Prairie State Wire

Governor JB Pritzker has declared January 20-26, 2025, as Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week in Illinois. The CRR initiative is a strategic approach that uses data to identify and prioritize local risks, with the aim of reducing their occurrence and impact through coordinated emergency response and prevention efforts.

Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera praised the state's leadership in CRR, attributing it to the efforts of fire departments and the CRR taskforce. "The OSFM is committed to funding and supporting CRR work across the state," Rivera stated. He encouraged communities to engage in the CRR process, emphasizing that it can begin on a small scale and grow into larger programs.

Statistics from crrweek.org highlight the urgency of such initiatives: every 23 seconds, a fire department in the U.S. responds to a fire. In 2023, home fires accounted for 79% of all fire deaths and caused significant injuries and property damage. Emergency medical service calls make up about 70% of responses by Illinois fire departments, with medical calls surpassing 80% of total call volume nationally in some areas.

CRR Week aims to educate fire services on implementing CRR concepts to enhance safety. The focus will be on five key areas: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Economic Incentive, and Emergency Response. These concepts are applicable to any community or fire department regardless of size or location.

The CRR process was introduced in Illinois in late 2019 and has expanded through efforts by the State's Community Risk Reduction Task Force. The task force's mission is to promote risk reduction by encouraging community involvement and providing resources.

For more information about starting a CRR program or accessing resources, visit illinoiscrr.com or follow @IllinoisCRR on Facebook.