Prevention & Education

The Colville Indian Reservation has had a fire prevention program for almost twenty years and is currently one of the leading prevention programs in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  The Fire Prevention Program employs one Fire Prevention Officer and two assistants whose primary duty is fire safety education and public relations.

Throughout the year the prevention staff conducts different presentations about fire safety all over the reservation.

In the spring the prevention staff visits the elementary schools on the reservation to talk about fire safety to children from Headstart to forth grade.  The main focus of these presentations is to teach the younger children not to play with fire or matches.  The older children are taught the many uses of fire, and the difference between safe and unsafe fire use.

During this time the prevention staff begins issuing public notices regarding fire use on the Colville reservation.  On March 1st of every year burn permits become required for any type of outdoor burning on the reservation.  Many residents of the Colville Indian Reservation request burn permits for different things such as debris burning or traditional uses.  As a result, many of these sites have to be inspected by the prevention staff for safety before a Burn Permit can be approved.

In the later spring months we begin making Smokey Bear appearances at local rodeos and parades.  These public Smokey appearances continue throughout the summer including local powwows and festivals like the Omak Stampede, and the Okanogan County Fair. 

Also in the summer the prevention staff carries out its biggest prevention campaign of the year, the 4th of July Holiday.  Though the evidence speaks for itself, the message must still be conveyed: “Fireworks can start fires”.  So it is important that we try to educate everyone we can on how they can be safe with fireworks and still have fun.  Along with fireworks safety messages, the prevention staff also distributes notices of updated fire restrictions as the fire danger increases with the summer heat.  These fire restrictions can vary from banning random campfires to completely banning all open flame burning and spark emitting industrial operations on the reservation.

In the fall the prevention staff begins issuing public notices removing fire restrictions as the weather cools down and fire danger decreases. Once again the fire prevention staff begins conducting school presentations, but this time the focus is on fire safety in the home.  Although the Mount Tolman Fire Center does not fight structure fires we believe it is important to educate the children of the Colville Reservation on fire safety in the home.  Working in conjunction with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, and the Inland Empire Fire Prevention Educators allows us to bring the E.D.I.T.H. house trailer to the elementary schools on the reservation.  E.D.I.T.H stands for Exit Drills In The Home, and teach young children how to safely exit their homes in the event of a structure fire. 

During this time of the year the prevention staff begin conducting assessments for fire danger to homes in the Wildland-Urban Interface.  A WUI home is one that is located in a rural area, typically timbered or rangeland, which has a high probability of being damaged or destroyed when threatened by a wildfire.  The assessment covers what risks are present, and what steps can be taken to lessen these risks.  Homeowners within the boundary of the reservation can request a home assessment by filling out this application.  These assessments continue throughout the winter and into the spring.