Middletown fire safety house that educated thousands sold at auction; money to fund new learning tools

A fire safety tool that was a popular attraction for thousands of Middletown children is no more. But the division of fire is working on a new hands-on approach to replace the safety house.

Last year, the safety house trailer purchased in the late 1990s was sold on GovDeals for $1,715 and the money will be a part of the department’s fire prevention and training budget to fund new, updated experiences that teach fire safety and prevention, said Captain Frank Baughman.

“It worked great for years, but really began to deteriorate and was just outdated,” Baughman said. There were problems with the electrical system run by a generator and the air conditioning no longer worked.

There was always an issue with how many could enter the trailer at a time, low ceilings making adult entry difficult and it was labor intensive to set up and move.

Baughman said for years it was part of the Safety Town program in the summer and the city’s National Night Out event in August as well as tours at the fire station where the trailer was housed.

“We just decided it was time to get something new with new technology,” he said. “Something like an inflatable house that is a little easier to get around and doesn’t take so much effort and people to set it up. But were are still exploring options. We want to do something that the kids can have a little bit more fun with and still learn at the same time.”