views expressed are the author's own.