FESA Director at EGSC set to publish textbook in May 2021

Director and Associate Professor of the Fire and Emergency Services Administration (FESA) degree program at East Georgia State College, Beverley Walker, will have an academic textbook published in May 2021, entitled “Community Risk Reduction: Principles and Practice.” The publisher is Jones & Bartlett Learning, a division of Ascend Learning. The textbook will be available in late June.
The textbook meets the requirements for the Community Risk Reduction course model curriculum published by the National Fire Academy through the Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE) section. This course is taught at East Georgia State College as part of the Bachelor of Arts in FESA required curriculum.
“When the FESA program first began at EGSC, I was surprised to find that there was not a recommended textbook for the Community Risk Reduction course,” said Walker. “Since this was my area of expertise and my passion during my fire service career, I thought it only fitting that I should fill that gap and assist others that may not have a background in CRR.”
Community Risk Reduction, or CRR, is a process that involves a primary approach to safety and prevention of fires and unintentional injuries in today’s communities. It is a targeted and systematic process that has proven successful in communities throughout America.

“This book will not only be used by colleges and universities across the country that utilize the FESHE curriculum, it will be used by practitioners, chief officers, and students at the National Fire Academy. It is my ‘giveback’ for my years of service in the field of fire and injury prevention and mitigation,” said Walker.
Beverley has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. She also earned her Master of Education from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. In 2007, Beverley completed the Executive Fire Officer program at the National Fire Academy. Beverley holds multiple certifications and awards as a result of her commitment to fire and emergency services and the safety of the community.
Prior to joining the faculty at EGSC, Beverley’s 25-year fire service career started with the LaGrange Fire Department in LaGrange, Georgia. After 15 years of service as a firefighter, educator, and investigator for the citizens of LaGrange, she continued her work with Hall County Fire Services in Gainesville, Georgia. She continued her work in prevention as a lieutenant in the Fire Marshal’s Office at Hall County Fire Services, in charge of the community education programs. While at Hall County Fire, Beverley was recognized as the State of Georgia Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year for 2007.
Beverley was instrumental in developing a multitude of programs and events to promote safety in the community. She worked with a variety of organizations and communities to provide safety education, promote behavioral changes, and provide safety equipment for the benefit of all ages.