By Kelli Hernandez
HAHIRA — The city of Hahira took another step toward ensuring the safety of its citizens when the city’s first fire prevention officer was sworn in Wednesday.
Mike Kufrovich will be responsible for fire inspections of all local businesses annually in addition to working from an educational standpoint with local schools, childcare facilities and civic organizations to take a more proactive stance on fire safety.
The United States has one of the highest fire fatality rates among other industrialized countries. According to Chief Dwight Bennett, this is a result of departments not taking a proactive role in educating citizens and business owners about fire prevention.
Kufrovich stated that the Hahira Fire Department will transition to a new philosophy on fire safety to include all ages and education year-round.
“Fire prevention is not just for young kids in schools; it’s for everyone. If we can work to make the buildings fire safe, it helps everybody all around,” Kufrovich said. “The inspector is the baseline to firefighting. If there is good inspection and prevention, we don’t have to fight as many fires.”
With Hahira’s growth in population, Bennett stated that the position is necessary to handle the increase in calls and the growing demand for an in-house inspector.
In previous years Lowndes County took on the responsibility of Hahira inspections. However, calls to the department have increased 300 percent during the past two years, and Hahira has seen five fire fatalities in the last 25 years.
“That will be the gauge,” Kufrovich explained. “If we can look back 25 years from now and see only one or no fire fatalities reduced from five, that would be tremendous.”
Kufrovich is no stranger to service. As a retired member of the U.S. Air Force, he also works in the hospital emergency room as an Emergency Medical Technician and a volunteer firefighter for Lowndes County.
“I have a very understanding wife,” Kufrovich joked.
Kufrovich’s wife, Angie, was given the honor of pinning her husband with his official badge during the ceremony.
“It is a privilege and an honor to be part of Chief Bennett’s staff and moving Hahira to a fire safe community,” Kufrovich said after he was officially pinned.
“We all look forward to many years of great service,” Bennett said. “It’s only going to get better from here.”
The department is continuously working to find better and more efficient ways to serve the citizens of Hahira. In December 2005 the department faced an evaluation of its services to determine its insurance service rating. That evaluation resulted in a savings of approximately $100-$150 per household.
“The Hahira Fire Department worked diligently to lower its ISO rating from a 7 to its current rating of a 4. This has saved the citizens of Hahira approximately $350,000 per year,” Bennett said. “Our Fire Prevention program continues the fire department’s quest to reduce the potential hazards for its citizens, and to reduce the legal liabilities to our local businesses.”
ISO ratings are used by insurance companies and formulated based on operation, readiness equipment, manpower, training and other factors. Lower ISO ratings mean a reduction in household insurance premiums for citizens, according to Bennett.
