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Published 1/13/2012 in Local News

By RACHAEL GRAY

Authorities say a Finney County fire that killed a family of three on Sunday has been ruled as likely a human accident, although it remains under investigation.

Rose Rozmiarek, Kansas state fire marshal special agent, confirmed the ruling.

“They can’t pinpoint an ignition source due to damages, but it did occur in one bedroom,” Rozmiarek said.

Rozmiarek said the fire started in the east bedroom of the home being rented by Nichole Savoy, 26. She and her two daughters, Bryn, 6, and 22-month-old Madelyn, died as a result of injuries sustained in the fire.

Nichole Savoy had been renting the property from Steve Burgess, Garden Spot Rentals owner, for about 10 months, according to Burgess.

Garden City Fire Chief Allen Shelton confirmed Wednesday the home was not equipped with smoke detectors. under the Smoke Detector Act, which was passed in 1998, all property owners must equip homes with smoke detectors on each floor.

Burgess said Wednesday he wasn’t aware of the law. he has since installed smoke detectors in his rental properties. Burgess owns 300 rental units in and around Garden City and has been a landlord for 28 years.

When asked if Burgess could possibly face charges, Rozmiarek said the case remains under investigation.

“The case is being reviewed. Until that is done, I’m not sure exactly where it will go from there,” she said.

Burgess said officials from the fire department told him the fire likely was accidental and not related to the structure of the home. he said fire officials told him the structure was sound.

Burgess said Nichole Savoy had complained her heater wasn’t working, but when she replaced the filter, it worked fine. She replaced the filter about a month ago, he said.

Did the fire marshall not check the houses when it was time for the renewal of the landlords permit? Why did the landlord not call someone to look at the heater? Why do we keep letting people slide on the rules? if the acting officials of Garden City and Finney County do not want to do anything about it i say we elect new ones. another loss of life in finney county that could have been avoided if someone was actually doing their job instead of eating donuts and doing nothing all day!!!!

Please people. As an adult, if you are renting, look around you rental. no smoke detectors, go to Walmart, spend 5 or 10 dollars and get one and install it. THen confront your landlord. Also, without knowing the layout of the home, there is no way of knowing if the heater was responsible. Was it in the bedroom where they say the fire started. I haven’t heard that, or read it in any of the stories.

Common Sense- there were no some alarms in the house at all. That’s not what she reported to be not working. She said the heater wasn’t working correctly. I’m not sure what renter would think, “I better make sure and buy smoke detectors for this house that I’m renting”

The landlord should have had the heater checked instead of having the tenant change filter and think everything was ok. It is his responsibilty period…. and for him to say he didnt know it was the law I dont believe it. As it should have been common sense.

Whether or not it was an accident or not the landlord was responsible to have a fuctional smoke alarm in the house. with that many rentals and the fact he was a landlord for 28 years ignorance of the law is no excuse. The girls would not of died if it was for a working smoke alarm. God rest their souls.

Yeah right… a landlord for 28 yrs, 300 rentals and knew nothing about the law? he should be held responsable to some degree. I wonder how many other things he is not in compliance with if can over look the smoke detectors for the past 14 years.

There are a lot of options available on the market for good high quality gun safes. the question is which one is the right one for you. With so much information out there and advertisers explaining about their products endless sea of options how do you know what to look for so you can get the best protection for your firearms. Although there are some really good options to include, such as a biometric interface, the most important thing to focus on is the actual safe itself. how secure is the physical safe? If you’re not sure why this would be important, consider the following.

Although it is incredibly important that your loved ones are protected against handling weapons unsupervised, one of the biggest reasons why you would need something as extensive as gun safes is protection against thievery. considering that a burglar’s main goal is to get in and out of your home as fast as they can, the issue is all about time. They simply want your belongings and don’t want to get caught taking them.

