CARLSBAD — Hundreds of residents poured into the Carlsbad Safety Training Center at an open house to talk, view and even wear gear worn by the city’s finest.
Residents were treated to three demonstrations, tours of the facility, a barbecue and checking vehicles such as the police department’s Bearcat and fire engines.
The open house combined the CPD, CFD and Public Works as part of the city and region’s efforts to raise public safety awareness for Fire Prevention Week and Crime Prevention Month.
Fire Prevention Week ended Saturday.

Photo by Steve Puterski
October has the highest rate of wildfires in California, and all the departments combined efforts with the open house.
“It was great,” Carlsbad Fire Chief Mike Davis said. “The fire department, the police department and Public Works put on a variety of static displays.”
Residents were shown a K-9 demonstration as Cpl. Reid Shipley and Kane, a Belgian Malinois, took down a suspect in a car.
Shipley told the crowd of how the dog is trained, the department’s use of the K-9 unit in various situations and how well Kane listens to numerous commands.
Another demonstration showed the SWAT team using its Bearcat to counter a call of shots fired during a domestic dispute.
The fire department, meanwhile, closed the demonstrations by showing off how they quell a structure fire.
Perhaps the biggest hit, Davis said, was the hands-only CPR training where residents had the opportunity to become certified. And residents took advantage, the chief said, as about 250 people were trained.
“One of the things we love to show the community is all the disciplines of the city to make the whole city safe,” Davis said. “It’s not just Fire Prevention Week.”
As for Fire Prevention Week, Davis said this year’s focus centered on fire alarms.
He said residents should test the batteries every six months and replace alarms every 10 years.
As for the CPD, the shooting range was open, fingerprinting stations, crime scene analysis, vehicles and kids putting on motorcycle helmets and using radar guns.
Public Works also had their vehicles and sensing equipment.
Davis explained Public Works joined the effort to reinforce to the community their efforts during a crisis. He noted the Poinsettia Fire in 2014.
“When a disaster strikes a city, it takes every single city employee to be available and to respond to the city, and to help the community,” Davis said. “They worked a lot during the Poinsettia event. They helped at the EOC (emergency operations center) and they were also out, particularly, during the recovery efforts.”