Community Risk Reduction
The Community Risk Reduction Department contributes to community safety and prosperity through the systematic mitigation of risk. Staff identifies and analyzes community risks to determine the cause and targets for program development. Staff works with the development community and partner agency staff to help build safe communities; with community stakeholders and residents to maintain and enhance safety at the neighborhood level; and with several other agencies and stakeholders to evaluate losses and improve mitigation through engineering, education, and enforcement. The Department is comprised of the following three sections:
PLAN REVIEW & CONSTRUCTION
The Planning and Development Services Section interacts with developers, architects, and engineers to meet the fire protection requirements for buildings and developments by reviewing certain development and construction plans and proposals in OCFA’s jurisdiction. This includes tract and parcel maps, permits for conditional use, site development, coastal development, and other items related to the developmental process.
FIRE SAFETY INSPECTIONS & OPERATING PERMITS
The Prevention Field Services Section assists stakeholders in maintaining and enhancing safe communities. We accomplish this by conducting fire safety inspections, educating about and enforcing applicable fire codes and ordinances, and ensuring that public safety issues are researched and addressed as appropriate. There are five regional offices that focus the risk reduction efforts more closely to the risks of the individual communities.
WILDFIRE PREVENTION & EDUCATION
The Wildland Pre-Fire Management Section takes a proactive approach to wildland fire prevention through the systematic evaluation of risk, fuels mitigation, road maintenance, vegetation management/home hardening education, plus ongoing collaboration with partner organizations, landowners, and communities.