TITLE:
The Fire Station as an Essential Tool in Urban Community Development: The Case of Chepo, Panama
AUTHORS:
Jeffrey S. Smith, Jorge D. Coromac, Victor Raul Alvarez
KEYWORDS:
Urban Development, Global South, Fire Station, Chepo, Panama
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.4 No.3,
September
14,
2016
ABSTRACT: As the world’s population becomes increasingly urban, efforts to improve the quality
of life among the impoverished must turn to cities. The literature asserts that the
most successful programs in the fight against poverty are those that are implemented
and managed by local community members. Moreover, the personnel in charge of
distributing aid must have: 1) the trust and confidence of the community, 2) experience
with community outreach, 3) a record of disseminating useful information,
and 4) a clear understanding of local cultural traditions. The fire department is an
often overlooked community resource that fulfills these requirements. Within the
city of Chepo, Panama the fire station has successfully by-passed the thick layers of
bureaucracy and is effectively reaching the city’s urban poor. Fire departments in
other cities throughout the Global South might consider emulating the example set
by Chepo.