As part of our educational outreach, MySafe:LA is visiting elementary schools in Los Angeles. Initially targeting 4th and 5th grade classrooms in Los Angeles Unified School District campuses, our programs are fun and engaging. Fire Safety Courses for LAUSD students include presentation, quizzes, and as a bonus, firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department. We’re delivering a program that is unique, has some power behind it, and is the foundation for ongoing educational prowess.

MySafe:LA has been actively working in schools since 2009. Today’s visits now include more video, more materials, and increased interactive demonstrations. With additional support from grants and gifts, we’ve been able to add to the school outreach budget. Our partners at the Los Angeles Fire Department have been praising our work, and its clear we’re giving fire companies a break relative to the logistics, scheduling, and support that public education programs require.

Each school presentation lasts approximately one hour. MySafe:LA instructors cover important aspects of fire safety, include LA firefighters in the discussion, and if the class performs (and they nearly always do), MySafe:LA and the LAFD invite the students to tour fire apparatus parked safety on the playground or in the parking lot. Note that due to the increased pressure on the LAFD in terms of budget and use of resources, fire companies may leave (and often do) to respond to emergencies.

The objective for the year will be to reach more than 50,000 students in the 4th and 5th grades. The Safe Community Project board of directors will monitor the performance of the LA Chapter (MySafe:LA), and make any recommendations for future improvement.