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Community Relations

Community Relations is a division of Fire & Rescue under the Community Safety Section and provides fire prevention and safety programs and information to the public. Community Relations consists of two branches - public education and public information.

Public Information

Public Information is responsible for creating and distributing fire & rescue related information internally and to the public through various media outlets. The Public Information Office responds to community inquiries regarding fire and rescue incidents; partners with various media sources in providing information to the public; responds to community inquiries regarding fire and rescue incidents; providing information to the public regarding departmental changes and events; providing speakers for fire and injury prevention presentations and partner with various media sources in providing information to the public.

For more information contact:

Kim Y. Hylander
Senior Communications Analyst
703-792-6162
[email protected]

 

Public Education - Fire & Life Safety Education/Outreach

Public Education is responsible for developing and delivering fire and harm prevention programs using innovative educational tools and resources. This branch works with the Operations Section and community volunteers. Programs include:

Child Safety Seats

Did you know that as many as 85% of child safety seats are defective or incorrectly installed? Is your family riding safe?

Through education, training, enforcement, outreach and legislation the Safe Kids Coalition seeks to ensure that all children from birth to age 16 are properly restrained in the correct restraint system every time they travel in a motor vehicle. Child restraint devices must be properly used and meet standards adopted by the United States Department of Transportation. The Safe Kids Coalition sponsors community child safety seat inspections and encourages everyone to have their child safety seats inspected throughout the year.

At this time, the Prince William County Fire and Rescue System is no longer offering this community service. Please contact or visit the following resources for additional information on child safety seats and/or upcoming safety seat inspections:

Saving Prince William’s Littles

Website - https://savingprincewilliamslittles.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savingprincewilliamslittles

https://www.facebook.com/savingnovaslittles/

Loudoun County – Saving Loudoun’s Littles
https://www.facebook.com/SavingLoudounsLittles/

Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/sheriff/community-free-child-safety-seat-inspections#:~:text=To%20ensure%20that%20children%20are,inspect%20safety%20seats%20by%20appointment

Virginia Department of Health – Virginia Safety Seat Inspection Locator
https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/child-passenger-safety/safety-seat-checks/

NHTSA – National Safety Seat Inspection Locator
https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats#install-inspection

For information on assistance programs for low-income residents who cannot afford a safety seat, contact the Virginia Department of Health Center for Injury and Violence Prevention at 1-800-732-8333.

  • Fire Safety Second Grade Program - This is a free educational program in which 58 elementary schools in Prince William County are visited by firefighters from their local fire station. Second grade students receive life saving lessons in fire prevention and fire protection. The program is planning to add home school students and private schools in the near future. Teachers should call 703-792-7736 to be added to the roster of elementary schools. Lessons include: Stop, Drop and Roll; When to call 9-1-1; Do Not Play with Fire; Cooking Safety and Electrical Safety.
  • Smoke Alarm Program - This is a free prevention and educational program. Call 703-792-7736 to request that your alarms be checked or that alarms be installed in your home. On-going programs also target high risk groups including senior citizens families with children families in older homes (built before 1984) and families with special needs.

During the alarm inspection or installation citizens are educated about:

  1. How and where to install smoke alarms
  2. When to test smoke alarms
  3. When to change smoke alarm batteries
  4. What a smoke alarm sounds like when working properly
  5. What a smoke alarm sounds like when the batteries are low
  6. Creating and practicing an escape plan in case of a home fire
  7. Kitchen fire safety

 

  • File of Life Program -  The program is designed to enable fire and rescue personnel the ability to obtain a quick and accurate medical history of a patient when a patient or family member is unable to provide one. The “File of Life” information card provides an area to list contact information for the patient’s doctor, family members, insurance information and any other special circumstances that rescue personnel should know in caring for the patient. Chief Tom LaBelle states, “During an emergency, “the File of Life is an additional communication tool that enables first responders to quickly access a patient’s vital medical history when a patient cannot do so.“

Additional resources:

Public Education Request

Please click on the link below to complete your request for Public Education event.

 

**All requested submissions must be received at least one month prior to your event.**

 

PUB ED REQUEST FORM

 

For more information contact:

Fire & Life Safety Education/Community Outreach Coordinator
703-792-7736
[email protected]