KY Department's Outreach Lauded after 2017 Report

Feb. 25--The city of Owensboro saw no civilian-related fire deaths last year, according to the fire department's 2017 annual report.

Communities this size, said Owensboro Fire Department Fire Battalion Chief Steve Leonard, often have between three and 12 deaths a year, but due to expansive outreach and an openness in the community and among its leaders, Owensboro has maintained record-low numbers -- mostly zero -- for some time.

"The key factor for us is life safety and the fire prevention training," Leonard said. "Fire doubles in size every 17 seconds. Most people who die in residential fires die before the fire department is ever called. So, our goal is to educate people so they know how to prevent a fire from ever starting and how to get out of a fire if it does start."

Education, he said, is an often forgotten part of a fire department's role. People tend to believe that firefighters only do just that -- fight fires. But it's both in their interests and that of the public's to prevent fires from breaking out. Education and communication, therefore, are the tools of that trade.

Leonard and others speak to local schools, civic groups, clubs, businesses and other organizations on a near-constant basis to ensure risk reduction, life safety and preparedness stays on the minds of Owensboroans both young and old.

For example, the leading cause for fire service calls last year was cooking-related accidents, according to the report. That's useful information that the department will use as it shapes its 2018 training and prevention curricula.

Last year, OFD conducted 751 fire hydrant flow tests, 2,056 facility fire and life safety inspections and spent 15,923 hours on personnel training. Along with local partners such as the American Red Cross, U.S. Bank and Owensboro Neighborhood Alliances, the department provided fire safety information for about 1,200 homes and installed more than 100 smoke alarms. All of those numbers, Leonard said, are what led to that zero of which the department is so proud.

"Nobody has to die in a fire," Leonard said. "There are so many codes and ordinances and trainings we do to prevent that. Next year, our goal will be to accelerate and continue to improve upon the excellent statistics we've been able to see."

Also on the agenda for 2018 is the expansion of a new ladder company on Owensboro's east side and the completion of an ambulance services contract set to go into effect July 1.

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