67 schools flunk Fire code violations at Hawaii public schools climbed in the 2001-2002 school year to 234 from 63 the year before, according to a School Fire Inspection Program report.
fire code inspection
Violations jump to 234 for the
2001-2002 school year from
63 for the previous yearBy Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.comThe schools have not topped the 200-violation figure since the 1998-99 school year, when they recorded 201 fire code violations.
The 2000-01 figures may have been low because the report was incomplete. Of 257 public schools statewide, 67 schools failed the school fire inspection in the 2001-02 year. Thirty-nine schools flunked the year before.
Assistant Superintendent Al Suga said: "It's significant. We gotta think about our kids, right?"
The report, compiled by the Department of Education, says: "Many of the violations, correctable by schools, are due to schools not being sufficiently diligent and vigilant in self-inspections. Other violations need the technical assistance of the Department of Accounting & General Services in order to be corrected."
Part of the reason for the dramatic increase is that two counties -- the Big Island and Oahu -- are not giving the schools a chance to clear the violations as in the past.
In the School Fire Inspection Program, held yearly, county and federal fire departments survey schools statewide to determine whether schools are in compliance with fire codes. Fire officials also make the necessary recommendations to correct and improve safety conditions at public schools.
Honokaa High & Intermediate School had the most violations at 17. Exits, alarm systems and fire protection appliances were listed as some of the violations at Honokaa. Last year, the school failed the inspection after being tagged for one violation involving extension cords.
On the Leeward Coast, Nanakuli High & Intermediate School received nine violations involving exits and alarm systems. Last year, Nanakuli received five violations.
Waiakea High School on the Big Island received six violations this past school year and for the 2000-2001 school year. Konawaena High School failed the inspection after receiving 14 violations, and Kealakehe High School received 13 violations. Last year, inspection reports were not made for Konawaena and Kealakehe.
Overall in the report, common violations involved blocked exits, fire alarm systems, fire protection appliances, electrical and hazardous materials.
School officials say they are not comparing the past year's total with the previous year's total because of the stringent examination by Honolulu and Hawaii counties.
The summary report states, "For the school year 2001-2002 school fire inspections, the Honolulu Fire Department and the Hawaii County Fire Department determined that they would not allow schools with minor violations the opportunity to correct them within 10 working days as before in order to achieve satisfactory status." But Maui and Kauai fire departments continued to allow schools to correct minor violations within the designated time period.
The large number of violations may be due to the two county fire departments enforcing zero tolerance among public schools to correct minor violations, the report states.
It also may involve "the continued diligence with which fire inspectors have been conducting school fire inspections. "Future plans to help improve safety problems at public schools include consolidating the School Inspection Program and the School Fire Inspection Program into one program.
Also, the Department of Education plans to increase training for school administrators, administrative school support managers and others with necessary tools relating to fire inspections. Moreover, implementation of a School Safety Program Audit system is expected to ensure compliance among public schools.
Plans for the superintendent's Strategic Implementation Plan include to "ensure a safe environment for all students through full compliance with federal and state statutes and regulations as well as local laws and codes."
Suga said, "Constant failure to comply and not provide a safe and nurturing environment for our children is to me a violation of the law."
