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Caloosa: A Firewise Community
Firewise Communities/USA is a project of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group's Wildland/Urban Interface Working Team and is the newest element of the Firewise program. It provides citizens with the knowledge necessary to maintain an acceptable level of fire readiness, while ensuring firefighters that they can use equipment more efficiently during a wildland fire emergency. The program draws on a community's spirit, its resolve, and its willingness to take responsibility for its ignition potential.
What Caloosa is doing to become the first Firewise Community in Florida:
Step 1: Contact Firewise
Becoming recognized as a Firewise Community/USA begins with the community itself. A community representative completes an on-line request for contact by a Firewise representative on the Firewise Communities/USA web site, www.firewise.org/usa.
Step 2: Site Visit
At an agreed-upon time, the local Firewise Communities/USA representative schedules a site visit and assesses the site. The visit is coordinated with local fire officials.
Step 3: Community Representatives
Meanwhile, community representatives create a multi-discipline Firewise board/committee. It should include homeowners and fire professionals. Participation by planners, land managers, urban foresters and/or members of other interest groups is also encouraged. Board members should be informed that development of the WUI plan will take up to six months.
Step 4: Assessment & Evaluation
Upon completion of the site assessment and evaluation of the community's readiness to withstand a WUI fire, the WUI specialist schedules a meeting with the local Firewise board. The assessment and evaluation are presented for review and acceptance. If the site assessment and evaluation are accepted, the process continues. If they are rejected, it terminates.
Step 5: Create Plan
The local Firewise board uses the report to create agreed-upon, area-specific solutions to its WUI fire issues. All members of the Firewise board must concur with the final decisions. Their recommendations are presented to, and approved by, the WUI specialist. The specialist may, at that time, work with the community to seek project implementation funds, if those are necessary.
Step 6: Implement Solutions
Local solutions are implemented folllowing a schedule designed by the local Firewise board and WUI specialist. A permanent Firewise task force, committee, commission or department is created that will maintain the program into the future.
Step 7: Apply for Recognition
Firewise Communities/USA recognition status is achieved after the community submits its registration form (available at www.firewise.org/usa). A completed Firewise community plan and Firewise event documentation must also be provided to the local Firewise representative.
Step 8: Renewing your recognition status
8. Recognition renewal is completed annually by submitting documentation indicating continued community participation to the State Coordinator. This can be accomplished by using on-line form available at www.firewise.org/usa.
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