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Community Fire Risk Reduction: Longitudinal Assessment for HomeSafe Fire Prevention Program in Canada

Author

Listed:
  • Samar Al-Hajj

    (Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 11-0236, Lebanon
    British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada)

  • Larry Thomas

    (City of Surrey Fire Service, Surrey, BC V3W 4P1, Canada)

  • Shelley Morris

    (City of Surrey Fire Service, Surrey, BC V3W 4P1, Canada)

  • Joseph Clare

    (UWA Law School, The University of Western Australia, M253, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia)

  • Charles Jennings

    (Department of Security, Fire, and Emergency Management, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, 524 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA)

  • Chris Biantoro

    (City of Surrey Fire Service, Surrey, BC V3W 4P1, Canada)

  • Len Garis

    (British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada
    Department of Security, Fire, and Emergency Management, John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, 524 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA
    School of Culture, Media, and Society, The University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8, Canada)

  • Ian Pike

    (British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada
    Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4, Canada)

Abstract

(1) Background: Residential fires represent the third leading cause of unintentional injuries globally. This study aims to offer an overview and a longitudinal evaluation of the HomeSafe program implemented in Surrey in 2008 and to assess its effectiveness in mitigating fire-related outcomes. (2) Methods: Data were collected over a 12-year period (2008–2019). Assessed outcomes comprised frequency of fire incidents, residential fires, casualties, functioning smoke alarms, and contained fires. The effectiveness of each initiative was determined by comparing the specific intervention group outcome and the city-wide outcome to the pre-intervention period. (3) Results: This study targeted 120,349 households. HomeSafe achieved overwhelming success in decreasing fire rates (−80%), increasing functioning smoke alarms (+60%), increasing the percentage of contained fires (+94%), and decreasing fire casualties (−40%). The study findings confirm that the three most effective HomeSafe initiatives were firefighters’ visits of households, inspections and installations of smoke alarms, and verifications of fire crew alarms at fire incidents. Some initiatives were less successful, including post-door hangers (+12%) and package distribution (+15%). (4) Conclusions: The HomeSafe program effectively decreased the occurrence and magnitude of residential fires. Lessons learned should be transferred to similar contexts to implement an evidence-based, consistent, and systematic approach to sustainable fire prevention initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Samar Al-Hajj & Larry Thomas & Shelley Morris & Joseph Clare & Charles Jennings & Chris Biantoro & Len Garis & Ian Pike, 2023. "Community Fire Risk Reduction: Longitudinal Assessment for HomeSafe Fire Prevention Program in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(14), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:14:p:6369-:d:1194804
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Samar Al-Hajj & Ediriweera Desapriya & Colleen Pawliuk & Len Garis & Ian Pike, 2022. "Interventions for Preventing Residential Fires in Vulnerable Neighbourhoods and Indigenous Communities: A Systematic Review of the Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Nargess Ghassempour & W. Kathy Tannous & Gulay Avsar & Kingsley E. Agho & Lara A. Harvey, 2021. "Estimating the Total Number of Residential Fire-Related Incidents and Underreported Residential Fire Incidents in New South Wales, Australia by Using Linked Administrative Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Schwarz, D.F. & Grisso, J.A. & Miles, C. & Holmes, J.H. & Sutton, R.L., 1993. "An injury prevention program in an urban African-American community," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 83(5), pages 675-680.
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