The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

At one point it seemed that for several years, the local community slipped by without a home burning down. That was unusual, a local fire chief and I agreed, hoping the trend would continue.

It didn’t. Although home fires are reportedly less common in recent years than in the decades earlier, they still happen too often. Families in this community have suffered three in the last few months, including one on the front page of this issue.

Firefighters remind us to keep batteries in smoke alarms, and change them about every six months. Figuring out a quick escape route from each part of the home is also crucial, as is practicing it with the family.

And no home fire victim we’ve ever talked to about it thought they’d had too much insurance, quite the opposite.

Renters, you should also take note: Even if the home you live in is insured, that doesn’t mean your belongings are covered. You need renter’s insurance, or a hefty savings account, if you’re going to recover quickly from a devestating loss.

Although it’s against our human nature to admit to danger before it arrives, take some time to follow the expert advice.

Scott Hunter

editor and publisher