Mark your calendars!  Our next Safety & Career Expo is Saturday, October 13th, 2012 - from 10am to 2pm, at 100 E. Lexington Avenue in El Cajon!

Thank you  To our 2011 Title Sponsor – San Diego Gas & Electric and to our Community Sponsor - Mission Federal Credit Union!  Thank you for your generous support!

Our annual event provides valuable safety, health and career information. There’s something for every member of the family!

Pick up materials from over 50 health organizations, such as; the Office of Emergency Services, American Red Cross and San Diego Gas & Electric!  This is the perfect “free” family event!   We welcome some 4 to 5 thousand vistors every year!

A BIG ”thank you” to our additional Community 2011 Sponsors & Organizations taking part:

We welcomed Katelyn Bruggema – who will be singing the National Anthem at our noon ceremony!

Essex Sound – Providing sound equipment for our event

Granite Hills High School provided tables for our displays!

Rubios – El Cajon provided food for our volunteers!

Third Alarm Coffee!  – Provided coffee and donuts

Little Fire Truck Company – had their fire truck display

Viejas  – Provided water for our volunteers

2011 Event Highlights

*Miss El Cajon & Miss Mother Goose representatives

*Firefighters from Heartland Fire & Rescue from the City of El Cajon

*Officers from the El Cajon Police Department

*The Kiwanis of East San Diego County provided “free” safety helmets for the children – 450 helmets were given away!

KID’s Safety Zone: 

*Coasty – The Coast Guard Auxiliary with Coastie the talking boat

*El Cajon Police 9-1-1 For Kids! – kids were taught when & how to call 9 -1-1, and they met Red E. Fox!

*Fire Safety Inflatable House

*Fire & Police emergency vehicles

*Home Depot’s Kids Workshop – had special kits to build a fire truck, a helicopter and much more!

*Rapid Tatts – provided face painting

Exhibits/Groups provided:

*American Red Cross – Disaster Preparedness Information

*Automobile Club of Southern California - Driving safety

*Borrego Community Health Foundation – health information

*Buds Work Boots – Foot safety, especially at the workplace

*Burn Institute - Burn prevention information

*CAL Fire - Fire prevention information

*CASA – Communities Against Substance Abuse

*Centro Medico El Cajon – Health Information

*City of El Cajon Community Development & Building and Fire Safety - fire safety

*City of El Cajon Stormwater Display

*City of El Cajon Recreation Department  – Great programs for the whole family!

*Communities Against Substance Abuse – Drug prevention information

*County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health – Hazardous Materials Division – HIRT Team

*Cuyamaca College – Water Conservation Garden

*East County CERT – Community Emergency Response Team

*East County Gazette Newspaper

*El Cajon Branch Library -  What’s available at your local library

*El Cajon Fire Museum – find out how you can help build this special museum!

*Emergency Animal Rescue

*Fire Pump & Hose - Home Fire Safety

*Gafcon, Inc -   The new El Cajon Police Station!

*Heartland Fire & Rescue - safety information

*Home Start - Family health information

*Lakeside Amateur Radio Club - Amateur radio the only form of communication during a disaster when all else fails.

*Office of Emergency Service – Register for the reserve 9-1-1 system

*Pacific Safety Council - Safe Driving Information

*San Diego Gas & Electric - Energy Saving Tips & Safety Information – Our Title Sponsor!!!

*The Water Garden – Cuyamaca College

*Trauma Intervention Program – TIP – Citizen’s Helping Citizen’s In Crisis

For Seniors:

*AARP

*Aging & Independent Services

*San Diego Fall Prevention Task Force

*Thrive Forever – emergency preparedness kits

Career Section provided:

*What it takes to become a firefighter or police officer!

*Army National Guard

*Cuyamaca College

*EMSTA College – Learn what it takes to become a paramedic, emt etc.

*Firefighter Reserve program information

*San Diego County Sheriff’s Department

*Southwestern College – Law Enforcement Programs

*University of Phoenix

We look forward to seeing you on October 13, 2012!

*If you provide valuable safety or health information, or would like to be a contributing sponsor or food sponsor - and would like to be a part of our Fire Expo 2012 – please contact event coordinator Monica Zech at (619) 441-1737 or email mzech@cityofelcajon.us or monicazech@cox.net.    “Thank you!”

Good defensible space allows firefighters to protect and save buildings or structures safely without facing unacceptable risk to their lives. Fuel reduction through vegetation management is the key to creating good defensible space.

The following link will connect you with some great information provide by the California Fire Safe Council:

http://www.firesafecouncil.org/education/attachments/getready.pdf

At 7:03 a.m. Wednesday morning, El Cajon Fire crews responded to a trailer home fire at the Horseshoe Trailer Park, located at 150 South Anza, Space 1B. As crews arrived they found a 30-foot trailer home fully involved. Firefighters had the fire knocked down in less than 10 minutes. Their quick action kept the fire from spreading to nearby trailers, and the fire was contained to the one trailer and an attached patio area. An elderly man was at home, inside the trailer, when the fire started; he was able to escape unharmed.

Damage has been estimated at $50,000 for the one bedroom trailer home, and $7,000 for its contents. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is now under investigation, but it appears to be accidental. The American Red Cross is now assisting the displaced couple with temporary housing.

Note: There was no working smoke alarm in this trailer. The heat of the flames caused the man to wake up and escape. He was fortunate. In homes with no working smoke alarms most often occupants will die of smoke inhalation before flames reach them. Make sure your home has a working smoke alarm, one for each level of your home, and another just outside the sleeping areas for added protection. For additional safety information please visit our website at www.elcajonfire.com.

Photos taken by El Cajon Deputy Fire Marshal Tom Hamma