CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mana Nozawa, 4, ran yesterday to the sign posted outside Honolulu Fire Station 7 on Kapahulu Avenue. According to Capt. Kenison Tejada, all the stations have signs reminding citizens about fire safety as part of Fire Prevention Week.
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Firefighters urge preparedness
This Fire Prevention Week, the Honolulu Fire Department is emphasizing preparedness in addition to prevention.
Families, they say, should have a smoke alarm in their homes and a fire evacuation plan that they have practiced with the household's children. They should also keep in mind that seniors will have more difficulty getting out of a burning home and might need assistance.
"What we're trying to tell people is we don't want them to wait until it's too late," said Capt. Kenison Tejada, Fire Department spokesman. "They don't get a second chance if somebody's maimed or killed in a fire. We're asking them not to wait until somebody gets hurt or their homes are lost. Take a little time today."
Fire Prevention Week started yesterday and goes through Saturday.
Informational booths were set up yesterday at Ala Moana and Pearlridge centers, and one will be at Windward Mall on Saturday. There will also be displays set up at Ala Wai, Kaneohe and Linapuna elementary schools.
Tejada said most families are not prepared for fires, and many homes that are destroyed in blazes have no working smoke alarms.
The most important thing, he said, is to make sure children know what a smoke alarm sounds like and what it means. "When the fire alarm goes off, most kids don't know what to do," he said.
A fire evacuation plan can take just a few minutes to come up with, he said, but could save a life.
Key points include:
» Identify two ways out of every room. One could be a door; a second could be a window. Draw out the escape plan and post it.
» Make sure doors, stairways and other exits are cleared of clutter.
» If someone in the home needs help getting out (like a senior or an infant), make sure someone is designated to assist that person in case of a fire.
» Pick an outside meeting place where everyone can gather after escaping a home blaze.
» Make sure to have a working smoke alarm on every floor.
» Always choose the escape route that is safest. Practice crawling low under smoke, which can also kill.
For more fire prevention and preparedness tips, go to www.firepreventionweek.org.