The Vision 20/20 Project has a full suite of free resources to help you get started or build up your CRR program. These include online courses and guides focusing on helping you to develop your Community Risk Assessments.

In partnership with IFSTA ResourceOne, and funding from the FEMA Assistance to Firefighter Grant program, The Vision 20/20 Project has developed free training programs

There are also a number of courses available through the National Fire Academy. Visit their website to learn more.

The following online guides are also available to assist you in your CRR journey.

Model Performance Measurement and Evaluation, demonstrates how to improve evaluation measurements for public education, plan review, code enforcement and investigation efforts. These same evaluation tools also apply for other injury prevention and mitigation programs.

The evaluation of fire prevention programs is critically important for success and to justify prevention efforts.  Funding, support, and evidence of effective programming are but a few of the potential benefits.  Performance measures and evaluation techniques can be applied to any of the prevention disciplines, including Education, Code Enforcement, Plan Review, and Fire Investigation.

Four different types of measures/evaluation are discussed in this training course.  They include:

Formative measures are used to describe the planning and research that went into understanding the scope of the problem facing a community.  Formative measures include things like emergency incident rates and demographics, which demonstrate a link between focused prevention programs, the problem facing the community,  and the resources (both human and logistical) necessary to address the problem.

Process measures describe and monitor the implementation of a program as it progresses from start to completion.  Process measures look at how a program is managed so consideration can be given to what works, and what needs improvement. Process measures consider the output of the program (e.g. the type of inspections completed, the number of people trained, or the educational sessions delivered).

Impact measures are used to indicate and measure the changes that have occurred as a direct result of the program delivery (short term changes). Impact measures will document measurable results due to things like educational gain or behavior changes (e.g. number of smoke alarms installed, number of home hazards identified, number of codes enacted/abated). While impact measures may reduce risk, they may not affect the base problem, such as those leading to the actual incident rate.

Outcome measures indicate how well a program achieved its overall goals (long term changes).  They document (over time) changes (reduction or decrease) in incident rates, injuries, property loss, or deaths showing evidence of actual change.

This 6-unit course is designed to be completed in approximately 90 minutes and provides interactive curriculum allowing you to learn, and practice, these basic concepts to increase your evaluation skills and improve your prevention programs.

Students completing the courses can apply for Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) through Columbia Southern University. The CEU information will be delivered to the student upon course completion, along with their certificate of completion. Students will need to fill out an on-line form at the CSU website, submit their certificate of completion, and pay a $25.00 fee to CSU to receive 0.2 CEU’s for completing each course.

Community Risk Reduction introduces the student to Community Risk Reduction as a way to create a safer community. It presents the basic elements necessary to prepare a station-based community risk reduction plan and provides an understanding and motivation for implementing CRR practices.

Students completing the courses can apply for Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) through Columbia Southern University. The CEU information will be delivered to the student upon course completion, along with their certificate of completion. Students will need to fill out an on-line form at the CSU website, submit their certificate of completion, and pay a $25.00 fee to CSU to receive 0.2 CEU’s for completing each course.

Essentials of Community Risk Reduction is an online, free course that helps you gain a better understanding of the importance of Community Risk Reduction to the fire service and to the community. Being a fire fighter is so much more than responding to fires and medical emergencies – it is helping to make the community a safer place to live and work, and this can range from teaching fire prevention to pool safety.

Essentials of Community Risk Reduction is divided into five modules, and when you finish all four you earn a Certificate of Completion that helps document your professional development.

• • Module 1 – Community Risk Reduction
  • Module 2 – Fire and Burn Prevention
  • Module 3 – Preventing Home Injuries
  • Module 4 – Achieving Model Performance
  • Module 5 – Communications Coach

Why do you need this course?

• • Home fires have changed – fire is faster, much faster
  • Smoke alarm guidelines have changed – one alarm is never enough
  • Making a home safer includes reducing risks, and this can include fires, cooking, falls or pool safety, to mention a few.
  • This course can show you how to effectively use messages that resonate with high-risk populations
  • Discover best practices to reduce loss – there is no need to reinvent lessons learned by others
  • Focus on community risks specific to the community around your fire station and the priority risks throughout your entire jurisdiction
  • Plan and deliver programs that measure up with model performance measures. Yes, prove your program achieves the goal – a safer community.
  • The Communication Coach module gives you tips and resources to help you prepare for a Public speaking assignment. No need to be terrified – get prepared! Find really good materials and get ready for your presentation with this module.