When it comes to safety, the Billings Fire Department wants to make sure children can identify hazards in their home and know what to do in emergency situations.
To do this, the department’s Fire Prevention Bureau is teaming up with Billings School District 2 to bring a series of engaging, age-appropriate lessons, and interactive learning stations to elementary students.
“After a year and half of planning and preparation, we are so excited to implement this program and get back into the schools to see Billings students in grades K-5 every year!” said Deputy Fire Marshal Becky Biggins.
Currently in its pilot stage, the program, named the Billings Fire Safety Squad, will visit eight schools now through the end of the school year. If the program is a success, it will return the following school year and make stops at all 21 elementary schools in the district.
In years past, the fire department’s public education program focused on second graders. Going forward, every student in School District 2, from kindergarten through fifth grade will participate in the Billings Fire Safety Squad program.
“The Safety Squad model is a tried and tested way to teach elementary school students lessons about safety. The curriculum for both the classroom portion as well as the fire department visit is scaffolded to contain age-appropriate messaging about these important topics,” Biggins explained. 
The bureau spent several months coordinating lesson plans with the district that will be incorporated into the curriculum.
The program is broken up into two parts. Using a presentation prepared by the bureau, library staff will present the lesson to students. The fire department will follow up with a fire escape course and home safety stations.
"Through collaborative efforts like those between the Billings Fire Department and Billings School District 2, we empower our students to recognize hazards and respond effectively in emergencies, laying the foundation for a safer community,” said Kyra Gaskill, Executive Director of Secondary Education.
To test the effectiveness of the program, students will be given a test before and after the lessons to see how well they retain the information.
Topics covered include cooking safety, finding fire hazards, how to call 911, creating a home fire escape plan, the science of fire, preventing burn injuries and more.
The lesson plans are available to the public and can be viewed at BillingsMT.gov/SafetySquad.