Sunday, November 15, 2026
From battling simulated fires to learning lifesaving safety techniques, Oceanside families stepped into the world of first responders on Oct. 25 during the Oceanside Fire Department’s fourth annual Fire Prevention Day at the Thomas Bettes Sr. Memorial Training Center.
The free community event, held in recognition of Fire Prevention Month, gave residents an up-close look at firefighting operations while emphasizing the importance of fire safety and emergency preparedness.
Although the department has hosted Fire Prevention Day at the training facility for four years, its fire safety outreach dates to the early 2000s, when firefighters began bringing educational programs into local schools.
Families watched live demonstrations of vehicle extrication, car fires and building fires, offering a firsthand glimpse into how firefighters respond to each emergency. Attendees also explored fire trucks and antique fire engines, observed personal safety and self-contained breathing apparatus demonstrations and navigated an SCBA maze.
Children learned valuable fire safety lessons through interactive activities, including a smoke house simulation that demonstrated how to safely escape a burning building. Firefighters emphasized the importance of staying low beneath smoke, checking doors for heat and identifying safe exits.
The department also encouraged families to develop emergency escape plans, establish designated meeting places outside their homes and regularly practice fire drills.
Beyond the educational demonstrations, the event featured family-friendly entertainment including food trucks, an ice cream truck, decorating activities and the department’s first rubber duck race.
Oceanside Fire Department Chief Kevin Klein said the annual event provides an opportunity to strengthen relationships between residents and first responders while reinforcing lessons that can save lives.
“The fire department loves to host our annual fire prevention day because while we always stress the importance of fire safety every day of the year, hosting this event not only allows the community to see what we do and try some of the equipment, but also to meet the firefighters, EMTs and paramedics before there is an emergency,” he said. “It builds the bond between the community and the Oceanside Fire Department.”
