Our Fire Department Expo, October 10th was another huge success!

Thank you to our title sponosr 

“Mission Federal Credit Union”

they are dedicated to education in the community.  Fire Safety a key concern and their sponsorship supports their long standing support in the San Diego Community.  At their booth they handed out red plastic fire hat for kids.

Visitors saw a variety of booths from fire prevention to disaster preparedness, careers in the fire service to law enforcement, a safety kids zone, even senior resources, there’s something for everyone at our free family event.  Join us next year October 9th, 2010!

Thank you to our three special celebrities – actress “Samantha Droke” – who starred with Selena Gomez in the Disney movie, “Princess Protection Program” – she is now one of the stars in the new TV show ”Eastwick,” and actor “Allen Evangelista” from the ABC show “Secret Life Of The American Teenager.”

“Thank you to another special guest – Captain Jack Sparrow -  a special tribute artist. www.thelastrealpirate.com

*We also saw a performance by the City of El Cajon Recreation Department’s “TNT Performing Company!”  Thank you!

At our special noon ceremony we heard the amazing singing talents of 13 year-old Francis Florendo singing the National Anthem.  We took the opportunity to thank residents of El Cajon for their ongoing support of our City Services – and thank community sponosrs!

Our annual event celebrates Fire Prevention Week and the 2009 theme is “It’s Fire Prevention Week – Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned!” This runs from October 4th through the 10th – but of course “fire safety” is year-round!

To learn more about fire & burn prevention – click here: Fire Prevention Week & Draw a home escape plan!

Thank you to WALMART for being our official sponsor for our Fire Poster Contest for 3rd grade students in the City of El Cajon School District.  They’re providing the prizes for our contest.  And thank you to Sea World for donating passes for our three winners.  We greatly appeciate your ongoing support!

“Thank You” to our community sponsors of our Expo:

• CBC Technical - providing our sound.
• East County Gazette Newspaper
• Granite Hills High School – display tables
• Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
• Pat & Oscar’s - Westfield Parkway
• Hometown Buffet - West Main Street
• Smart & Final - Fletcher Parkway
• Subway - Johnson Avenue
• Quizno’s - West Main Street
• Boston Market
• Waste Management
• East County Herald

Thank you to our returning participants:

Outside Fire Station:

• ATV Safety Group
• Boston Market – food samples 
• Boy Scouts of America
• California Highway Patrol
• East County Gazette Newspaper – Official media sponsor
• East County Herald Newspaper
• El Cajon Amateur Radio Club
• El Cajon Fire Safety Inflatable House
• Farmer’s Insurance – Child I.D.’s
• Heartland Lions Club – Child I.D.’s
• Home Depot of El Cajon is back with their Kid’s Safety Workshop, along with their FREE cotton candy and popcorn.
• Kiwanis (East San Diego County) – selling hot dogs
• Meet Miss El Cajon, Miss Teen El Cajon, Mother Goose, Miss Mother Goose Queen, Smokey the Bear, and Calahan the Firefighter!
• Mission Federal Credit Union – giving away plastic red fire hats
• MOTO WORLD of El Cajon
• Racers Against Drunk Driving
• Rapid Tatts – Airbrush face painting
• San Diego County Sheriff’s Department – Off Road Safety and their Reserve Program

 Inside Fire Station:

• Alzheimers Association
• American Cancer Society – “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer”
• Burn Institute – fire prevention materials
• CASA-Communities Against Substance Abuse
• Cover Your Assets - Inventory Software and Service
• Dr. Eric Wise – Health Screenings
• East County CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
• East County Family Justice Center – Domestic and Violence Prevention
• East County Magazine – register for their fire alerts
• El Cajon Community Development Corporation – CDC
• El Cajon Public Works – Storm Water
• El Cajon Recreation Department
• Emergency Animal Rescue
• Freeman’s Construction, Inc. – rebuilding after fires
• Helix Water District – water saving tips
• Kiwanis (East San Diego County) – Free Safety Helmet give-away!  While supplies last!   Last year we gave away 412 safety helmets.
• La Mesa Driving School – driving safety
• MADD (Mother’s Against Driving Drunk) – www.maddsandiego.org
• Rady’s Children’s Hospital – Safe Kids
• San Diego County Library – El Cajon Branch
• San Diego County Office of Emergency Services – provided disaster preparedness information and you will be able to sign up for the Reverse 9-1-1 System!
• San Diego Gas and Electric – safety information
• San Diego Off Road Coalition
• Sharp on Survival – “Think First”
• T.I.P. (Trauma Intervention Program)
• U.S. Coast Guard – “Coasty”

For Seniors (inside Fire Station)

• AARP
• Aging & Independent Services
• El Cajon Police RSVP’s – Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol
• Heritage Senior Care, Inc.
• Sharp Grossmont Hospital Senior Resource Center

In Our Career Section (Ronald Reagan Community Center)

• Burn Institute – provided two presentations at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on fire safety.
• Cuyamaca Jr. College
• El Cajon Fire Reserve Firefighter Program – What it takes to be a firefighter! 
• El Cajon Police Department – special operations (ie: Neighborhood Watch, Multi-Crime Free Housing, E-Alert, 9-1-1 for kids, etc.)
• El Cajon Police RSVP’s (Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol)
• El Cajon Public Safety Center Display
• EMSTA Medical College – Learn about becoming a paramedic.
• Grossmont Jr. College
• Heartland Fire Dispatch – 9-1-1 Dispatcher job information
• San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
• Southwestern College
• University of Phoenix

*A BIG thank you to those who helped me on the day of the event in setting things up and tearing it all down and the clean-up!

“Another Special Thank you” to El Cajon Fire Division Chief Rick Sitta, Battalion Chief Phil Snow, El Cajon Firefighters at Station 6 and 7, Captain Jim Hemphill, Fire Engineer Marco Maldonado and our El Cajon Firefighters & Firefighter Reserves, Bonnie Larson, Wendy Filter, Dionne Rivera and her son Nathan, friend Chris, El Cajon Police PSO Samantha Hook, Officer Dan Hansen, El Cajon Police,  SWAT, Cadets and RSVP’s, and our CERT volunteers for your all your help & support with Fire Expo 2009!

 *If you’d like to be a part of our next safety event on October 9th, 2010 - or be a supporting sponsor,  please contact Monica Zech at (619) 441-1737.

Click to enlarge