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Community Education Programs

Are you thinking of starting a new fire or life safety program in your community and want to talk with someone who is active in the program?  Here is a sampling of programs and contacts, if available, around the state.

If you are involved in a new program and would like to share it with other Texas public educators or would like to serve as a contact for a program listed, please email us with information.

Car Seat Safety

Placing children in age- and size-appropriate car and booster seats can reduce their risk of being injured or killed in a crash by more than half.

Citizen Programs

CART (Community Action Response Team) Program

A program, whose members may be Citizens Fire Academy Alumni, that provides customer assistance and support to families who are victims of fire or other emergencies.

U.S. Fire Administration CART information

CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) Program

A program to train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities and to give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.

Citizencorps CERT information
Mariah Armitage, Plano Dept. of Emergency Management and Homeland Security - (972) 941-5551

Citizen Wildfire Ecology Specialist Certification Program (CWES class)

A certification program that teaches citizens how to reduce their community’s hazards from wildfire in the Wildfire Urban Interface (WUI).  Topics covered include

  • Fire Ecology,
  • Fire Physics and Behavior,
  • Wildland Firefighter's View/Perspective of the UWI,
  • Wildfire Prevention,
  • Wildfire Mitigation - Structural and Landscaping Modifications to Reduce Ignition in the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ),
  • and Community Involvement - Spreading the Message of Prevention/Mitigation Across Texas. 

The program consists of classroom hours, a personal project, and a field trip.  It is delivered by a specialist from the Texas A&M Forest Service.

TX A&M Forest Service CWES information
Lexi Maxwell, UWI Specialist, Texas A&M Forest Service - (512) 321-2467

 Citizens Fire Academy

A program designed to raise awareness of your department’s services and fire and life safety.

  • Randie Frisinger, Grapevine Fire Department - (817) 410-8100
  • Peggy Harrell, Plano Fire Department - (972) 941-7421
  • Wendi Kimpton, Farmers Branch Fire Department - (972) 919-2650
Fire Corps

A program designed to bring community members into local fire and emergency service departments to assist them with non-emergency tasks.

Cooking Safety

Disaster Preparedness

Egress Programs

  • EDITH – Exit Drills in the Home
  • Have an Exit Strategy - An initiative to raise awareness about simple fire safety rules and knowing how to safely get out of buildings during emergency situations.

Electrical Safety in the Home

Fire and Injury Prevention for Children – School Delivery

  • Wendi Kimpton, Farmers Branch Fire Department - (972) 919-2650
  • Peggy Harrell, Plano Fire Department - (972) 941-7421

Fire Extinguisher Programs

Programs generally include a lesson about the different types of fire extinguishers, the appropriate extinguisher for specific uses, and correct handling and activation of an extinguisher.

Fire Safety Clown Programs

 Department members transform into clowns to teach fire safety lessons, generally to large groups of elementary aged children.

  • Stacie Durham, McKinney Fire Department - (972) 547-2893
  • Wendi Kimpton, Farmers Branch Fire Department - (972) 919-2650
  • Bryan Jarvis, Lewisville Fire Department - (972) 219-3400

Fire Safety Curriculum – School Delivery

  • Fire Safety for Texans - A series of fire and burn prevention curriculum guides (K-12) developed by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.  Curriculum guides may be downloaded for free.
  • What Can You Do? - A curriculum for elementary students developed by the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal.
  • It's Up To You! - A curriculum for middle school students developed by the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal.
  • The Chemistry of Fire - A curriculum for high school students developed by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and Discovery Education.

Fire Safety House

Generally, a mobile trailer, containing a kitchen, living room and bedroom, where children locate potential fire hazards and practice safe behaviors.  The house has a smoke machine that creates a fire simulation so students can learn how to exit the house safely.

Fire Safety Programs for Preschoolers

Fire Sprinkler Programs

Heating Equipment Safety

  • Keeping Your Community Safe and Warm – Tool kit
  • More Ways to Keep Your Community Safe and Warm – Tool kit
    Both at NFPA

Home Fire Safety Inspection Programs

A member(s) of the fire department makes home visits to conduct a home safety inspection, make safety recommendations, and educate residents.

  • Wendi Kimpton, Farmers Branch Fire Department - (972) 919-2650
  • Stacie Durham, McKinney Fire Department - (972) 547-2893

Senior Fire Safety and Falls Prevention

  • Remembering When™
    Stacie Durham, McKinney Fire Department - (972) 547-2893
  • Prevent Fire. Save Lives.
    Randie Frisinger, Grapevine Fire Department – (817) 410-8100
  • Preventing Falls: What Works A CDC Compendium of Effective Community-based Interventions from Around the World and Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults
    Both at Centers for Disease Control

Smoke Alarm Installation

  • Residential Fire H.E.L.P. Partnership
    Centers for Disease Control Fire HELP
    Lynell M. Bond, Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County - (817) 336-0912
  • We’re Out to Alarm Texas (smoke alarm program for low income and elderly)
    State Fire Marshal's office
    Mark Hanna, Insurance Council of Texas
    Chief Tim Dedear, Farmers Branch Fire Department - (972) 919-2656
  • Smoke Alarm Assistance Hotline Program
    Peggy Harrell, Plano Fire Department - (972) 941-7421

Disposal of smoke alarms information may be found at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Smoking and Fire Safety

Water Safety Programs

Workplace Safety

Fire Warden Training

  • Wendi Kimpton, Farmers Branch Fire Department - (972) 919-2650
    Peggy Harrell, Plano Fire Department - (972) 941-7421

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Last updated: 05/06/2013



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Translation by WorldLingo