The job of the fire marshal with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District has become so complex that new Fire Marshal Chris Bachman also carries the title of assistant fire chief.
Bachman manages the district Fire Prevention Bureau, which includes five main units: Code Enforcement, Engineering, Public Education, Fire Investigation and Exterior Hazard Control. But the fire marshal sees his No. 1 goal with the district as the exploration and implementation of community risk reduction.
"We evaluate the hazards, identify the problems and create a plan to prevent catastrophes from occurring," Bachman said. "Educating people on compliance is crucial to achieving that goal."
Bachman cited Lafayette as an example. Logic tells him, he said, that most Lafayette residents, considering their enormous property values, have working smoke detectors.