Fire Safety in the Classroom

Adaptive Fire Safety in the Classroom

When we visit classrooms, we focus on teaching fire safety in ways that make sense to the students in the room. We begin by getting to know the group and noticing how students communicate, respond to new information, and experience sensory input. From there, we choose safety topics that can be taught in a calm, supportive way—such as recognizing firefighters, sharing important information, practicing escape planning, or talking through everyday fire safety. Our goal is to build understanding and confidence without creating fear, so students leave feeling prepared, not overwhelmed.

These visits take place across elementary, middle, and high school classrooms in a wide range of learning environments. We work in classroom settings that are designed to provide additional support, including behavior and developmental intervention classrooms, targeted support life skills classes, and high school transition programs. Regardless of age or classroom setting, our approach remains the same: meet students where they are and provide fire safety education that is accessible, respectful, and meaningful.

This program is made possible through the support of dedicated community partners who share our commitment to inclusive safety education. We are deeply grateful to Farmers Insurance, our largest grant funder, as well as the Spokane County Developmental Disabilities Division and Spokane Firefighters Local 29, whose partnership and advocacy help sustain this work. We also extend sincere thanks to fire departments throughout our region that prioritize this initiative by providing firefighter personnel for classroom visits, and to the off-duty firefighters who volunteer their time to support schools outside their own jurisdictions when resources are limited. Their willingness to show up—often on their own time—helps ensure students receive meaningful, real-world fire safety education rooted in trust and connection.

What to Expect During a Classroom Visit

We prefer to visit students in their own classrooms for our first visit, where routines are familiar and learners are most comfortable. Being in a known environment helps reduce stress and allows students to focus on learning and participation. Classroom visits typically last 30–45 minutes, depending on the regulation and needs of the students. Instruction is paced intentionally, and when appropriate, we may include brief side activities toward the end of the visit to observe impulse control and safe decision-making in a low-pressure way.

While we aim to visit at least two classrooms per school site whenever possible to maximize program reach, we understand that some buildings only have one classroom that would benefit from our visit. For that reason, we will accommodate these requests so please don’t hesitate to reach out to request a visit.

Our program is most effective when classrooms are not combined, as smaller group settings allow us to better meet students where they are. Because of this, we may not always be able to visit every requesting classroom within a single day due to time limitations of fire department personnel in attendance. In some cases, a return visit may be scheduled to ensure each classroom receives instruction at a time that best supports student engagement and regulation.

Isaac’s Fire Safety Team requires at least a 5-minute reset period between classroom visits. Each visit includes at least one Isaac Foundation staff member and one firefighter in day-shift uniform; firefighters also bring bunker gear as part of instruction. At times, Community Risk Reduction staff from local fire departments may also attend to observe as part of their training.

When scheduling, it’s helpful for us to know:

Preferred day of the week
Number of classrooms we will visit
Number of students per classroom
Suggested start time.

We have found that late-start days are generally not ideal, as changes in routine can make regulation more challenging for students.

Email us at: [email protected] to schedule.

Field Trip to the Fire Safety Learning Center

For classrooms interested in an on-site experience, we welcome students to the Isaac Foundation’s Fire Safety Learning Center, located at 606 W. Sharp Ave. These visits offer a deeper, hands-on opportunity to practice fire safety skills in a controlled, supportive environment.

On-site visits last approximately 90 minutes. We begin with a short group lesson to refresh key fire safety concepts, then transition into small-group learning. While two students at a time rotate through the Fire Safety Learning Center, the remaining students participate in learning centers and free-choice activity play in Isaac’s Clubhouse, allowing students to stay regulated, engaged, and supported throughout the visit.

The Fire Safety Learning Center is intentionally set up with common household risk factors that students are encouraged to identify and problem-solve. Depending on the group, this may include fire-starting items not stored in lockboxes, unsafe charging practices such as devices charging on a bed, damaged charging cords, extension cords used with heaters, toys placed too close to a fireplace, groceries left on a cooktop, or smoke alarms placed incorrectly on a counter instead of the ceiling. These scenarios allow students to practice recognizing unsafe situations and deciding what to do next in a calm, hands-on way.

When weather and staffing allow, students may also have the opportunity to practice using water fire extinguishers in our parking lot. Occasionally, and when resources permit, a fire department apparatus may visit during a Learning Center session; however, this is never guaranteed and depends on availability.

An added benefit of visiting the ISAAC Foundation is our location just two blocks north of Riverfront Park’s Ice Age Playground, which gives schools the option to combine their visit with additional field trip activities if desired.

Group Size, Accessibility & Enrichment Staff

We are able to accommodate a wide range of group sizes for Fire Safety Learning Center visits. While visits work best with classroom-sized groups, we have successfully hosted groups of up to 45 students by using structured rotations, learning centers, and free-choice activity play to support regulation and engagement. Group flow and pacing are adjusted based on the needs of the students attending.

Families and teachers should also be aware that the ISAAC Foundation’s enrichment staff includes several animals that are part of our inclusive, sensory-aware environment. This may include Nova, our hypoallergenic therapy dog, as well as Snickers the ferret, our bearded dragon Thistle, Taquito the leopard gecko, and Ted our chinchilla. These animals are familiar to many students and help create a calm, engaging space; however, if there are allergies, fears, or cultural considerations we should be aware of, we encourage teachers to let us know in advance so accommodations can be made.

The Isaac Foundation is fully ADA accessible, including building access, restrooms, and learning spaces. Our environment is designed to support mobility needs, sensory differences, and varied learning styles so all students can participate safely and comfortably.