Fire safety awareness index

Esta Kaal, research expert Tallinn University Institute of Communication

Estonian Rescue Board

Fire Safety Awareness Index

• What it is?

• Why index?

–Why not just awareness as a measurement indicator?

The Indicator into Strategy

• The Fire Safety Awareness Index is one of indicators in the Estonian Rescue Board Strategy for 2025.

– The target level is 70.

What is an index?

• An integrated indicator that is calculated based on two or more sub-indicators that have a different weights.

• The index – like any indicator – should

–have good validity

–be reliable.

Why the index? (1)

• Need for an holistic picture about public awareness, attitudes and behaviour in the area of household fire prevention.

Fire Safety Awareness Survey

• The data collection method

– Telephone interviews among adult population

–Representative sample

–2200 respondents

Ensuring validity of survey data

• Including the components of the basic model of behaviour change

– awareness, attitudes and behaviour

• Indicators which describe the informed fire prevention behaviour by people at home and are:

– measurable via the survey method;

– influenced by the prevention activities that used by the Rescue Board

Knowledge

fire progress to dangerous (during 5 min )

recognition of smoke detector noise

knows how to use the fire extinguisher (“sure I know” )

call 112 if fire accident

Attitudes

fire extinguisher at home ("very important”)

smoke detector at home ("very useful")

very interested in fire safety information

Behaviour

have a fire extinguisher in home (% of households)

have the smoke detector in home (% of households)

no one smokes at home inside

Preventive Behaviour

have talked about the fire safety at home

fireplace owners have done/ordered the

cleaning/maintainance work

the working order of the smoke detector has been

controlled during last month.

Fire Safety Awareness Index

Why the index? (1 + 1)

• Need for an holistic picture about public awareness, attitudes and behaviour in the area of household fire prevention.

• Need for an “all in one” indicator that simplifies the complexity of sub-indicators.

20 Knowledge

5 fire progress to dangerous (during 5 min )

5 recognition of smoke detector noise

5 knows how to use the fire extinguisher (“sure I know” )

5 call 112 if fire accident

20 Attitudes

5 fire extinguisher at home ("very important”)

5 smoke detector at home ("very useful")

10 very interested in fire safety information

30 Behaviour

10 have a fire extinguisher in home (% of households)

10 have the smoke detector in home (% of households)

10 no one smokes at home inside

30 Preventive Behaviour

10 have talked about the fire safety at home

10

fireplace owners have done/ordered the

cleaning/maintainance work

10

the working order of the smoke detector has been

controlled during last month.

100 Fire Safety Awareness Index

2009

20 Knowledge 12

5 fire progress to dangerous (during 5 min ) 49%

5 recognition of smoke detector noise 71%

5 knows how to use the fire extinguisher (“sure I know” ) 45%

5 call 112 if fire accident 82%

20 Attitudes 7

5 fire extinguisher at home ("very important”) 32%

5 smoke detector at home ("very useful") 75%

10 very interested in fire safety information 20%

30 Behaviour 17

10 have a fire extinguisher in home 23%

10 have the smoke detector in home 78%

10 no one smokes at home inside 73%

30 Preventive Behaviour 18

10 have talked about the fire safety at home 29%

10

fireplace owners have done/ordered the

cleaning/maintainance work 85%

10

the working order of the smoke detector has been

controlled during last month. 65%

100 Fire Safety Awareness Index 55

2009 2013

20 Knowledge 12 12

5 fire progress to dangerous (during 5 min ) 49% 50%

5 recognition of smoke detector noise 71% 66%

5 knows how to use the fire extinguisher (“sure I know” ) 45% 44%

5 call 112 if fire accident 82% 84%

20 Attitudes 7 7

5 fire extinguisher at home ("very important”) 32% 34%

5 smoke detector at home ("very useful") 75% 78%

10 very interested in fire safety information 20% 15%

30 Behaviour 17 18

10 have a fire extinguisher in home 23% 28%

10 have the smoke detector in home 78% 88%

10 no one smokes at home inside 73% 68%

30 Preventive Behaviour 18 18

10 have talked about the fire safety at home 29% 23%

10

fireplace owners have done/ordered the

cleaning/maintainance work 85% 88%

10

the working order of the smoke detector has been

controlled during last month. 65% 52%

100 Fire Safety Awareness Index 55 54

History of index surveys

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

An idea Pilot 500

Sample 2100

Sample 2100

Sample 2200

Sample 2200

Revised. Sample 2200

No survey

Sample 2200 or 1100

Smoke alarm becomes mandatory Auditing

Included to the strategy

Not only index - typology based on attitudes and behaviour

Index: in conclusion

• Is one possibility for simplifying complexity

• Less dynamic data series

- lower sensibility in measuring the instant

impact of communication activities.

+ lower sensibility makes it more stable

towards occasional influences and therefore more suitable for long term planning

Index: in conclusion

• The complexity of the phenomenon makes the building of the index challenging

• Needs to be carefully planned!

Thank you!