CRASH SPURS INTEREST IN ESCAPE LADDERS.Byline: Alex Roth Daily News Staff Writer The crash of a light plane into a house in Reseda created a rush on emergency ladders at local stores on Wednesday. That's because Carol and Nate Peiman owed their lives to their newly set up emergency ladder which let them escape when their house burst into flames when the plane crashed into it Tuesday. ``Tuesday alone I probably had 30 calls,'' said Larry Ackerman, the manager of Pic 'N' Save Pic 'N' Save was, at one time, the second-largest closeout retail chain in the United States. Financial troubles caused the chain to close many of the markets in the late-1990s and early-2000s. in Northridge. ``They wanted to know if we had that ladder that they saw on television.'' Ackerman said his store sold its only two remaining $19.95 ladders ``the minute I opened the doors'' right after the crash. At Pic 'N' Save in Van Nuys, assistant manager Angel Rodrigues said the store fielded roughly 15 calls but hasn't had a ladder for a few weeks. A fire official said it takes a near disaster to make people aware that items such as emergency-escape ladders are ``vitally important.'' ``You have to have a method of escape when all else fails,'' said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. . ``You may be alerted to a fire, you may be able to battle a fire, but you have to be ready to retreat.'' People who think they can escape at a moment's notice by tying a bedsheet together are kidding themselves, he said. ``The notion that one would have the time or mental acumen acumen Astuteness, perception, perspicacity to tie together bedsheets is fanciful fan·ci·ful adj. 1. Created in the fancy; unreal: a fanciful story. 2. Tending to indulge in fancy: a fanciful mind. 3. at best,'' he said. ``When you're talking a smoke-charged atmosphere, where oxygen levels are diminished, no one thinks well in those situations.'' He recommended that a family engage in fire-escape practice drills. Such drills should include using the ladder and also learning how to remove any screens on the windows, he said. Families should also designate des·ig·nate tr.v. des·ig·nat·ed, des·ig·nat·ing, des·ig·nates 1. To indicate or specify; point out. 2. To give a name or title to; characterize. 3. a specific meeting place outside the house where everyone should meet after escape.That way no will be tempted to run back inside the house for fear a family member might still be trapped inside. Fire officials call such drills EDITH EDITH Exit Drills In The Home (Fire Prevention) EDITH European Development on Indexing Techniques for Databases with Multidimensional Hierarchies , which stands for Exit Drills in the Home.'' Humphrey said some people are reluctant to buy escape ladders because they leave marks on the side of the house. ``You have to understand,'' Humphrey said, ``that when you use this ladder, it's usually because your house is on fire.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO An emergency ladder, seen at right, helped Carol and Nate Peiman escape Tuesday when a small plane collided with their house shortly after taking off from nearby Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. in inclement in·clem·ent adj. 1. Stormy: inclement weather. 2. Showing no clemency; unmerciful. in·clem weather. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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