By CLARKE STACKHOUSE / Staff Writer

HELENA—The Helena fire department has acquired a hazard house to use for public safety demonstrations.

Peter Valenti, deputy chief of the Helena Fire Department, said the hazard house is a “Barbie town home,” or large dollhouse that has furniture and working smoke detectors.

The house will be used to help educate people on fire safety, Valenti said. It shows the basics, such as calling 911, getting low, and crawling toward an exit.

The house can stimulate all disasters such as hurricanes and floods. The department plans on only using the house for fire safety demonstrations, Valenti said.

Lt. Heath Bartlett leads all demonstrations and focuses on fire prevention and public safety, Valenti said.

The fire department plans to do demonstrations at Helena schools for Fire Prevention Week in October. Public demonstrations will be held at different local events such as the Buck Creek Festival.

“Our first gig was at the summer reading program at the public library,” Valenti said.

The hazard house was made available through a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighter Grants program.

With the grant, the department was able to purchase the hazard house and had money left over for some updated equipment, Valenti said.

“Call the fire department for any kind of event to have a demonstration and ask for Lieutenant Bartlett,” Valenti said.

If interested in scheduling a demonstration or for more information, call (205) 663- 5809.