Scott Erwin
(256) 883-3724

Mission of Safety City

To educate, facilitate, and coordinate bicycle, pedestrian, traffic, fire, and child passenger safety to children and adults in the Huntsville community.

Each year thousands of children across America are injured in traffic related accidents. Many of these accidents are due to the children's lack of knowledge of what is required of them in a traffic environment. In order to reduce the number of injuries the City of Huntsville in cooperation with the 3 school systems located in Madison County have developed and continue to provide ongoing support to the nationally acclaimed Safety City program. The Safety City program was developed for elementary age school children, primarily those in K-5th grade. Safety City specifically provides K and third grade students a safe environment for applying the lessons of bicycle, pedestrian, child passenger, and general traffic safety that they have learned in the classroom. Safety City is a child sized city of buildings, streets, crosswalks, working traffic lights, sidewalks and a fire safety house that provides a simulated experience of how to escape a smoke filled building.

Highway Safety Office

The Huntsville Office of Highway Safety coordinates public awareness, information and education programs aimed at reducing the number of traffic related death and injuries in the local area. The office also serves as a Traffic Safety Resource Center for the citizens of Huntsville. The office is funded in part through a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). Business hours are 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Please call (256)883-3724 for telephone inquiries.

Programs

Summer Preschool Program-Safety City Instructors go to preschools in the Huntsville and surrounding areas during June and July and present approximately a 30 min. program to 4 and 5 year olds.

3rd Grade Program-3rd students from all city and county schools come 1 time in the 3rd grade and learn traffic, bike, pedestrian, bus, and fire safety.

Kindergarten Program-During January and February our instructors go to the schools to present approximately a 30 min. program to kindergarteners about seatbelt safety.

Fire Safety Program-Our fire safety program lasts approximately 30 minutes and is conducted on site. The children then practice the rules of fire safety by going inside our "smoke house" and escaping.

Bicycle Safety Program-This is a 30 min. program held on site at Safety City where children come by schedule groups only and watch a short film and we go over bicycle safety rules and then the children actually get to ride bikes and practice on hand. We DO NOT teach children to ride bikes, they must know how to hold the bike up on their own, however we do teach them the safe riding rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Safety City? Safety City coordinates various public awareness and information education programs aimed at reducing the number of traffic related death and injuries in the local area. This office serves as the headquarters for the Huntsville Office of Highway Safety and as a resource center for citizens of Huntsville.

2. Where are you located? 2221 Drake Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35805 Phone number (256)883-3724.

3. What are your hours of operation? Business hours are 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

4. How much does it cost to participate in Safety City activities? There is NO cost for Safety City!

5. What exactly do you teach children at Safety City? We teach Traffic, Bike, Pedestrian, Bus, and Fire Safety.

6. What age does a child need to be to participate in Safety City programs? During the school year, Safety City offers a program geared towards 3rd grade students to come to Safety City. During the colder months, we like to call "off-season" we go to City and surrounding counties to do programs for Kindergarteners.

7. What other services does Safety City offer? Child Safety checks are conducted in the afternoon by appointment. In addition, we host an information and referral resource center for traffic safety.