Global Concepts In Residential Fire Safety Part 2 – Best Practices from Australia, New Zealand and Japan Prepared by: TriData, a Division of System Planning Corporation 1000 Wilson Boulevard, 30th Floor Arlington, VA 22209 (703) 351-8300 For: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention 4770 Buford Highway, NE Mailstop F-62 Atlanta, GA 30341 And Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Office of Domestic Preparedness Department of Homeland Security August 2008 Global Concepts In Residential Fire Safety Part 2 – Best Practices from Australia, New Zealand and Japan Table of Contents PREFACE ...................................................................................................................... III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................... 1 SUMMARY OF BEST PRACTICES................................................................................ 5 Best Practices from Australia/New Zealand................................................................................5 Best Practices from Japan..........................................................................................................12 I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 17 Study Approach .........................................................................................................................17 Report Organization...................................................................................................................19 Caveats.......................................................................................................................................20 II. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND ......................................................................... 21 Overview of the Australian Fire Service ...................................................................................21 Overview of the New Zealand Fire Service...............................................................................25 Reaching School Children .........................................................................................................27 Reaching Juvenile Fire-Setters ..................................................................................................35 Reaching Elderly and People with Disabilities..........................................................................38 Reaching Immigrants and Ethnic Groups..................................................................................41 Defending Homes from Wildfires .............................................................................................45 Codes and Laws for Home Safety .............................................................................................51 Management of Firefighter Resources for Prevention...............................................................53 National, State, and Regional Campaigns .................................................................................61 Home Visits ...............................................................................................................................68 Consumer Products for Safety ...................................................................................................70 Partnerships................................................................................................................................72 Practices Discontinued...............................................................................................................73 Fire Data ....................................................................................................................................74 III. JAPAN ..................................................................................................................... 77 Overview of the Japanese Fire Service......................................................................................78 Reaching School Children .........................................................................................................81 Reaching Elderly and People with Disabilities..........................................................................83 Reaching Immigrants and Visitors ............................................................................................85 National and Local Campaigns..................................................................................................85 System Planning Corporation August 2008 TriData Division Global Concepts In Residential Fire Safety Part 2 – Best Practices from Australia, New Zealand and Japan Life Safety Learning Centers.....................................................................................................93 Home Visits ...............................................................................................................................94 Codes and Laws for Home Safety .............................................................................................95 Consumer Products for Safety ...................................................................................................99 Fire Data ....................................................................................................................................99 IV. CONCLUDING REMARKS ................................................................................... 105 System Planning Corporation August 2008 TriData Division Global Concepts In Residential Fire Safety Part 2 – Best Practices from Australia, New Zealand and Japan PREFACE In the United States and in most western industrial nations, the majority of civilian fire deaths and fire injuries occur in the home. As part of its mission to reduce residential casualties, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control within the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is identifying effective global community fire safety programs—best practices—that could be used in the United States. Proven best practices can be used as examples of successes to stimulate improvements in prevention practices in the United States, though they sometimes require adaptation to our culture. The TriData Division of System Planning Corporation was selected to undertake the study of best global practices for reducing residential fire injuries discussed in this report. TriData has undertaken research on global concepts in fire protection for over 25 years. From 1982–1993 TriData produced a series of reports entitled International Concepts in Fire Protection. The reports were widely disseminated and led to many articles in fire journals and presentations at fire conferences in the United States and internationally.1 In 2003–2004, TriData did a survey for the International Association of Fire Rescue Services (CTIF) of the best programs in community fire safety among its 40 member nations; 20 European nations contributed program descriptions. This report is the second of a new series of three reports to identify best global practices in residential fire prevention. The first study, undertaken in 2007, focused on Europe—the nations of England, Scotland, Sweden, and Norway. This second study, conducted in 2007–2008, focuses on the Pacific Rim nations of Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. A third study in 2008– 2009 is planned to focus on Canada and Latin America. 1 International Conception in Fire Protection: New Ideas from Europe. July 1993. TriData Corporation, Arlington, VA; International Concepts in Fire Protection: Practices from Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. 1985. TriData Corporation, Arlington, VA; and International Concepts in Fire Protection: Ideas from Europe that Could Improve U.S. Fire Safety. 1982. TriData Corporation, Arlington, VA. System Planning Corporation August 2008 TriData Division Global Concepts In Residential Fire Safety Part 2 – Best Practices from Australia, New Zealand and Japan ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was performed under a contract from the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC. Dr. Mick Ballesteros, epidemiologist, was the contract manager and principal investigator for CDC. He also participated in most of the international interviews. The study was funded in large part by an interagency agreement to CDC from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, Office of Domestic Preparedness, Department of Homeland Security. McKing Consulting Corporation, a contractor to CDC, provided support to this project, including many of the complex travel arrangements. Joe Durbin and Elizabeth Haas managed the contract for McKing. Trisha Charles was the principal travel consultant. The authors and sponsors wish to thank all those listed below in the nations visited who either provided information to the project or assisted with meeting arrangements. Australia Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Reg Christiansen, Assistant Commissioner, Community Safety and Training Gary Gilby, Executive Manager, Community Education and Research Unit Judy Newton, Manager, Research New South Wales Fire Brigades Murray Kear, Director, Community Safety Greg Buckley, Assistant Director, Built Environment and Research Steve Pearce, Chief Superintendent; Assistant Director, Corporate and Community Risk Greg Wild, Superintendent, Manager, Community Engagement and Development Unit