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Community Safety Education
Every member of the Scottsdale Fire Department is an advocate for proactive community education. While our most identifiable actions are emergency response, we are truly dedicated to preventing fires, medical emergencies, and other related issues. A small but very active area of staff is solely dedicated to community developing our prevention programs with focus on childhood and adult injury prevention. In addition to performing other responsibilities, other members of staff are active in community safety education related to fire and rescue prevention.Youth Education and Outreach Programs
Unintentional injury for children begins with education. Scottsdale Fire Department's Community Relations section focuses on ensuring families have the information they need to protect their loved ones. Several safety programs that address high-risk areas have been implemented to meet this goal.The theory behind the programming offered is that it needs to be fun, interactive and taught at the appropriate grade level. Safety classes addressing water, fire and road safety are offered to pre-K, Kindergarten and first grade classes using storybooks to reinforce the learning. For instance, the story "No Dragons for Tea" addresses exit plans, meeting places and smoke alarms. Mini-musters are also used in cshools up to thrid grade with skills stations including exit plans, bucket brigades, turnout races, and "knocking down" a house fire.
Driver safety is being addressed in Scottsdale public middle and high schools. Students benefit from special programming, including crash rescue scenarios and in-classroom presentations. Emergency response training on search and rescue, triage and basic first aid has also been provided to a number of teen clubs and service organizations.
Unique collaborative programs with Scottsdale Police Department have also been developed for teens such as the Public Safety Teen Academy. Students aged 14-18 spend a week with Scottsdale Police and Fire Personnel learning about careers in public safety and building general skills, including how to perform hands-only CPR, use an AED and operate a fire extinguisher. This week-long academy ahs been shown to build character, start friendships and jump-start individuals on their career path.
Adult and Senior Safety Programs
One-third of seniors fall every year and the majority of these individuals fall at home. Since falling can rob individuals of their health and independence, a prevention program was developed to address this critical health problem. The Home Safe Home program is part of the 2Fit2Fall collaborative of the fire department, senior centers and Scottsdale Healthcare, to reduce falls and increase the health and well-being of residents.Home Safe Home volunteers visit seniors int ehir homes, check for tripping and falling hazards, and refer to additional services. Volunteers also discuss fire safety and install a free smoke alarm.
Annually, Scottsdale Fire staff and volunteers gather in target neighborhoods to install new battery-powered smoke alarms in homes free of charge. Since a fire can double in size every 30 seconds, it is critical taht families and individuals be quickly alerted to a fire.
