Local students get first tours of new THFD Safety House

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News

Local kindergarteners got take the first tours of the new Terre Haute Fire Department “Fire Safety House” at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School this morning, when officials pitched the inflatable learning tool in the gymnasium.

Principal Tina Horrall along with other staff and a few community members participated in the presentation with the children, watching an educational video while learning life-saving tips on what to do in emergency situations from Chief Jeff Fisher, Assistant Chief Norm Loudermilk, Matt Holbert and Bill Roberts of the THFD. Sparky the fire dog also made an appearance.

Fisher explained  that because the house is completely portable and easy to set up, it's a practical tool the team can use to reach out to the community on the importance of fire safety measures while teaching them about many fire hazards.

"We're able to move it around to all the different schools and leave it up a couple days -- and make sure we reach every student. Our single most important service we can provide the community is to save lives, and this is the best place to start, in our schools, educating children about fire safety and prevention,” Fisher said. He explained that there are plans to display the prop at many community events as well, such as the annual National Night Out.

Loudermilk agrees, adding that the department will transport it around regularly to demostrate fire prevention and teach safety education. He explained that the department was able to make the purchase of the 21-feet by 27-feet interactive simulation of a typical home, with its various rooms, just last year. His favorite aspect about the house is that the department is able to reach so many people with it, adding that because of recent budget cuts restricting the number of field trips students can participate in, this is an easy way to bring the information to the children for them to access directly in in each school and out in the community.

"The corporation is strapped for money, like the city and county -- so, what we're trying to do is make it available to them," Loudermilk said, adding that the department's educational programs now will likely pay off down the road for many of these young children. 

​The groups of youngsters were shown how to check smoke detectors, basic safety tips in the kitchen, how to exit the house through smoke and to practice safety drills at home during the hands - on student exercises while inside the bright yellow inflatable. They also learned to meet at a desigated spot, such as a mailbox, after exiting the structure.

For more information about the Fire Department or to schedule a prevention talk please contact the Terre Haute Fire Department Bureau of Fire Prevention at 812-244-2860 or email thfd.fireprevention@terrehaute.in.gov ​