With this in mind realize that there has never been a safe made that couldn’t be broken into if the criminal has enough time. Gun safes are created not to keep your belongings directly from falling into unwanted hands, they are made to slow intruders down enough that they either get caught or run away.

now, in order to do this you need a safe that is capable of keeping them at bay until this occurs and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the industry rating standard, places ratings on gun safes to indicate how long it would take an offender to break into it.

at the bare minimum most home gun safes will likely have the Residential Security Container rating on the outside of it. This means that a professional could not get into this safe for at least five minutes. Beyond this, there is the TL-15 Burglary Classification which is a rating that indicates that experts, using everyday standard tools, were unable to gain entry into the safe for at least 15 minutes. one of the highest ratings goes to the TL-30 Burglary Classification. This is given by the UL for gun safes that can hold off against attack for at least 30 minutes.

Although these ratings come from strict and effective testing there are some ratings by the UL that are not as meaningful. Even though they can give you useful information about the safe one of the drawbacks to these ratings is the fact that some manufacturers use them to give misleading information about their product. This is done by implying that the safe is more secure than it might actually be. for example the B and C rating is an indication that the construction of the safe is at least ½ to 1 inch thick. There are other, less common ratings that are also sometimes used to imply that there is more to the construction or ability of a particular product.

the best advice for getting the best product is to get the most information about the ones you are interested in as possible, and then look for user reviews to see if others have been happy with the product. There is no sense in being the first to pave a path when there are likely others out there who have already had experience with gun safes.

Shantel McCoy, 32, was killed in a high-rise apartment fire early in the morning on January 8th. The Chicago woman died in the building’s elevator at approximately 2:00 a.m. while she was returning to her apartment after buying food.

Unaware of the blaze that raged on the 12th floor of the building, which had by the time she returned engulfed the entire floor, McCoy was immediately overwhelmed by smoke, toxic fumes, and flames when the elevator doors opened.

Seven additional building residents and two Chicago firefighters were injured in the fire, which began in an apartment unit on the 12th floor of the 21-floor building and quickly spread through the apartment’s open door.

Basic features of modern fire codes would have saved McCoy’s life. unlike buildings built after 1975, this high-rise’s elevators do not stop working when a smoke detector is activated, nor is there a building-wide alert system. The apartment building, located at 3130 North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, was outfitted with neither a sprinkler system nor a building-wide fire alarm system. Residents living above and below the 12th floor where the fire started confirmed that they did not hear any fire alarms going off at the time.

Commercial residential buildings in Chicago built before 1975 are not required to have sprinkler systems installed. because the costs to retrofit older buildings with a sprinkler system were deemed too expensive by building owners, older buildings such as 3130 N. Lake Shore Drive were exempted from the 2004 city ordinance requiring that pre-1975 commercial buildings have sprinkler systems installed. more than 750 residential high-rises are exempt from having these basic fire safety systems.

This exemption was given by the city on the grounds that older apartment buildings would be evaluated for cheaper safety improvements as part of a “building fire safety plan” that was initially required to be implemented by January 1, 2012. Last December, Chicago’s city council voted unanimously to extend the deadline for building owners to have installed the required building safety measures to January 1, 2015. As a result, at the time of the fire on January 8, the building was not required to have updated its fire alarm system or a fire-safe elevator system.

The 2004 ordinance was passed in response to the 2003 fire in the Cook County Administration Building that killed six people who had become trapped in the stairway after automatic door locks prevented them from getting to safety. The six had been ordered by firefighters to return to their floors above the fire after they attempted to evacuate the building.

McCoy’s family stated that she had moved to Chicago last March hoping to find work after being laid off from her previous job at an accounting firm in Philadelphia. her tragic and completely preventable death is a direct result of the city’s decision to serve the interests of property owners at the expense of the health and safety of the population.

Despite the absence of basic fire safety measures in the building and their central role in McCoy’s death, city officials have heaped blame for her death on the couple in whose apartment the fire began.

Deputy District Fire Chief Joseph Roccasalva emphasized that the fleeing couple’s decision to prop their apartment door open to let their pets escape “doomed” Shantel McCoy. Chicago businessman and alderman Tom Tunney, who co-sponsored the ordinance that extended the building fire safety deadline, said that McCoy’s death was “unrelated” to the extension and absence of modern building fire precautions, noting, “The important thing is this door did not close.”

Tunney said he had “no regrets” about championing the three-year extension sparing building owners from implementing safety measures.

