This summer, MySafe:LA is embarking on a new pilot, that will hopefully add yet another dimension to our education process. We’re visiting LA Public Libraries and combining literacy education with fire safety awareness.

As our initial pilot, we arranged a visit with the Memorial Branch of the LAPL in the heart of Los Angeles. We shared a video with the kids (and their parents), let them tour the fire apparatus (and sprayed some water – it was hot!), and watched a demo of what firefighters wear when they respond to an emergency.

Back inside, we reviewed what home safety is all about, and read from several books provided by the library. A good portion of the success for the visit was due to the excellent collaboration by the library staff. Ms. Frances Mendelsohn was a joy to work with, and she arranged for a nice array of firefighter related books to be on hand. According to her, the kids were snapping them up left and right – and reading.

We’re looking forward to creating a larger program around literacy and fire safety for next summer.