By WECT Staff | January 22, 2021 at 9:21 AM EST – Updated January 22 at 9:21 AM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – New Hanover County Fire Rescue is one of 250 fire departments from across the country selected to take part in the second phase of the National Fire Protection Association’s pilot program to build a digital community risk assessment tool.
According to a news release, the tool, or “dashboard,” will enable “community leaders to gain valuable insights and make data-informed decisions around fire prevention and other risk-reduction activities in their communities.”
The tool is designed to help fire departments aggregate and disseminate data to pinpoint where risks exist within their community.
“We are thrilled to be participating in this important project,” said Britney Melvin, NHCFR’s Community Risk Reduction Coordination. “Not only will access to the tool give us invaluable information about our community’s needs, but it’s rewarding to know that using the tool will increase its effectiveness and help other fire departments in the long run.”
By participating in the pilot program, NHCFR will get free access to the dashboard,
“Access to accurate data will allow CRR leaders to use insights and make informed decisions about where to focus efforts and resources,” said Karen Berard-Reed, community risk reduction strategist at NFPA. “NFPA’s CRA tool will do the complex work behind the scenes to compile relevant data, allowing stakeholders to create effective community risk reduction plans that incorporate five priorities – education, engineering, enforcement, economic incentives, and emergency response – in the most impactful ways possible.”
For more information on the program, click here.
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