Santa Barbara County Fire Education Programs

Fire and Life Safety Trailer School Program

Over ten years ago Santa Barbara County Firefighters launched this unique program using a travel trailer specially designed as a two story kid sized home complete with a kitchen, living room and bedroom and 2nd floor balcony. The Fire Safety Trailer is taken to each elementary school and set up for a 50 minute fire and life safety program. This program is delivered by an Engine Company, with three to four firefighters as the teachers working directly with the third grade students.

There are four stations for the students to visit during their Fire Safety Trailer tour: The living room where students learn about typical fire hazards in the home, the kitchen where the students learn about cooking fire safety and where they learn about burns and first-aid treatment. The bedroom where the students learn about the importance of smoke alarms, having an escape plan, knowing two ways out, and having a safe meeting place outside. The fourth station is outside the trailer and is co-taught by an American Red Cross volunteer and firefighter the focus of that training is Disaster Preparedness for the Family , with a focus on making a home disaster survival kit.

The Fire Safety Trailer is one of the most unique and valuable tools firefighters have for teaching public fire safety education. Each year Firefighters throughout Santa Barbara County reach albout 2500 third grade students with lessons from the Fire Safety Trailer. "We know from experience that we've got the right audience in our Third Grade students", comments Captain Charlie Johnson, " the students soak up everything they see and hear. Once at home they get rung out so to speak and as a consequence mom, dad, younger brothers and sisters get to hear all about the safety training. We've heard from the parents that their kids wouldn't quit talking about the Fire Safety Trailer training. We will never know how many tragic stories have been prevented, but that doesn't matter. Our goal is to reduce the incidence of fires, injuries and property damage caused by fires."