Cathy Prudhomme joins NFPAs Firewise Communities Program

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has named Cathy Prudhomme associate project manager of its Firewise Communities Program. Based in the NFPA’s field office in Denver, Prudhomme will manage Firewise and wildland fire youth education programs, developing materials and products that address children as young as preschool all the way to college students.
 
“NFPA’s Firewise program has long focused on what adult decision-makers can do to make their property and communities safer,” said Michele Steinberg, NFPA’s Firewise Communities Program manager. “With this new position, we’ll be able to address the unique opportunity that young people provide — since they will be the decision-makers of the future. Cathy’s experience with crafting effective safety campaigns and developing creative outreach tools will be a great asset as we work toward helping the next generations learn to make decisions with fire safety in mind.”
 
NFPA’s Firewise Communities/USA® Recognition Program includes nearly 750 member communities across the United States that continue their efforts to reduce local wildfire vulnerability and prevent loss of lives and property from wildfire.
 
“Young children, teens and college students — the youth sector — are the people who will ultimately shape the future in terms of their decisions, preferences, and choices of where and how to live,” said Prudhomme. “Our focus will be on developing projects, products, and programs that speak to wildland fire learning for children and young adults.”
 
Before coming to NFPA, Prudhomme worked as program manager for community preparedness with the Colorado Department of Public Safety, and has a career track record in fire safety education. With a decade of experience in the Colorado Springs Fire Department, she focused on Firewise outreach and public education, and coordinated an education and awareness campaign on carbon monoxide poisoning for Kidde Safety/Nighthawk. Prudhomme served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and earned her B.A. degree in communications and marketing from the University of Colorado.