Why do we have a Fire Prevention Bureau?
The key to this question is the term “prevention.” According to the American Heritage Dictionary, it means “to keep something from happening.”
Traditionally, the fire service has focused prevention efforts on reducing the risk of fire. This paradigm has changed over the past 50 years to a wider definition of Community Risk Reduction and Life Safety.
Fire has always been part of Durango’s and La Plata County’s history. In the book, Durango Fire Department, 1891 Thru 1927, the first large fire in Durango occurred in 1881 with the loss of 12 businesses. Our most recent large multi-structure fire occurred on Main Avenue in 2008, with the loss of multiple businesses, some of which were able to recover and some were not. Our last large wildfire was the Missionary Ridge Fire (71,739 acres) in 2002.
Our Prevention Bureau is tasked with creating a culture of safety within our community. Durango and La Plata County each adopt fire codes, with the enforcement occurring through the Fire District. As codes continue to grow in complexity, our staff, composed of a fire marshal, deputy fire marshal, two fire inspectors and a community education coordinator, are continually trained and certified to interpret and enforce the code.
We do not expect business owners to have read and/or understand all the nuances of the fire code, the purpose of which is to reduce the risk of fire, the spread of fire and injuries.
Rather, we are there to assist them in understanding the code and ensuring that businesses, employees and customers are reasonably safe from fire or injury.
Codes are only one aspect of prevention, and fire is only one of the risks within our community. Durango Fire Protection District responds to medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, auto accidents and numerous other types of emergencies. Each year, our call volume increases. So how do we, the fire service and the community, prevent the preventable incident yet not inhibit the adventures and initiative of our community?
It is the role of the Fire Prevention Bureau to work with the community to reduce the potential of economic loss or injury through education, engineering and enforcement. If you notice, education is at the forefront of the statement. Education is what changes behavior.
For instance, it is what has caused us, the community, to put helmets on ourselves and our children when we ride a bicycle or ski. Last year, our community education programs generated 5,163 contacts with youths and 1,646 contacts with adults. We will continue to increase the number of contacts annually, and by doing so, we hope to develop a “culture of safety” within our community
We recently completed a series of surveys within our community and discovered that the community (businesses, developers, residents and firefighters) believe that it is the role of Durango Fire Protection District to work cooperatively and collaboratively with the community to develop a “culture of safety” within our community.
We are here to work with you to improve the safety of our community.
Karola J. Hanks is Durango Fire Protection District’s fire marshal.
