Fewer children are responsible for starting fires
The number of fires started by children playing with matches or lighters has been going down in recent years, according to Honolulu Fire Department statistics.
Fire Investigator Terio Bumanglag Jr. said that in 2003 there were 12 fires investigated by the department in which a child playing with a lighter or matches caused the blaze. Last year, that number went down to four, and so far this year there have been three, including a fire last weekend that killed a 2-year-old.
Nathaniel Nunes was asleep on a sofa in a back bedroom when the fire at 284 California Ave. started. Flames blocked his mother from getting to him in the bedroom.
Investigators said that the cause of the fire was another child playing with a lighter, but they have not said which of the other three children in the house was responsible.
Fire officials said that with parental and child awareness and education, what happened in the Wahiawa fire does not have to be repeated.
"We want to put it out there that there are things that people can do that we're not doing," fire Capt. Kenison Tejada said. "We're not all doing the safety things that we should be doing with our own families, so we want to encourage the public to do that."
Bumanglag said there are common elements he sees in each of these kinds of fires, including the Wahiawa fire:
» Lighters or matches were within reach of the children.
» Children with the lighters were unsupervised and were found hiding in a bedroom or room away from adults.
» A smoke detector was not properly working.
Bumanglag said that if parents and adults address all these issues, tragedies like the Wahiawa fire could be prevented.
"I think it will greatly improve their chances," Bumanglag said. "Early notification and decreasing the access to the lighters -- without the lighters and matches around, a child does not have access to it, and hence they cannot start a fire."
Education is also important to prevention, officials said.
In 2004 the Fire Department started the Youth Firesetter Prevention Program.
"The goal of the program is to reduce the chances that a child will continue to set fires," said Capt. Bill Beimes, of the Fire Education Office. "The program is available to anyone in the community -- all you need to do is call us up if you find a child doing that."
Children are taught the dangers of setting fires, while parents are educated about home fire safety with lessons on supervision issues.
In 2004 the program helped eight children; in 2005, another eight children; and so far this year, five children.
Referrals can be made by parents, fire investigators or others. Call the Fire Education Office at 723-7163.
Beimes said the department also continues to reach thousands through its "Play safe! Be safe!" preschool education program, and Fire Fighter's Safety Guide for students in kindergarten through the sixth grade in all public and private schools.
PLAYING WITH FIRE
The number of fires investigated by the Honolulu Fire Department caused by children playing with matches or lighters, and the preliminary property damage estimates that were caused by these fires:
YEAR |
NUMBER OF FIRES |
DAMAGE ESTIMATES |
2003 |
12 |
$1 million |
2004 |
6 |
$219,000 |
2005 |
4 |
$141,500 |
2006 |
3 |
$181,000 |
Source: Honolulu Fire Department
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