Roanoke Fire Department buys new safety house to educate youth

The Roanoke Fire Department purchased a new inflatable fire safety house to add to its youth education program on fire safety.

Using a $10,000 donation from Atmos Energy, the fire department set up its inflatable firehouse like a regular home with fire safety messages and smoke detectors.

A theatrical smoke pump is also part of the house and can simulate various situations to teach children how to evacuate and respond to a fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, a fire department responds to a fire in the United States every 24 seconds. The NFPA cites three minutes as the target time occupants have to escape a fire, making preparedness pivotal—especially for children.

Doug Parks, deputy chief and fire marshal, said the house will officially debut at the fire department’s October open house. The unit is portable, so the department is hoping to bring the house to schools and community events in the future.

“We kind of had a small homemade version of it for a few years that we used,” Parks said. “And we found this great opportunity through Atmos and their community involvement group.”