The fire safety house used by the Springfield Township Fire Department has seen lots of action since it was put in service two years ago, with approximately 3,000 visitors in the past year alone.
Fire officials believe it’s time for an upgrade.
With a $1,750 donation from the Davisburg Rotary Club as seed money, the department plans to apply for a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a new, larger trailer.
The current fire safety house visited Springfield Plains Elementary School on Oct. 14 as one of its stops during Fire Prevention Week.
The two-story trailer has home-like furnishings and is equipped with a non-toxic smoke generator to give children realistic evacuation practice.
After hearing a presentation inside the ‘house,? an alarm is set off, the smoke comes and children practice crawling out on their hands and knees.
Firefighters Matt Strickland and Brent McMullen then explained the gear worn by firefighters (among other things, to help reduce the fear factor if a child sees a firefighter in a burning building) and encouraged students to conduct their own fire safety evaluations at home.
While Fire Prevention Week is always a busy time, Strickland said the fire safety house is constantly on the move, visiting schools, Scout groups and large events such as the annual 4-H Fair.
The current trailer is about 20 feet long. Strickland said the department would like to purchase a 39-foot trailer at an estimated cost of $40,000.
If approved, the FEMA grant would require a 10 percent local match, and Strickland believes the sale of the current trailer would cover that cost.
It will be several months before the department will learn whether the FEMA grant is approved.