LIHU‘E — Kauai County Council Chair Mel Rapozo said on Tuesday that the use of a simple device can reduce the risk of deaths from a fire by more than 50 percent.
“Especially for kupuna,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “Kupuna, and those who do not have ready access to fire alarms.”
Smoke alarms are the theme of the national Fire Prevention Week that adopted the title “Smoke Alarms: Make them Work for You!”
This message was contained in commendation certificates issued to the Kauai Fire Department in observance of Fire Prevention Week by the Office of the Mayor and the Kauai County Council on the heels of a successful Fire Prevention Week launch on Saturday at the Kauai Philippine Cultural Center.
The county certificates were presented on Tuesday on the heels of Gov. Josh Green issuing a state proclamation in Honolulu on Sunday.
“Gov. Green’s proclamation is an important reminder that fire prevention requires everyone’s effort, especially as the threat of wildfires continues to grow,” said Kauai Fire Department Chief Michael Gibson.
“Fire safety is about taking proactive steps to prevent fires before they start, and not just responding to them when they occur. With the rise in wildfires across our island and state, it is more important than ever for our community to be vigilant, ensure their homes are protected and stay informed.”
Fire awareness is high in the community, as Maui County and the state are in the recovery phase of the tragic wildfire that destroyed Lahaina.
“The state Fire Council appreciates the governor’s annual Fire Prevention Week Proclamation as it is a vital reminder to our residents and visitors to always stay fire safe,” said the state Fire Council Chair Kazuo Todd, who accepted Gov. Josh Green’s proclamation on Sunday in Honolulu.
“We urge every Hawaii residence or building to ensure they have functioning smoke alarms, which can often alert occupants of a potential fire, and allow them to safely escape from harm’s way.”
John Blaylock, in coordination with the Kauai Fire Department (KFD), and Gay & Robinson, anticipates installing between 180 to 200 smoke alarms on Saturday in the Kaumakani Camp as part of the “Sounding the Alarm” program that started last year.
“This is about 60 homes,” Blaylock said. “We’re starting early to beat the heat.”
The original goal of Sounding the Alarm was to check every residence of the 200-home camp that was built during the sugar plantation era. For homes that have alarms, the team would check the alarms and replace those that were not working. They would also install alarms in homes that had no alarms.
KFD Battalion Chief Jayson Pablo said the different fire stations and the Fire Prevention Bureau, with Kaeo Kinoshita, will be visiting the different island schools for fire safety awareness and instruction starting with St. Theresa School next week.
Since being proclaimed a national observance in 1925, Fire Prevention Week has been commemorated each year since and is the longest-running public health observance in the United States, said the Kauai County Council.
