STATEWIDE (January 18, 2021) - Today marks the start of Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week, a grassroots effort by the nation's fire service to encourage fire prevention and life safety education. Although COVID-19 will change the look of this year's efforts, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, along with multiple fire departments throughout Maryland, will take part in physically distanced or safe CRR initiatives to get ahead of the 9-1-1 call before an emergency happens.

"I have always believed that the best way to keep the public and emergency personnel safe from fire is to prevent the 9-1-1 call from happening via public safety education," said State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci. "Whether it's social media posts, side-by-side burn demonstrations, or school presentations - it is vital to spread the word about fire safety to every generation of Marylander in the State."

This week, the Office of the State Fire Marshal will be sharing videos of CRR professional profiles on some of the many dedicated individuals who have made community education and life safety a top priority in their daily work. Look for #CRRWeek across social media platforms for efforts, both local and national, by various fire departments. You can also check out the official Twitter and Facebook CRR Week accounts for more information.

For information about how you can participate in CRR Week, click here or go to www.crrweek.org