Firefighter Nelson shows the kids around Ladder 10 during a May 2011 station tour at Greenacres Station.

Every year the Spokane Valley Fire Department talks to hundreds of children through both fire station tours and trips to local schools. While these talks can be an entertaining and memorable experience for the children, they are also an important educational opportunity in terms of teaching children fire safety. Firefighters are engaged in the business of saving lives, whether it involved a response to a fire after it has occurred or, more importantly, before it happens. The simple truth is that we are far more likely to save a child’s life through fire safety education and the knowledge of preventing or taking proper action during a fire than by the actual rescue of a child during a fire incident. As we all know, serious burn injuries often have already occurred before we even leave the station.

Teaching fire safety, when done properly, improves the community’s level of awareness regarding the dangers of fire and projects a positive image of the Spokane Valley Fire Department to the general public. The responsibility of teaching children fire safety cannot be fulfilled during the one week in October designated as “Fire Prevention Week.” It must be a year-round effort.

The following guidelines have been developed in an attempt to standardize fire safety education conducted by the Spokane Valley Fire Department. It is important that the children received a clear consistent fire safety message from the fire department regardless of who does the speaking.

• Fire Station tours may be scheduled for between the hours of 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM - Tuesday through Saturday and as time allows. Evening tours are scheduled on an individual basis.
• Tours should be scheduled at least 14 days in advance.
• Minimum age for tour participants is 5 years. Group size must be 25 or fewer total participants (including children and chaperones). There must be 1 adult chaperone for every 5 children.
• Fire stations remain "in-service" during tours. Firefighters may need to respond to emergencies at any time. If they do, it will be necessary for the tour to end and your group to exit the station. Please keep this in mind when visiting.
• If you are scheduling a fire station tour in conjunction with a special event, such as a birthday party, please be mindful that our fire department gladly provides fire station tours, but does not host special events in our fire stations.
• To schedule a fire station tour, collect the following information and then contact the Administrative Office at 509-928-1700.
  • Date and possible alternative dates (Note: Please provide two weeks advance notice)
  • Time
  • Name of requestor
  • Contact telephone number
  • Name of Organization (i.e., school, city resident, scout troop #, etc.)
  • Address of Organization
  • Number & age range of children who will be present during the tour
  • Number of adults who will be present during the tour, (1 adult/Chaperone for every 5 children)