SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker has declared this week to be Community Risk Reduction Week, focusing on the data-driven process to identify and address local risks. In 2023, 79% of all fire deaths occurred in the home and home fires were responsible for 13,350 civilian injuries, causing an estimated $23.2 billion in property damage. The goal of CRR Week is to promote awareness among fire services about the benefits of implementing CRR concepts for safer communities. The week emphasizes the five “E’s” of CRR: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Economic Incentive, and Emergency Response. Any fire department or community, regardless of size or type, can use CRR concepts to identify and plan to reduce risks.
The Illinois CRR Stakeholder Task Force, established in late 2019, continues to grow and collect data to develop strategies for risk prevention and mitigation throughout the state. Fire departments in the United States respond to a fire every 21 seconds, with home fires causing a significant number of injuries and property damage. To learn more about the task force and access CRR resources, visit illinoiscrr.com or follow on Facebook at @IllinoisCRR.
