This paper reports on a novel optical fiber-based sensing system for conducting simultaneous strain and temperature measurements. The sensor design involves the use for the first time of an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) strain sensor in conjunction with a rare-earth doped fiber fluorescence decay-time based temperature sensor. The combined sensors were embedded in a carbon fiber reinforced composite system and evaluated. The feasibility of using this type of embedded sensor configuration for simultaneous strain and temperature measurements was demonstrated.