The dynamic and evolving nature of Ashley Rodrigue’s approach to community safety and risk reduction

Community Risk Reduction (CRR) is a key strategic initiative for many fire departments, aiming to reduce the number of fire incidents and protect the lives and properties of citizens.

In an era where data-driven solutions are reshaping our society, integrating these methods into CRR could offer significant advantages.

A prime example of this progressive movement is found in Louisiana’s State Fire Marshal’s Office under the guidance of Ashley Rodrigue, Public Affairs Director.

Her pioneering work uses data-centric strategies to enhance fire safety and reduce risks, a model that is encouraging fire departments nationwide to reassess their approach to CRR.

Beginnings

When discussing the initial state of CRR initiatives at the SFM, Rodrigue recalls: “When I joined the SFM in 2018, it didn’t even have a public relations arm, so it definitely didn’t have a community risk reduction function.”

The shift towards a more data-driven approach was notably influenced by an event that Rodrigue and the State Fire Marshal attended.

She explains: “A week or two before the Covid pandemic at the Vision 20/20 conference we first heard about the NFPA’s pilot program, CRAIG 1300.”

This program, initially perceived as a tool for fire departments, later revealed its potential for broader application.

Rodrigue’s background in broadcast journalism played a crucial role in recognising the value of visual storytelling in public safety communication: “In my previous career as a broadcast journalist, the task at hand was always to tell a story visually.”

This perspective helped her see the possibilities of using data-centric strategies in CRR.

However, the journey was not without challenges.

Rodrigue notes the initial scepticism from fire departments involved in the pilot program: “I asked them what they thought of it and all said they thought it had potential but they couldn’t really grasp the whole potential due to the limitations on the pilot program.”

Despite this, her determination to leverage data for statewide fire risk communication remained undeterred.

Rodrigue’s aim was to create a comprehensive narrative of fire risks, beyond just the statistics of fire deaths: “I don’t just want to say what’s killing people to stop people from dying, I want to tell people what are the most common ways fires are affecting lives, period.”

This ambition led to the pivotal realisation that a state version of CRAIG 1300 could be the key to unlocking this information, offering a clear, data-driven path to enhance CRR strategies across Louisiana.

Implementation

in her role at the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Rodrigue spearheaded a pioneering initiative in Community Risk Reduction (CRR) through the implementation of the CRAIG 1300 program.

Her strategic approach in this project highlights a commitment to innovation and effectiveness in fire safety management.

“The idea was for the state via our agency to spearhead CRAIG 1300 involvement,” she tells.

This involved taking on contracts with the developers to create custom dashboards for individual fire departments.

The initiative was not just about providing a technological tool; it was about making this tool accessible.

Rodrigue notes the dual benefit of this approach: “It gives them use of this great tool for free and it gives me easy to read and reference images of their numbers.” By absorbing the costs, the project removed financial barriers for departments, encouraging wider participation.

The dashboards provided more than just raw data; they transformed numbers into visual stories, making it easier to understand and communicate risks.

Rodrigue highlights the value of this visualisation: “For me, this tells me their community’s risk, but when I have access to an abundance of participating departments’ dashboards like this, I can also see what the regional risk is, and the statewide risk.” This approach allowed for a comprehensive view of fire risks at various levels – from local communities to the entire state.

Once a dashboard was in place, Rodrigue and her team engaged directly with each department to analyse the data.

“We choose three main risk topics from what CRAIG 1300 tells us,” she says, detailing how they then determined the target audience for each topic and developed public safety awareness campaigns.

This step ensured that the data collected was translated into practical, actionable initiatives that could make a tangible difference in communities.

Results

Rodrigue highlights the progress in implementing targeted strategies for fire departments across Louisiana: “This is still a growing program, but at this time, we have game plans for four departments.”  These departments are spread across different regions of the state, providing a broad perspective on fire risks.

Delving into the specifics of the project, particularly focusing on the differences in fire-related issues across regions, she cites CRAIG 1300’s findings:  “Both the Lake Charles Fire Department (SWLA) and St.

Tammany Fire District #4 (SELA) have similar problems with false fire alarms, but the reasons are different.”

In St. Tammany, the issue is linked to heaters being turned on in the fall, while in Lake Charles, it’s related to home security systems triggering fire calls.

In St. Tammany, she notes, the most common time and day for fire calls is on Wednesdays between 3 and 5pm.

But in Lake Charles, Wednesdays are the lowest days for fire risk.

This led her to understand local lifestyles influencing these patterns.

She suggests that in Lake Charles, a strong faith-based community activity on Wednesday evenings might reduce cooking-related fires, while in St.

Tammany, a different social dynamic might increase the mid-week fire risk.

Through these observations, Rodrigue demonstrates the power of data in understanding and addressing varied and region-specific fire risks, thereby shaping more effective and targeted CRR strategies.

Reception

“The involved fire departments are wowed and overwhelmed with what the data tells them,” she reveals, highlighting the positive response from departments who see potential benefits in fire prevention and operational efficiency.

She notes that there are 20 more departments working to collect their data now, indicating a growing interest in the program.

At this stage, Rodrigue acknowledges that tangible successes are yet to be fully realised, given the program’s infancy.

“We haven’t had any successes to identify yet other than that departments are incredibly grateful and hopeful,” she says, emphasising the optimism and appreciation among the departments involved.

Rodrigue notes the difficulties some departments face in accessing their data, often due to changes in their system infrastructures.

Additionally, the task of informing over 500 departments about the program presents its own set of challenges.

“We made big pushes at this year’s fire-related conferences to raise awareness,” Rodrigue explains, outlining their efforts to increase engagement and spread the word through fire-related associations.

Regarding the assessment of the program’s impact, Rodrigue admits that they are still in the early stages.

“We don’t have an assessment of impact just yet,” she states, but outlines a clear plan for future evaluation.

This plan involves annual reviews with departments to observe changes in data, especially in targeted areas of their campaigns.

The aim, as she puts it, is “To see the numbers of that risk go down,” which would inform whether to continue with existing campaigns or initiate new ones.

This approach underlines a commitment to adaptability and continuous improvement in their CRR strategies.

Looking ahead

Rodrigue shares key lessons from her projects that can benefit other communities in their Community Risk Reduction (CRR) initiatives, offering guidance for those looking to implement similar data-driven approaches.

First she advises not to be deterred by staffing limitations, a concern that might arise both at state and fire department levels.

“I would say to not let your staffing bandwidth deter you from considering an approach like this,” she emphasises.

The accessibility and utility of the data, she points out, are beneficial regardless of the extent of its use.

This data can be instrumental not just for comprehensive CRR programs but also for purposes like grant applications.

Looking towards the future, Rodrigue’s primary goal is to broaden participation in these projects: “The number one goal is getting as many departments linked in as possible”.

In addition to expanding the program’s reach, there is a focus on continuous improvement.

“We certainly do plan to improve as we see holes pop up,” she asserts, indicating an ongoing commitment to refining and enhancing the effectiveness of these data-driven CRR initiatives.

This forward-looking stance underscores the dynamic and evolving nature of Rodrigue’s approach to community safety and risk reduction.

This article was originally published in the December2023 issue of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.