by George Oster
Fire Service Institute executive officer
Iowa State University Extension to Communities
Beyond the fact that everyone wants to be safe from the ravages of fire, why should small town residents care about how local government handles fire services? There are a number of reasons.
Local Responsibility
Townships and cities have virtually full and sole responsibility for fire protection services within their jurisdiction. Fire protection is one of those rare areas where local government has complete freedom since state law does not specify how cities and townships should achieve fire protection, only that they must do so. It affords the opportunity for true grass roots control of a government service. As a result, fire protection is one of the major responsibilities and expenses of local government.
Community Pride
Without a bright shiny fire truck or two, town parades wouldn't be the same. The quality of the local fire protection facilities, trucks and equipment, and the skills of paid and volunteer staff are a measure of community spirit as well as a source of pride. Fire stations and pumper trucks present a concrete image of individuals acting together for the good of all.
Impact on Development
The cost of insurance, especially for businesses but also for residential housing, is influenced by the quality of local fire protection services. Better services mean lower insurance costs, which in turn means the area is more attractive for business and housing growth.
Community Involvement
In small Iowa towns, the labor of fire protection is provided primarily by volunteers. The willingness of volunteer fire fighters to donate hours of service, put up with the inconvenience of being "on call" at all hours, everyday, and expose themselves to danger sets a high standard of commitment to community to be modeled by volunteers in other capacities. Also important, fire fighting is a particularly attractive volunteer opportunity for young men and women who may not otherwise be involved in community events or business.
Now that I have your interest, let me mention the items communities need to consider when appraising the quality of their fire protection services.
* response time to reach local buildings
* number of response personnel and apparatus
* fire flow requirements
* personnel training standards
* certification standards for fire fighters
* morale of staff and volunteers
* age of equipment
* distance of new housing developments from fire facilities
Evaluate the buildings in the fire district to determine the water supply, personnel, apparatus, access, response time and other factors that would be required to manually control a fire in the premises. This information will provide a basis for assessing the desired level of resources needed for fire protection.
One caveat is important here: no community, regardless of size, can manually control fire in the largest buildings. Therefore, a judgment must be made concerning the largest building for which the fire department will equip and provide personnel. The morale of the department is a legitimate factor to consider in regard to purchasing decisions. Volunteers derive some of their reward from pride in the department. Thus, purchasing a new pumper or some equipment for other than purely pragmatic reasons might be worth the investment.
Without considering all this detail, Iowans in general think very highly of their local fire protection services. In a recent Iowa State University study, 92 percent of the residents in the average small lowa town rated their fire service as good or very good, the highest rating received by any government service. Clearly, Iowans appreciate the importance of fire protection services.
Contacts:
Terry L. Besser, ISU
Extension Sociology, (515) 294-6508
Del Marks, ISU Extension
Communication Systems, (515) 294-9807
