News Flash

The Liberty Lake City Council has approved an official proclamation that designates Jan. 20-26 as Community Risk Reduction Week in the city of Liberty Lake.  This national observance promoted by fire service professionals helps promote public awareness and importance of community risk reduction programs and to diminish the occurrence and impact of emergency events.  Further information about Community Risk Reduction Week can be found at the CRR Week website.

Below is the text of the city's proclamation on Community Risk Reduction Week that was approved by the Liberty Lake City Council on Jan. 7:

Whereas, every 23 seconds a fire department in the United States responds to a fire somewhere in the nation; and

Whereas, fires nationally were responsible for 3,670 civilian deaths and 79% of these fatalities in 2023 occurred in the home; and

Whereas, fires nationally were responsible for 13,350 civilian injuries and 77% of these injuries in 2023 were also related to fires in the home; and

Whereas, an estimated $23.2 billion in property damage nationally occurred as a result of fire in 2023; and

Whereas, wildland/urban interface (WUI) related fires remain a concern nationwide with multibillion-dollar losses as a result in 2023; and

Whereas, the fire service responds to a growing number of medical calls for service, surpassing 80% of total call volume in some jurisdictions; and

Whereas, Community Risk Reduction is a data-informed process to identify and prioritize local risks, followed by integrated and strategic investment of resources to reduce their occurrence and impact; and

Whereas, the value of community support from local, state, and national partners to address community risks is recognized to meet the demands on paid, combination, and volunteer members of the fire service; and

Whereas, the goal of Community Risk Reduction is to reduce the occurrence and impact of emergency events for both community members and emergency responders through deliberate action in the areas of the five E’s of Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency response, and Economic incentive; and

Whereas, most fire-related and many medical calls for service are preventable, with the five E’s performed as part of an integrated Community Risk Reduction program; and

Whereas, Monday, January 20, 2025, is Martin Luther King Day and is nationally recognized as a National Day of Service and an opportunity for communities to reduce the risk in their community through a series of educational and other programs.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

That the week of January 20, 2025 – January 26, 2025, be designated in the City of Liberty Lake as

COMMUNITY RISK REDUCTION (CRR) WEEK,

a grassroots initiative of fire service professionals across the nation to raise awareness of the importance of CRR in the fire service community and an opportunity to make communities safer. 

Dated this 7^th day of January 2025.

Cris Kaminskas, Mayor