Hawkins Court Fire Update
As most of you know, Laurel Park was on the receiving end of a terrible fire on Hawkins Court (May 15). We were all saddened to hear of damage and loss of a beloved dog and all contents in the rented bungalow, plus the two-story behind it and the scorching of the third home. LPNA Board President, Laurie Hall, was able to speak with one of the victims the following day. He was understandably shaken and attempting to locate some of his personal belongings from the burned out shell of the home. We offered assistance to him, but he graciously declined and asked that we make donations to the Sarasota Fire Fighter’s Benevolent Fund. We are so thankful that no human lives were lost.
LPNA board member, Vicki Ondis, was instrumental in obtaining the fire department’s report. From the report, it was noted that the rented bungalow had NO smoke detectors installed in the home. The renter was awakened only by his dog who perished in the fire. The two-story home behind this unit was also burned badly, but no one was inside at the time of the fire. These homes are clustered together (like so many in Laurel Park) which made it very difficult for firefighters to reach the flames with their hoses. Also, the fire hydrant was not easily reachable in the narrow alley.
Those who have lived in Laurel Park for several years know the damage these horrific fires can do to our homes which are so close in proximity and laced with beautiful and sometimes tinder-like grand oaks. The LPNA board did some digging and learned that building codes are the only local regulation that require the installation of smoke detectors. This means that many of our treasured historic bungalows and cottages need to be retrofitted with smoke detectors, if they have not been already. For more information about placement of smoke alarms, check this article.
The LPNA board is taking measures to better educate our residents on fire safety. It is important that we all – especially those in historic homes – take a good look at our fire safety. Those of you who rent, you should definitely check your building for smoke detectors and ask your landlord if they could install them for you. If not, you could install them yourself.
- Install smoke alarms
- Install a fire extinguisher
- Test your smoke alarms once a month
- Replace batteries in your smoke alarms once a year
- Replace smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old. The date can be found on the back
- If your building or remodeling a home, consider installing a fire sprinkler system
- Take care with candles and outdoor fire pits
Fire Safety brochures were donated by Vicki Ondis, LPNA board and are available at the Laurel Park Community Board outside the park. Look for them in the plastic container attached to the board.