HBA members volunteer to build new fire safety house

A new fire safety house will be constructed by Home Builders Association members in the next few weeks, and it is expected to be complete in time for the Ozark Empire Fair in early August, according to Louise Henson, executive officer of the Springfield HBA.

HBA members built a similar structure in the late 1980s so local fire fighters could demonstrate how to escape fire and smoke dangers in the home.

Until last year, the two-story house on wheels provided an instructional setting for fire fighters to demonstrate safety procedures to 4,000 to 6,000 people per year, mostly children, said Springfield Fire Marshal Dan Dougherty.

Demonstrations were typically set up at local schools and public events, such as the Ozarks Empire Fair, the Teddy Bear Rally at Dickerson Park Zoo, Frisco Days on Commercial Street and other public gatherings.

The original, two-story fire safety house was recently sold to the Logan/Rogersville Fire Department, and proceeds went to purchase a new, 24-foot trailer for the all new, one-story structure to be supplied and built by HBA members.

Members will gather on a designated weekend to erect the house on its new trailer, now in storage at Meek's Insulation and Drywall warehouse.

It will probably take another two weekends to do the finish work before the unit is ready for display and is turned over to the Fire Department.

In the past, the main objective for the fire safety house was to illustrate how to safely escape a home in the middle of the night if a smoke alarm goes off, Dougherty said.

Children were taught how to assess the danger of leaving the house through the bedroom door, and they learned how to exit from a window if fire or smoke blocked the normal exit route.

However, one thing the fire safety house was not used for was to teach precautions in the home, Dougherty said. While part of the program included care and maintenance of smoke alarms, such as testing monthly and changing batteries twice per year, simple illustrations of risks, such as an overloaded extension cord, were not part of the program.

And while scheduled programs at schools and other sites worked well, the old fire safety house was not as well-suited to random sites, such as major discount stores.

In such settings, Springfield fire fighters quickly learned that people were in too much of a hurry to allow time for the full program to be presented. Parents would drop off their children and then come back to retrieve them before the demonstration was finished.

The new fire safety house will serve a dual purpose. Along with fire and smoke safety demonstrations, it will include a simulated kitchen and fireplace where fire fighters can display home fire hazards. People whose time is limited will be able to walk through this portion of the house at their own pace.

At some public events both programs will be run simultaneously, providing escape instructions for those who can take the time to learn and safety tips for walk-through visitors.

Ed Alden, vice president of Stenger Homes and vice president of the HBA and chairman of the Home Builders Council, said that plans for the new fire safety house have been developed by home builder Sara Ray. Ray has compiled a materials list, and the council members will solicit these supplies from local HBA members.

Alden said the organization's members have always been supportive of worthwhile projects for the community from which they derive their income.

"The fire department needed something to teach fire safety," Henson added, "and we like to give back something to the community."

Dougherty said Springfield fire fighters are grateful to HBA members for their effort and support in this worthwhile and potentially life-saving community project.