Community Outreach

Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians are available at all New Hanover County Fire Rescue permanent checking stations to help ensure proper installation of your car seat.

Find a checking station near you.

New Hanover County Fire Rescue offers fall prevention education to local senior adult groups.

Remembering When is a fire and fall prevention program that educates senior adults to help them live safely.

To schedule us to provide this program please complete an education request.

Fire extinguisher training is available to employees at local businesses, schools, offices, etc.

Complete an education request to plan or schedule a training.

To help reduce the risk of accidental exposure, poisoning, or medication misuse, there are several permanent medication drop box locations in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties, referred to as the "Tri-County Region," where unwanted, unused, and expired medications can be properly disposed of for free. Download the list of medication drop boxes (PDF), or view the map below to find a location near you.

Please note: needles, sharps, liquids, or biohazard materials are not accepted at drop box locations for safety reasons. To safely dispose of needles or sharps, follow these guidelines:

• Always use an FDA-cleared sharps container when available. Free sharps containers may be available from your doctor, health insurance provider, or medication supplier.
• If you do not have access to an FDA-approved sharps container, use an empty household container with these features:
  • Tight-fitting lid that cannot be punctured, made of heavy-duty plastic that will not puncture easily, stays upright and does not leak
• Dispose of household sharps container when it is 2/3 full:
  • Close lid, tape shut, and label "sharps biohazard"
  • Take sharps container to sharps disposal program
  • If you cannot find a sharps disposal program, put the container in the center of a full trash bag and discard in the regular trash. Do not put sharps containers in recycling.

New Hanover County Fire Rescue offer several programs to teach fire and life safety to students.

• Install smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home, including the basement.
• A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove.
• Test all smoke alarms at least once a month by pressing the test button to be sure the alarm is working.
• Smoke Alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
• People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.

Do you need assistance replacing or installing smoke alarms? Are you deaf or hard of hearing and need a bed shaker? Please complete a smoke alarm request.

New Hanover County Fire Rescue offers station tours to individuals, families, and small groups to learn more about the day of a firefighter. Each tour includes an opportunity to see the apparatus and ask any questions you may have.

Interested in scheduling a tour? Please complete an education request.

Photo by Brett Cottrell, New Hanover County

Interested in scheduling a display? Please complete an education request.