On March 7, Deputy Mayor Joe Garcia rode along with Battalion Chief Jeff Sargis for several hours. The Deputy Mayor experienced field operations including responding to several emergency calls along with the engine and ambulance crews.
Over the past week, firefighters participated in our in-house annual wildland firefighting operations refresher training which included a proctored hike in the southeast area of Escondido, radio operations and firefighter safety and survival techniques. Also, our firefighters trained with a CALFIRE hand crew and Rancho Santa Fe Fire’s water tender. This training is one of several “warm up” events to prepared our personnel for the upcoming fire season.
The annual San Diego Burn Institute “Fill the Boot”fund drive took place throughout San Diego County on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Escondido firefighters were at the intersections at Broadway & Hwy 78 and at Via Rancho Parkway & I-15 from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and the generosity of the community was overwhelming!
In addition, Plan 9 Alehouse partnered this year with the Escondido Firefighters to host a fundraiser event on Tuesday March 7 where cash and electronic donations for the Burn Institute were collected and a portion of the proceeds from sales that night were also donated. Earlier that day, Firefighter Paramedic Tyler Wolf, Burn Institute Executive Director Tessa Haviland and Plan 9 Alehouse brew master Chris Riley visited the Fox 5 and CBS 8 studios to talk about how the fundraisers benefit the Burn Institute and our community.
This year, between the event at Plan 9 Alehouse and funds collected on March 9, $8,182 were donated! And these donations are so important because the Burn Institute provides so many important programs in our community.
The Burn Institute provides other valuable programs to the community such as:
Youth Firesetter Intervention Program which uses evidence-based risk assessment tools and education to intervene in dangerous fire setting behavior and stop it at the source. This program is available in English and Spanish and is free of charge to residents in San Diego County. Each year, several children in Escondido are referred to this effective program.
Fire Safe Kids education program for elementary school age children that is delivered at schools in partnership with local Fire Prevention officers. Thousands of children have been impacted by this program in Escondido.
Fire Safe Senior program that provides free smoke alarms to homeowners 62 and over. More than 100 smoke alarms have been installed in senior citizen’s homes in Escondido over the past three years through this program.
