PBFD to give in-home sprinkler system presentations at Merchant's Showcase | Events

POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KFVS) - Collegiate DECA students and advisors from Three Rivers college will be working to make sure this year's Merchant's Showcase is informative and entertaining.

“The fire department always comes to the Showcase,” said Three Rivers instructor and Collegiate DECA advisor Dr. Martha Kirkman. “They typically bring their smoke house to demonstrate fire safety and prevention. This year we are looking at a different angle and I am very excited about it.”

During the Showcase, April 27-28, the Poplar Bluff Fire Department, in cooperation with the college’s fire science program, will give two special presentations to demonstrate the effectiveness of new residential fire-fighting technology: in-home sprinkler systems. One simulation will be enacted on Friday at 3 p.m. and one on Saturday at 11 a.m.

“We’ll make two simulated rooms in the parking lot outside the Bess Activity Center,” said Ralph Stucker, fire chief for PBFD. “We’ll set a fire in a trash can, and people will be able to see how the fire progresses. Fire department personnel will put that fire out, then we’ll set the fire in the second room, but we’ll have a sprinkler head there.  The last time we did this, you really couldn’t even tell there was much of a fire in the second room. As soon as the heat comes up and pops that sprinkler head, it puts the fire out.”

Stucker said the goal of the presentation is to show the public the benefits of having a residential sprinkler system. 

“I don’t know of anyone in this area who has residential sprinklers, but it’s something that we’re hearing more and more about,” Stucker said. “I think most insurance companies will tell you there’s about a 10 percent discount on your homeowners insurance if you have such a system. Even the on-campus apartments at Three Rivers have them.”

Admission to the Merchants Showcase is $1, but spectators will not be charged additionally to watch the fire presentation. Showcase hours will be Friday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9a.m. until 3 p.m. 

“Home Depot recently hosted a Safety Day, and that’s where we did this for the first time,” reported Stucker, who said that the simulation’s success at that event inspired its upcoming performance at the popular Showcase. “The reaction from the crowd at the Home Depot event was really interesting. The Merchants Showcase is going to have an even bigger crowd, so the likelihood of someone being there who is building a home is even higher. Hopefully they see this presentation and think, ‘This is a worthwhile investment for me to protect my home and my family.’ We continue to lose people in house fires. Our goal is to show the public that this is designed to save lives.”

Stucker added that the live simulations are a great opportunity for fire science students to engage in a public education event, and show off the skills they’ve been learning.

For more information on fire science and other public safety training programs offered at Three Rivers, please visit trcc.edu/academics.