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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Monday, December 6, 2004

Fire deaths highest in over two decades

By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer

The city's deadliest fire season in more than two decades is being blamed on a lack of smoke alarms and escape plans, and fire officials are worried about a deadly holiday season if residents don't take some simple safety steps.

Fire safety

More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and approximately 25,000 are injured, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Most fires occur in the home. Here are some tips for staying safe.

Every home should have at least one working smoke alarm. Better yet is to install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. A working smoke alarm can double your chances of survival. Test it monthly, keep it free of dust and replace the battery at least once a year. Smoke alarms themselves should be replaced after 10 years of service, or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Plan your escape. Practice an escape plan from every room in the house. Caution everyone to stay low to the floor when escaping from fire and never to open doors that are hot. Select a location where everyone can meet after escaping the house. Get out then call for help.

Prevent electrical fires. Never overload circuits or extension cords. Do not place cords and wires under rugs, over nails or in high-traffic areas. Immediately shut off and unplug appliances that sputter, spark or emit an unusual smell. Have them repaired or replaced.

Use appliances wisely. When using appliances follow the manufacturer's safety precautions. Overheating, unusual smells, shorts and sparks are all warning signs that appliances need to be shut off, then replaced or repaired. Unplug appliances when not in use. Use safety caps to cover all unused outlets, especially if there are small children in the home.

Alternate heaters need monitoring. Portable heaters need their space. Keep anything combustible at least three feet away.

Keep fire in the fireplace. Use fire screens and have your chimney cleaned annually. The creosote buildup can ignite a chimney fire that could easily spread. Kerosene heaters should be used only where approved by authorities. Never use gasoline or camp-stove fuel. Refuel outside and only after the heater has cooled.

Consider affordable home fire safety sprinklers. When home fire sprinklers are used with working smoke alarms, your chances of surviving a fire are greatly increased. Sprinklers are affordable and can increase property value and lower insurance rates.

For more information: www.usfa.fema.gov

Source: U.S. Fire Administration

As of Dec. 1, 13 people have been killed in structure fires on O'ahu.

That number compares to one house fire death in 2003, one in 2002, and three in 2001. The last time house fire deaths on O'ahu hit double digits was in 1997, when 11 people were killed in house fires, seven of them in the same fire.

"In my tenure at the Fire Department (23 years), this is the most number of fire fatalities that I can remember," said Honolulu Fire Department Assistant Chief Ken Silva. "We have had kind of an unusual year."

The list of fatalities this year is a tragic collection of the preventable and the deliberate, including arson, accidents and electrical failures.

Two fires were classified by the Honolulu Police Department as homicides or murder/suicides.

Silva said most of the fatal fires could easily have been prevented.

"We can reduce the fire risk in our community by doing two simple things: Making sure you have a working smoke alarm that you test on regular basis and having an escape route that you and your family practice and commit to memory."

He said in many of the fatal fires this year, fire investigators did not find evidence of working smoke alarms. He also said many families hurt by fires do not have an escape plan in place.

"Typically when fires happen, either late at night or really early in the morning, you're not wide awake to begin with," he said. "If you have something ingrained, it's automatic."

Even when there is no loss of life, few life events are as devastating as house fires. The Tom family of Kailua will never forget one terrible night last year.

Brian Tom and his wife, Linda, were watching their son Brandon play a college football game at Linfield College in Oregon on Oct. 11 when a friend called to tell them their house burned down.

Immediately, Brian Tom thought of his 81-year-old mother, Lilyan, and his 17-year-old daughter, Nicole, the only people home at the time of the fire. Thanks to the quick efforts of neighbors and passersby, Lilyan made it out alive. Nicole was with friends at a movie when the fire broke out at about 10:30 p.m.

Tom said a friend who is a firefighter called to break the news.

"He said, 'Your home is gone, but everyone is OK. Just catch the first available plane,' " said Tom.

"When we first found out, you don't know what to think. You want to know what happened but you don't really care, as long as everyone is all right."

Fire investigators told Tom that the fire started in his daughter's room. A hair dryer, radio and lamp were plugged into a surge protector, and one of the instruments shorted out, he said.

Today, the Toms have rebuilt their home and are more wary about house fires.

Silva said the holidays are especially dangerous because of the extra lights and heaters many people use. It's key to avoid overloading sockets with lights and burning candles unattended. He said it also is the perfect time to check batteries in smoke alarms and to practice escape plans one more time.

Despite the high death toll this year, Hawai'i ranks near the bottom nationally in terms of fire deaths and rate of fire deaths per 1 million people.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, part of the Department of Homeland Security, Hawai'i had the second lowest rate of fire deaths per million population in 2001, with 4.1. Only Utah had a lower rate at 3.1.

Last year, there were 1,584,500 fires in the U.S. resulting in 3,925 deaths, 18,125 injuries and more than $12 billion in damages.

Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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