NFPA Journal - September/October 2019 - 24

First Responder by John Montes

DISPATCHES
FROM THE
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
COMMUNITY

The Power of Presence
FOR RESPONDERS, COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION STARTS WITH
BEING VISIBLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY SERVE

ommunity risk reduction,

a 63 percent reduction in homicides, a
or CRR, is a concept we
precipitous drop in overall crime, and
hear a lot these days. As
an entire generation of kids who grew
the name implies, CRR
up more engaged in their communities.
encourages communities
I know from experience that many
to identify and rank their specific risk
responders may not live in the commufactors and develop plans to prevent or
nities where they work, and some may
minimize them. The process for doing
be reluctant to be more involved out
this is laid out in the recently published
of safety and security concerns. This
NFPA 1300, Standard on Community
is understandable, but by remaining
Risk Assessment and Community Risk
distant, responders are missing an opporReduction Plan Development. All of this
tunity not only to help the communities
got me thinking about the role respondthey serve but also to make them more
ers have in CRR, and the most effective
effective at their jobs. We can learn a lot
By remaining distant,
ways we can help our communities
about a community's needs just by being
responders miss
reduce risk.
present, which can translate to being
opportunities
For me, one of the best and most
more prepared when we are called upon.
to not only help the
immediate things that public safety
Most responding agencies now collect
communities they
departments can do to make a significant
a wealth of data as part of their emerserve, but to also
impact on CRR is simply by being more
gency dispatch and responses; when
make them more
visible in the communities we serve. I've
that data is analyzed, it can provide
effective at their jobs.
seen firsthand the difference it can make
some critical insights about a commufor both responders and citizens.
nity's pain points, makeup, and even
I grew up in Boston in the 1980s and
its response capabilities. Departments
1990s, a period when the city saw some
across the world have used this data to
of its highest crime rates. But those
create a number of unique and successyears also included "the Boston Miracle," dramatized in the ful programs that target specific community needs. But we
new Showtime series City on a Hill. The miracle happened could do even more. While call and response data is incrediwhen first responders, clergy, elected officials, and other lead- bly useful information, it only goes so deep and may not give
ers made a conscious effort to go into the community and make you a whole picture. Spending time in neighborhoods and
their presence known. The hope was that building more posi- learning from the people who live there can provide additive relationships with the city's youth would eventually lead to tional insights that aren't always apparent by studying a data
a stronger community and a reduction in crime and violence. spreadsheet.
Police officers and firefighters began to be a regular presence
Most of us got into this work because of a desire to help
in schools. My Little League coach was also my DARE officer, others. The satisfaction we take home from helping someone
and my soccer and hockey coaches were firefighters. The local in need is the same satisfaction you can get from building
EMTs would come and watch games in between calls.
personal relationships in your community. My hope is that
Their presence had so many positive effects. For one, local more first responders will give it a try. Not only will it boost
responders and the neighborhood kids got to know each other. your CRR program, but you can take satisfaction in knowing
When we interacted, we weren't fearful, we were respectful, that you are helping in yet another way.
and we came to understand they were there for us. Multiplied
across an entire city, the approach was an important part of John Montes is specialist, emergency services public fire protection, at NFPA.

24 | NFPA JOURNAL * S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9

MICHAEL HOEWELER

NFPA Journal - September/October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - September/October 2019