To prepare and deliver life safety educational programs to the public that effectively reduce identified community risks.

Programs

The Public Education Section provides a variety of age specific fire prevention programs to the public.  These include:

• Pre-School "Learn Not to Burn^©" and "Mis Primeros Pasos^©"
• Programs for K - 8th grade
• Fire and fall prevention for senior citizens
• Injury prevention programs for grades pre-K to 8th
• Fire Prevention for the Workplace
  • Evacuation plans
  • Fire Extinguisher Training
• Fire Station Tours

Services

• Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention
• Career Day Presentations
• Explorer Program
• "After the Fire" tips
• Inspections - day care, home, foster care, hospitals, courtesy inspections

Safety Tips

• Seasonal
  • Fourth of July
  • Halloween
  • Christmas
• Home Fire Safety
• Vacation Fire Safety

These programs are geared for the pre-school children and are part of a nationwide effort by the National Fire Protection Association. The program includes lively songs and activities to teach eight basic fire safety behaviors in English and Spanish.  For more information visit:  NPFA: Mis Primeros Pasos

The Sparky Safety house for Third graders, hands on activity in how to evacuate a home and practice home escape drills.

Fire Prevention Week Season - Call 771-1090 for scheduling events and fire safety programs.  As soon as school starts, begin to make plans for scheduling your program. 

The Fire Department has a courtesy smoke detector installation program  for the elderly.  

“ Remember when^©”  Fire and Fall Prevention program especially geared to the elderly population.  For more information visit:  NFPA: Remembering When

• Lecture, Video, Question and Answer session (about one hour in length)
• Evacuation plans - Public Education can help give advice on an existing evacuation plan and supervise a fire drill.
• Fire Extinguisher Training - This program may include live fire demonstrations.  The requesting party must provide fire extinguishers, matches, charcoal lighter fluid, and wood.

To schedule a tour of your local Fire Station contact the Fire Prevention Division at 771-1090.  Tours should be scheduled two weeks prior to the date requested.

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The Juvenile Firesetters Intervention Program provides educational and counseling intervention to youth and their families who have experienced problems with fire setting behavior.  The  program is used to identify the characteristics and the behaviors of fire setting and aggressively intervene to address the problem.  The program identifies various descriptive characteristics that include curiosity, crisis, delinquency, strategic and pathological.  The characteristics are divided into three areas:  Profile, Family/Social dynamics, and Fire Setting behaviors.  This helps determine the proper course of intervention to be used.

The program is conducted quarterly during the months of January, April, July, and October.  The last Saturday of the month the El Paso Fire Department has a consultant available.

Referrals to the program are received from various sources such as parents, school administrators, law enforcement personnel, fire investigators, and other fire departments.

Participants are placed in age appropriate sessions – 3 to 6 years of age , 7 to 11 years of age, 12 to 16 years of age and parents. It is vital that the parents attend due to the importance and the continue re-enforcement of the program.

Elementary, Middle Schools and others.   For High School career days contact the Training Academy 775-7300.  Topics include what it takes to become a firefighter in the El Paso Fire Department.

Ages 14 to 20 years old, the opportunity to have hands on experience in being in the Fire Department. Bi-monthly meetings which consist of overall Fire Department training and hands on activities.

The Public Education Section also provides the following inspections:

• Daycare
• Foster care, both Commercial and Residential Information about what is required to pass a Fire Inspection
• Home courtesy inspections – usually for Insurance purposes.
• Hospital Inspections: To comply for State Certifications

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Fourth of July

The El Paso Fire Department responds to more fires and serious burn injuries this day than any other during the year.  Children are often burned in the hands or face, usually because of playing with sparklers.  Sparklers can reach temperatures up to 1000⁰ F.

• Remember:  It is against the law to use fireworks in the City of El Paso. You may be fined for either using or possessing fireworks.
• El Paso's hot, dry desert make fire threats more dangerous in the summer.  Be careful with all fireworks and keep a fire extinguisher or water handy at all times when using them.
• Instead of using fireworks, check the newspapers for a list of special fireworks displays.

Halloween

• Be careful of traffic during Trick-or-Treating
• Children should wear costumes that have bright colors or reflectors
• Use care when using candles.  A candle inside a pumpkin or on a candlestick can be dangerous

Christmas

• Keep Christmas Trees Watered to prevent them from drying
• Make sure all lights and extension cords have a label showing they have been tested by an organization such as Factory Mutual or Underwriters Laboratory.
• Inspect all cords to ensure they are not cut, frayed, or damaged in any way. If they are, discard them.
• Never use candles on Christmas Trees
• Keep wrapping paper, decorations, and ribbon away from open flames and hot lights.
• Turn your Christmas lights off when leaving your home.

Home Fire Safety

• Perform a home safety inspection with spring cleaning - Remember most injuries occur in and around the home.  Some can be lethal.  Almost all home injuries can be prevented.
• Store any flammable substances properly.  Flammable substances are those that catch fire easily.  Gasoline is the most common.  Remember:  gasoline vapors can travel several feet and find an ignition source.  Paint, butane, nail polish, lighter fluid and kerosene.
• Heater safety and Fireplaces safety is the primary concern during the winter.
  • Install and check smoke detectors
  • Install and check carbon monoxide detectors
  • Never use gasoline to start a fire in the fireplace
  • Keep wood stacked and covered outdoors
  • Keep the area around fireplace and chimney clean
  • Keep the space around the heater clean.  Don't store combustible items near the heater.
• Check smoke detectors once a month.
• Change detector batteries twice yearly.  A good way to remember is to change them when you change your clocks.
• Place smoke detectors on each level of a home.
• Kitchen safety tips.
  • Keep the area around the stove clear.
  • Move pan handles so that they don't stick out from the stove.  Otherwise they can get bumped and knocked over.  Also small children may be tempted to grab them spilling hot food and liquid on top of themselves or others.
  • Read your microwave owners manual carefully.  Placing the wrong items in a microwave may start a fire.
• Practice home fire escape plans.
  • Everyone should know what to do if a fire breaks out in a home
  • Remember children may have trouble reacting to a smoke detector's alarm.  They need to be taught what to do.
  • Remember: Plan, Prepare, and Practice escaping from a fire.
  • Visit:  NFPA Fire Escape Plan

Vacation Safety

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