SAFE Program

Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) is a grant program to local fire departments that puts trained firefighter-educators in classrooms to conduct fire safety education in grades Pre-K through 12. The primary mission of S.A.F.E. is to enable students to recognize the dangers of fire and the fire hazards of tobacco products. S.A.F.E. trains firefighters to deliver age-appropriate fire and life safety lessons in close coordination with classroom teachers and health educators.

How is S.A.F.E. Funded? S.A.F.E. began in FY ’96. During the first seven years of the program, S.A.F.E. was funded by the tobacco tax (Health Protection Fund), because smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths. S.A.F.E. is currently funded by a state appropriation from general revenue funds distributed by the Executive Office of Public Safety. In FY ’14, 225 fire departments shared $1,200,000 in funding. Partnerships in the Classroom The S.A.F.E. program fosters a working partnership among firefighters, classroom teachers, and health educators. These professionals work together to introduce key fire safety behaviors such as Stop, Drop, and Roll; Making and Practicing Home Escape Plans; andReporting Fires and Emer-gencies to children. Often, these fire safety behaviors are easily combined with math, science, language arts, health, or physical education lessons to complement the classroom curriculum.

Key Fire Safety Behaviors The S.A.F.E. program identifies 23 Key Fire Safety Behaviorsthat are taught in developmentally appropriate ways. The behaviors include: • Smoke Alarm Maintenance • Making and Practicing Home Escape Plans • Crawl Low Under Smoke • Stop, Drop and Roll • Match and Lighter Safety • Kitchen Fire and Burn Safety • Reporting Fires and Emergencies