Full Record

42678

Developing a residential risk reduction program for the Wichita Fire Department

• The problem investigated was that the City of Wichita has experienced twenty-six residential fire fatalities in the last three years. This current trend of fire fatalities in Wichita is double the national average for the same time period. The purpose of this research was to identify factors that contributed to the fire deaths and develop a residential risk reduction program to reduce the unacceptable number of fire fatalities in Wichita. Through the use of action research, questions about (a) data analysis, (b) national residential fire fatality statistics, (c) components of a community risk reduction program and (d) procedures that could be implemented to deliver a residential risk reduction program to the citizens of Wichita, were answered. The procedures that were followed in this applied research project were carried out through literature review, data analysis and a situational analysis. The research study found the fire fatality problem facing the City of Wichita was comparable to the national fire fatality problem. The study found that conducting a home safety visit was an effective method to make residents aware of fire risks in their homes. Also, by providing a smoke alarm inspection at the resident's home would be beneficial. This program would be carried out by community firehouse suppression personnel in order to examine potential fire risks in their assigned response area and to have positive interaction with the residents they protect. Recommendations were made to implement the Draft Residential Risk Reduction Program to reduce or eliminate the high number of residential fire fatalities in the City of Wichita, and to utilize data analysis to study potential risks to citizens of Wichita and members of the Wichita Fire Department.

• c.1: DOCUMENT ROOM - ROOM 209 [Status: IN]