Could you help your neighbors in need?


MERRAG!  (pronounced Mirage) is a network of trained volunteers who work and live in the Montecito area. Members are prepared to respond to a community disaster during the critical first 72 hours following an event. Since 1987, the mutual “self-help” organization has been serving Montecito’s 13,000 residents with the guidance and support of the Montecito Fire, Water and Sanitary Districts.

Find out more about MERRAG and how you can help yourself help MERRAG.

Car Seat Installation Program

The Montecito Fire Protection District offers a Car Seat Inspection service to the public. The goal is to ensure that all children are secure and safe in properly installed Child Safety Restraints (car seats). A certified Child Passenger Safety Technician will inspect the installation of the child's car seat, and instruct parents and caregivers how to properly install child restraint systems in their vehicles according to child passenger safety best practice guidelines.

A record is kept for every inspection, and Child Passenger Safety Technicians are re-certified every two years.

We inspect the car seat to make sure all parts are free of stress, splits and cracks, and are in the proper positions. We also check current recall lists, and instruct the parent/caregiver on further action depending on the type recall for their child's car seat.


We help to determine what position the child safety seat would be safest to install, based on the type of vehicle, type of car seat and other occupants.

Once the child safety seat is installed, it's just as important to make sure the child is properly positioned, and that the straps and harness are adjusted to ensure total safety for the child.