Posted on: Monday, August 30, 2004
Fire-safety plan needed for home
| • | Kane'ohe fire kills girl |
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Staff Writer
In the wake of the death of a 12-year-old girl in a Kane'ohe house fire yesterday, Honolulu Fire Department officials urged Hawai'i families to implement fire-safety rules in their homes.
HFD spokesman Capt. Emmit Kane said that families should keep these measures in mind:
• Install smoke detectors, especially in bedrooms. Make sure they are installed correctly, are maintained regularly, and have good working batteries. Establish an easily remembered time to check detectors and replace batteries annually, perhaps around a birthday or anniversary. Family members in the Kane'ohe fire told investigators they had smoke detectors in the house, but they did not hear any audible alert to awaken them, according to Kane.
"Smoke detectors have proven to save lives," Kane said. "Studies have found that a properly maintained and installed detector can increase your survival rate by 50 percent. But make sure everyone in the family knows what the audible sound is.
"People install them but don't make the family aware of what it sounds like, and oftentimes children will ignore it," he said.
• Develop an escape plan from your house. • Make sure your escape plan has at least two exits from every room. • Establish a meeting place outside so you will know immediately if anyone is missing. If someone is missing, notify the first responders (fire or police) about the most likely location of the individual inside the home. Once outside, stay outside. Do not re-enter a burning home.
• Practice your escape plan with your family, just as schools and businesses have fire drills. • Never leave candles or any other open flames unattended. • Cooking is a leading cause of fires, so families should have a fire extinguisher nearby, and make sure they know how to use it and that it is properly maintained. • Keep matches and other flammable devices out of the reach of children. • Inspect electric wires for frays. If appliances are not working properly, dispose of them. • Don't overload circuits. • Identify hazards in the home and get rid of them. A small house heavily loaded with furnishings can make for a rapidly spreading fire, Kane said. "Always take a proactive approach to minimize the likelihood of fire," Kane said.
• And always call 911 immediately in a fire emergency. Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
