Webinar: Fire Prevention Partnerships 2017 OASBO “Brown Bag” Webinar: Fire Prevention Partnerships Presented by: Scott Neufeld Director of Risk Management

Agenda History of our partnership Struggles Successes Risks Evidence for needed improvements Fostering the Partnership

Report School Fires Program 2004 2010 History of the program 2004 partnership with State Fire Marshall to create the program 2011 Updated video and Materials In 2004, Special Districts Association of Oregon (SDAO) and the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal worked together to develop a program to improve reporting on school fires. SDAO decided to work on this program as a way to provide another resource to our member fire districts and give back to them with a grant program. This also helped to address the risk of fires in Oregon schools, which SDAO also insured at that time through the Oregon Education Risk Pool (OERP). In 2006, OERP merged with another insurance risk pool and was moved outside the umbrella of SDAO. Since that time, SDAO has continued to work on and promote this program and provide grants to member fire districts.

Goals of the program Build/Foster Partnership Provide Resources Surveillance Posters Ultimately the goal is to reduce the likelihood of fires in Oregon schools the four main goals here are how we are trying to do that.

Partnerships “You will always remember the day your school burned” Gary Sisk Maintenance Director Ashland School District School District Having a strong partnership between the school and fire service is crucial. Helps to build Open communication Trust Expectations Talk about our partnership with Gary

Pages 8-11 in your handouts

Nothing sets an expectation with students better than apprehending their peers. They quickly learn to not mess around with school facilities when they realize that the school and the fire district are not going to tolerate recklessness with fire.

Surveillance Partner with community groups to patrol school facilities Fire Service Law Enforcement School District Staff Volunteer Association (PTA, Firefighters…) Rotary Other Community Groups Schools or most vulnerable during evening, weekend and breaks in the school year. Just asking community groups to keep their eyes out can help reduce the chance or severity of a fire.

Struggles Lack of a relationship Lack of reporting Not recognizing the hazard No staff education on the topic Lack of relationships on all levels have caused struggles related to the report school fire program Fire and School School Admin and staff Chief and firefighters SDAO and city fire departments SDAO Fire Districts members with no schools Volunteer only fire districts (how do you contact them)

Struggles Lack of a relationship Lack of reporting Not recognizing the hazard No staff education on the topic SDIS Risk staff continue to see on a regular basis evidence of reckless burning that is not being reported to the fire service. We also often hear of trash can fires that are extinguished by staff that go unreported. WE at SDAO struggle to communicate these with you and could do a better job (and confirm if they have a relationship with the fire service) Often the cause is a lack of understanding from staff that they should be reporting these things to administrators Our schools and fire districts are not notifying SDAO when problems arise to see if we can help.

The underside of a slide that has been melted

Burn marks on a poured in place shock absorbing system on a playground.

Garbage can fire next to front entrance of a school

Struggles Lack of a relationship Lack of reporting Not recognizing the hazard No staff education on the topic Not all of the hazards are code issues! School Staff not recognizing the hazards of - where they store combustibles behaviors they may witness in students that could be indications of needed interventions. Discuss student at Roseburg that used a lighter to setoff a sprinkler head under the stairs.

Struggles Lack of a relationship Lack of reporting Not recognizing the hazard Staff not educated on the topic What is typically the fire services role in education with local schools? The elementary age kids? Schools not talking to their staff and setting expectations when they see - Reporting any fire - signs of reckless burning - fire setter behaviors. - Securing of facilities In the fire service are we talking to our volunteers and line staff about some of the same topics Or asking them to drive by and pay attention to your surroundings How many times have your staff seen pallets stored next to a building? Have they ever stopped and talked to principals about the fire concerns related to this…

Success Stories Standing rewards Share what La Grande SD used to do with their standing $25 reward

Share what La Grande SD used to do with their standing $25 reward

Success Stories Scappoose School District fire in 2005 AKA the chicken fire Early report by a volunteer firefighter

Risks SDAO sees in schools Supervision and securing of facilities

Risks SDAO sees in schools Storage of Combustible Material I don’t think all of these are code issues We have seen losses due to them

Staff don’t want to walk in the rain an put them in covered areas

Schools like opening up their facilities to the public Schools like opening up their facilities to the public. This causes some problems such as trash and restroom use. So they add garbage cans and outhouses to address these issues. Do you see any fire risks in this picture? Any code issues?

What’s left of a port a potty after a fire What’s left of a port a potty after a fire. This was the District’s cold storage for their food which caused other problems for the District. We talked with other fire districts that have dealt with repeated outhouse arson fires (not all of them at schools)

The Biggest Difficulty Schools not reporting fires Does not allow you get your foot in the door and do assessments and interventions Limits your ability assess the scope of the problem - From a local and state level (OSFM reporting) They are not utilizing the resources and partnerships that are available to them Talk about the Chief who’s son came home from school and told Dad their was a fire. This fire was not reported Went to the school pissed off Does not foster the relationship at this point, but was needed.

Evidence that there is room for improvement

The report school fires program If you have not seen the materials or need more contact us or The State Fire Marshal

Risk Management Department Questions? Risk Management Department 503-371-8667 800-285-5461 riskmanagement@sdao.com