For Milwaukee residents who spent their elementary school years in the city, this week's Urban Spelunking is sure to summon some serious nostalgia -- and lifesaving knowledge!
This week we're talking about the original Milwaukee Survive Alive House, established in the late 1980s, to teach school age kids about fire safety.
If you attended Milwaukee Public Schools during that period, you likely took a field trip to either the West Allis or Milwaukee locations, where firefighters have taught generations of children how to escape in the event of a fire.
The house is complete with mock ups of bedrooms similar to the ones kids would have at home. During the visit, kids are immersed in a simulated house fire, complete with nontoxic smoke and strobe lights. They are then challenged to escape from the "fire" and find a safe route out a window or door.
This week on the podcast, we relive the trip to the Survive Alive House, learn how it got established in Milwaukee 30 years ago and how the education programs are continuing virtually amid Covid.
Listen to the story below and visit OnMilwaukee for more photos and history.
