BY TIMOTHY KREIS
What is the real economic impact of firefighting operations on the communities you serve, and how do you measure it? Employing a career fire department with aggressive firefighting tactics intuitively provides an effective means to protect lives and property. Moreover, the Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department (PFD) and the American fire service have methods of evaluating efficacy in the following dimensions: response times, deployment, and fire loss among others. But these dimensions don't say anything concrete about economics. To better understand the economics, the PFD, the United Phoenix Firefighters Association (L493), and economic scientists currently study these questions. The answers will change the way our nation looks at firefighters and the service we provide.
The origin of this endeavor was a fast-moving fire at a Trendwood manufacturing facility located in central Phoenix. This fire started in a dry river bottom and quickly extended onto the property. With quick response, well-prepared fire companies, and hours of firefighting, crews extinguished the fire. After this incident, we began to discuss the value of the career firefighting efforts that had unfolded.
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