SAFE House teaches students fire safety

For nearly 25 years, the Newton Fire Department has been ensuring that area third graders are educated about fire safety and what to do in the event they find themselves trapped in a burning house.

The firefighters use a handmade replica of a two-story home known as the Smoke and Fire Education House or Student Awareness of Fire Education House.

“We take care of Newton’s third graders,” said Mike Knoll, Newton fire marshal. “Monroe uses it, Sully uses it, Colfax uses it and it’s available to anyone in the county.”

Students can enter the home either on the first floor or second floor. When inside, they watch a video produced by the NFD explaining different ways to escape a home that is engulfed, and how to test if an area is a safe escape route.

Once the video ends, a firefighter who is present gives them a few additional tips and then, the house fills with smoke and the smoke detectors start to wail. Students are then tasked with using the lesson they just learned to find a way to escape the SAFE House, which at that point is so smoke-filled they have very limited visibility.

“It gives them an idea of what they need to do (in case of a fire) and that they need to practice their skills. It gives them the idea they need to have smoke detectors in their house and what they need to do when they call 911,” Knoll said.

Thursday, students from Berg Elementary School had their opportunity to learn about fire safety and escape from the SAFE House after their counterparts at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School did so on Tuesday.

Deacon Poole, a student in Jane Cibula’s class at Berg, talked about some of the things he learned from the experience.

“Feel doors when a fire is near, but always use the back of your hand. And if the doors to hot, use a window that is nearby,” Poole said.

Poole said it was fun and that he feels safer after hearing this lecture. His classmate, Avery Potter, shared her favorite parts of this valuable lesson.

“When the smoke like literally went through (the SAFE House), and when the guy put the suit on and he pulled the little boy (to safety). It’s kind of scary and fun,” she said.

After students escape from the house, they have to return to a designated meeting point. While there, they each wait in line for a chance to call 911 and report the fire. Once they’ve made their call, they receive a few prizes from the NFD for passing the course. Potter’s already decided what she’s going to do when she gets home.

“I’m going to show them (her parents) my new water bottle, and tell them that I actually called the fire department and told them our address,” Potter said.

Mike Salyers, a Newton firefighter and medic, said the department is glad they can provide kids with this opportunity.

“It’s things that kids never forget. Speaking on the part of my kids … until this day, they haven’t forgotten the smoke that came out of the SAFE House and to get low. This thing is something they can take with them the rest of their life,” Saylers said.

Contact Senior Staff Writer Ty Rushing at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6532 or at trushing@newtondailynews.com.