Wildfire Community Preparedness Day Activity Ideas

February 5, 2015

The NVFC in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service created the Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP) to train volunteer fire departments on how to properly conduct assessments for homes located in the wildland-urban interface. This is the first program targeted to volunteers that specifically prepares them to evaluate a home and provide residents with recommendations to protect their property from wildfires. Utilize this program to reach out to your community during Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (WCPD) on May 2, 2015.

Here are some initial steps you can take to get ready as well as project ideas to implement during this time:

  1. Take the WFAP online training! The first step to conducting home assessments is to train your department members on how to properly conduct assessments for homes located in the WUI. The online trainingis now available at http://nvfc.digitalchalk.com by clicking on the Wildland Fire Assessment Program course title.
  2. Host a WFAP class in your department and/or Fire Corps program. The WFAP online course is in a train-the-trainer format so you take the program and resources back to your department and teach potential assessors the skills they need to conduct an assessment.
  3. Start a promotional campaign publicizing home assessments. Marketing resources, such as flyers, web banners, and more, are available in the WFAP Toolkit, which is now available at www.nvfc.org/programs/wildland-fire-assessment-program, and in the course materials provided with the online training.
  4. Host an open house on May 2 to inform residents about living in the WUI. Ask them to sign up for a home assessment.
  5. Post announcements on your department web site and social media pages publicizing the preparedness day and the opportunity to have their home assessed by the department. Link the information back to the WCPD site at www.wildfireprepday.org so community members can get additional tips and project ideas.
  6. Send out flyers to neighborhood businesses, homeowner associations, utility companies, and other fire service agencies (i.e. EMA office, fire marshal, state association, forest service agency, etc.) to get everyone involved.
  7. Like the NFPA’s Firewise page on Facebook, follow them on Twitter @Firewise, and join the conversation at #WildfirePrepDay.
  8. Let residents know about project ideas that can be done around their home and across their neighborhood. Check out NFPA’s project ideas list.
  9. Assess your own home and serve as an example in your neighborhood.