UPFD Participating in NFPA’s Community Risk Reduction Program
The University Park Fire Department was selected by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to participate in a nationwide program that would ultimately make it possible for local departments to share a variety of community risk factors with their residents and business operators.
In the first phase of the NFPA’s community risk reduction effort, the organization received help from 50 fire departments throughout the country to identify dashboard features that will now be used to track common risks and hazards.
As the second phase of the project begins, NFPA expanded its reach and will work with UPFD and 249 other departments of various sizes to fine-tune the dashboard’s effectiveness.
As a program participant, UPFD will have free access to the dashboard’s features including customized maps, charts, and graphs that will illustrate University Park’s risks and hazards across numerous categories. In the months ahead, once this additional data from participating departments is compiled and tabulated, local households and businesses should be able to drill down for a snapshot look at specific steps users can take to reduce risks as they work with local public safety agencies and community service organizations.
“Information and insight gained from this experience will help us identify risk elements that exist in University Park and give us the means to develop specific initiatives to prevent and mitigate these hazards,” Fire Chief Randy Howell said. “It is gratifying to know that this collaboration and feedback will provide an opportunity for fire departments in other states do the same in their communities.”
UPFD is one of 14 departments in Texas selected to participate in the Community Risk Reduction Program.
