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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH, Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410 955-8022, SFrattar@jhsph.edu, Andrea C. Gielen, ScD, ScM, Health, Behavior & Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, 7th floor, Baltimore, MD 21205, Van M. Ta, PhD, MPH, University of California, SF, CA, and Gwendolyn Bergen, PhD, MPH, MS, Office of Analysis and Epidemiology, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782.

Background: The Delaware fire service delivers a variety of fire prevention interventions to Delaware citizens. Because of the number of fire prevention programs underway in the state, and Delaware's reputation as a leader in fire prevention, the United States Fire Administration commissioned a study to describe Delaware's fire prevention efforts, assess the impact of select model programs, and identify lessons to be learned from Delaware's fire prevention experience.

Methods: We designed and conducted a case study of fire prevention efforts in Delaware. We interviewed 16 leaders in the Delaware fire service and collected documents related to their prevention programs. We analyzed the interview and document data for recurrent explanatory themes to understand fire prevention in Delaware.

Results: We identified seven state level programs, and ten types of programs operating at the local level. There is a strong commitment to fire prevention within the Delaware fire service. Interviewees emphasized the importance of their relationships with elected officials, business people and the media to maintaining a prevention-oriented culture and described several ways that fire prevention has been institutionalized within the state. Impact data from three model programs provide examples of the reach of their efforts.

Conclusions: Delaware's fire prevention efforts are the result of deliberate efforts to create and maintain a culture of fire prevention within the state. There are lessons for fire prevention advocates in other states, and for injury prevention professionals generally with regard to the connections between prevention efforts and the support of the larger community.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe three fire prevention programs in Delaware.
• Articulate the role of relationships with elected officials, business leaders and the media in Delaware’s fire prevention efforts.
• Identify three strategies for strengthening injury prevention initiatives at the state and local level.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation