The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office (HCFMO) and Harris County Emergency Services District 29 (Champions ESD), are pleased to announce an innovative community risk reduction program. The goal of the program is to protect the citizens and property in the Champions community through proactive, risk‐based fire safety inspections of commercial businesses and public buildings — such as retail stores, restaurants, bars, motels, apartment complexes, warehouses, and industrial facilities — within the community.
“The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office is excited to partner with Champions ESD on this pilot program,” said Harris County Fire Marshal Mike Montgomery. “Together, we created a risk reduction strategy that will improve the identification and correction of fire‐related hazards in commercial and public buildings. This proactive approach will reduce fire risk and consequence when compared to reactive methods of the past.”
David Parker, a commissioner with Harris County ESD 29 stated, “Champions ESD is committed to working with public and private partners within our district to promote fire and life safety initiatives and improve fire prevention. Resources provided by our constituents allowed Champions ESD to partner with the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office, go outside the standard fire and emergency services matrix, and offer enhanced fire inspection programs tailored to our customers’ needs and expectations.” Champions ESD Fire Chief Dan Shelor sees the program as a benefit to the firefighters as well. “Not only does a program like this help protect our citizens, but it also helps to protect firefighters from risks that may otherwise go unidentified.”
Initial inspections, conducted by HCFMO specialists, will begin August 15 and are projected to take 18 months to complete. Subsequent, periodic inspections will be risk‐based, with the frequency determined by the occupancy type, intended use, and associated fire history of each building or tenant space.
The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office is committed to protecting the lives and property of citizens in the unincorporated areas of Harris County through effective fire prevention, fire investigation, education and emergency response. For additional information about the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office or this program, please call (713) 274‐1700, or visit www.hcfmo.net