Burlington Ia- The Burlington Fire Department has been selected by the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) to participate in a pilot program to build a digital community risk assessment (CRA)
tool. The tool will enable community leaders to make data-informed decisions around fire
prevention and other risk-reduction activities.
According to the NFPA, the concept of community risk reduction – a process that identifies and
prioritizes the risks specific to a particular location – has been gaining traction across North
America for more than 20 years thanks to new technology, access to data, and a shifting focus on
prevention. Reflecting that momentum, NFPA’s tool is being designed to help fire departments collect and analyze data that pinpoints where risks exist within a given community.
To date, more than 150 fire departments throughout the U.S. have applied to
participate and a total of 50 awards will be selected in 2019. The departments were selected
based on a variety of factors, including size, geography, region, experience with CRR activities,
support from the community, as well as other indicators.