Fire officials in the four counties inspected all the schools in the state during the 2000-01 school year. Here are the schools that failed: Fire code violations
in the schools
HONOLULU DISTRICT # COMMENTS Kaewai Elementary 2 Exits - aisles in library too narrow; alarms - fire alarm system out of service Kalakaua Middle 3 Gases - unknown hydrogen cyclinder; electrical; alarm - pull boxes above 5 feet high Kalihi Elementary 1 Fire extinguisher not properly tagged Kalihi-Kai Elementary 3 Exits; electrical - power strips and electrical cords; alarms - pull station Palolo Elementary 1 Electrical Pauoa Elementary 1 Fire protection - fire hose inspection Washington Middle 2 "Exits, other hazards"
CENTRAL DISTRICT Aiea High* Aliamanu Intermediate 1 Alarms - not working Leilehua High 1 Electrical - extension cords Makalapa Elementary 1 Fire alarm system Mililani High 3 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances" Mililani Middle 2 "Fuel storage, other hazaradous locations and conditions" Moanalua Elementary 1 Fire protection - need fire extinguishers Moanalua High 2 "Exits, electrical" Moanalua Middle 3 "Exits, electical, other hazardous locations and conditions" Salt Lake Elementary 1 Exits Waialua Elementary 2 Pull station missing glass bar. Propane Waialua High & Intermediate 4 "Exits, fire alarm system, fuel storage, other hazardous locations"
LEEWARD DISTRICT August Ahrens Elementary 1 Other hazardous locations and conditions Kamaile Elementary 1 Exits Kapolei High 3 "Electrical, fire protection appliances, other hazardous locations and conditions" Leihoku Elementary 5 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection applicance, electrical" Maili Elementary 3 Exits; electrical - extension cords; access to extinguishers; and electrical panels Nanakuli Elementary 1 Other hazardous locations and conditions Nanakuli High & Intermediate 9 "Exits, fire alarm system, electrical, other hazardous locations and conditions" Pearl City High 3 "Exits, electrical" Waianae High 8 "Exits, flammables, gases, electrical, alarms, fire protection, other hazards, housekeeping" Waipahu High 4 "Fire alarm system, electrical"
WINDWARD DISTRICT Kaaawa Elementary 1 Exits Kaelepulu Elementary 1 Electrical Kahuku High & Intermediate 8 "Exits, fire protection appliances, electrical, fuel storage, other hazardous locations" Lanikai Elementary 2 "Exits, electrical" Benjamin Parker Elementary 6 "Flammables, electrical, storage, alarms, other hazards, housekeeping" Puohala Elementary 1 Install protective barriers to kiln
BIG ISLAND DISTRICT Haaheo Elementary 1 Exits Hilo Intermediate 1 Fire alarm Honokaa High & Intermediate 17 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances, electrical, fuel storage, other hazards" Kealakehe High 13 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances, electrical, fuel storage, other hazards" Kealakehe Intermediate 1 Exits Kohala High 4 "Exits, fire protection appliances, electrical, fuel storage, other hazardous locations" Kohala Intermediate 1 Exits Konawaena Elementary 2 "Other hazardous locations, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances" Konawaena High 14 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances, electrical, fuel storage, other" Laupahoehoe High & Elem. 5 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances, electrical, other hazards" Waiakea High 6 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances, electrical, fuel storage, other hazards" Waikoloa Elementary* Waimae Elementary* Waimea Middle 3 "Fire protection appliances, electrical"
MAUI DISTRICT Haiku Elementary* Hana High & Elementary 13 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances, electrical, other hazardous locations" Iao Intermediate 10 "Exits, fire protection appliances, electrical, other hazardous locations and conditions" Kalama Intermediate 5 "Exits, fire protection appliances, electrical, other hazardous locations and conditions" Keanae Elementary 3 "Exits, fire alarm systems, other hazardous locations and conditions" King Kekaulike High 5 "Exits, fire alarm system, electrical, fuel storage" Lahainaluna High 7 "Exits, fire alarm system, electrical, other hazardous locations and conditions" Lihikai Elementary 3 Other hazardous locations and conditions Lokelani Intermediate 4 "Exits, fire protection, other hazardous location and conditions" Maui Waena Intermediate 8 "Exits, fire alarm system, fire protection appliances, electrical, fuel storage" Maunaloa Elementary 2 "Fire protection appliances, other hazardous locations and conditions" Molokai High & Intermediate 4 "Exits, fire protection, electrical, other hazardous locations and conditions" Paia Elementary 4 "Exits, electrical, other hazardous materials and conditions" Pukalani Elementary 3 "Exits, fire protection appliances, electrical" Wailuku Elementary 4 "Exits, fire alarm systems, electrical, other hazardous locations and conditions"
KAUAI DISTRICT Hanalei Elementary* Kalaheo Elementary* Kekaha Elementary*
*Details of violations not givenSource: Department of Education
State Department of Education
