Columbus Fire Department working to reduce community risk

Columbus firefighters have been taking part this week in what used to be called fire prevention week.

What is now known as Community Risk Reduction Week runs through Sunday.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, community risk reduction is a process to identify and reduce local risks. The mission of the week has grown past just preventing fires to include risks, hazards and threats to people and property and come up with ways to reduce those risks.

The fire department says the process involves the 5 Es: education, enforcement, economic incentives, engineering and emergency response.

Among the ways to reduce the risks in your own environment:

• Making sure you have working smoke alarms.
• Planning escape routes in case of fires
• Identifying and reducing fall hazards, especially for older adults.
• Keeping medications away from children.