SAFE and Public Education Programs

The purposes of the SAFE and public education programs are listed below:

School-based SAFE and Senior SAFE programs in Wayland:

To create community partnerships and collaborate with the purpose of improving fire and life safety education for children within the school system as well as in the community and homes of seniors.

School-based SAFE (Daycare/Pre-K through 5th Grade):

To provide fire and life safety education to school-aged children in order for them to recognize the dangers of fire. Our main focus is to teach children how to prevent fire-related injuries and recognize potential fire hazards along with other life safety hazards.  We also teach children to pass along what they have learned to other children and household members.

Using the Massachusetts Public Fire and Safety Education Curriculum Planning Guidebook, SAFE educators have created many age and grade appropriate fire and life safety programs to teach to children.

Subjects include: stop drop cover and roll, 911, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, exit drills in the home, ice safety, hot and cold weather emergencies, proper hydration, flammable liquids and many others.

The Wayland Fire Department also offers an internship program to Wayland High School seniors, 16-18 years old who are interested in pursuing a career in fire/ems services.  Students aged 16-17 need parental permission to participate.

Senior SAFE (COA):

In partnership with the Wayland Council on Aging (COA), to provide fire and life safety education to seniors in order for them to recognize the dangers of fire, poisoning, falls and other medical emergencies including the fire hazards that smoking related materials pose.

Programs associated with Senior SAFE include: smoke and carbon monoxide alarm installations, the Way-Secure Program, home safety evaluations, lock box installations, the Safety Net Tracking System program, and fire extinguisher training.

Public Education within the Community:

Other programs that are offered to the public are as follows: citizens fire academy every two years, fire extinguisher training with a practical portion, CPR and First Aid training, internship program for students enrolled in college.

The following represents the core mission of the SAFE program from the Department of Fire Services:

The Student Awareness of Fire Education program is a fire prevention education program designed to equip elementary, intermediate, and high school students with skills for recognizing the dangers of fire, including the fire risks posed by smoking-related materials. The program utilizes specially trained firefighters to teach fire and life safety education. Many of the firefighters are trained emergency medical technicians who have seen the catastrophic health effects of smoking-induced illnesses.

The SAFE educator serves as a role model for impressionable youth while providing students with firsthand knowledge of the dangers associated with fire, age-appropriate information on preventing and surviving those fires that occur, and through a core school-based program, affect a change in the behavior and the safety of the community at large.

The SAFE program is designed to create a partnership between the school and fire department. Working jointly to reach the goals and objectives of the state’s Curriculum Frameworks and the Common Core of Learning, firefighters teach the Key Fire Safety Behaviors using the Massachusetts Public Fire and Life Safety Education Curriculum Planning Guidebook and model teamwork for the students.

Department of Fire Services https://www.mass.gov/fire-safety-for-the-public