Charles Buckman, an elevator industry specialist commenting on McCoy’s death, said that if the national engineering code had been observed, fire sensors would be installed on each floor and the elevator would not have been operating normally.

About the lack of elevator safety measures in the building he said, “In this case, somebody committed murder.”

We love taking care of our things especially when they are important. most of the time, we place them in safe places so that they can live longer. we even come to the point of buying special containers made out of plastics, metals or wood of fine crafts and colors. To secure them further, we sometimes add on locks to ensure that no one can take it easily. we go through extremes just to protect something important.

Another reason why we keep some items well protected is to ensure that at the time we will use it; still it will be on its best condition. There are other things that we just hide for months and take it out on special occasions. Examples of these are our Chinas or your silver spoons and other expensive kitchenware. however, one of the main reasons for preservation of things is to ensure that you can use them in cases of emergency. That is why when it comes to fire suppressant devices, you also invest in accessories to keep it intact and functional at all times.

There are different items that you can use to keep your fire suppressants or extinguishers in a good condition. whether you keep it in a special storage or just place them along the way, you can ensure that they will not get knocked-off easily. They can also be free from hard blows or other extrinsic factors that could lead to its damage.

The first option is the use of fire extinguisher stands. They can come in steels, plastics or even molded. this accessory is very important to provide stability for your device whether you just let them stand along the corridor or on their cabinets. They are good options for lightweight and portable extinguishers. therefore, no matter what debris or objects that could get pass it, it will not easily be easily displaced. It is also very helpful when you want to do standard check-up and cleaning of your fire suppressant device. It keeps it still and things can be done in a breeze.

You can also keep them on walls through metal or plastics cabinets. They can either be recessed or mounted. Recessed cabinets are like built holes in the walls with doors. They are deep-set which make it part of the wall. If you remove it, it can leave a hallow space in between your walls. Mounted can mean that it is attached to the surface of the wall. in any case that you built a house without a compartment for extinguishers, this is the best way to do it. There will be no walls and it is embossed on the wall.

Fire extinguisher stands and cabinets are all important accessories to preserve your device. you can use a combination of both to secure and keep it in good conditions. this prevents, rusting, denting and or destruction of nozzles and pins caused by heavy blows or accidental knock-off. this way, in times of emergency, you can expect that your device will still be reliable enough, to put out raging flames of any source.

Gainsborough is making having a different key for every access points in your home a thing of the past with their new G+ home access system.  the G+ Access system eliminates the need to carry separate alarm, garage door and gate remote controls in addition to front door keys.  G+ gives the home owner control from inside and convenience from the outside.

Anyone planning on renovating their home or professional builders wanting to give their buildings the woo factor, the G+ is a possible option.  With the use of a handy remote backed by their home automation solution, you can manage it all with just one lightweight and convenient remote control.

The G+ electronic key allows homeowners to access and controls the locking and unlocking functions of front door locks including deadlock, privacy and passage modes. I can also operate other home access systems such as lighting and alarm. from conveniently located wall mounted control system you can manage access to your home and received message left by visitors.

According to Gainsborough the G+ Access system is a modular system allowing you to start with the basic and add more features as time progresses.  There is also the G+ Home Hub that allows you to link your G+ Access system into other home automation system you might already have.

You might be thinking it electronic and it might fail.  the G+ locksets have battery backup to maintain safety and security in the event of a blackout and mechanical override in all the locks for you to revert back to traditional keys. 

CHICAGO, IL, Jan 18, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –SafeMart.com is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its groundbreaking do-it-yourself (DIY) home security system. This DIY homesecurity system changed the way that companies and customers look atthe home security delivery experience, and SafeMart is taking thisopportunity to look back at the path from DIY to the industry’s mostinnovative home security company and the inventor of Plug &Protect(TM).

The journey began in St. Mary’s, Kansas when CEO Chris Johnson andthe rest of the SafeMart team rethought the way home security isdelivered, but they focused on a small market of so called “DIYers.”Today, SafeMart empowers customers to choose a home security systemto fit their needs with professional and cutting edge devices thatthe mass market can easily use, understand and control.

“We wanted to change what customers expected from their home securitycompany,” Johnson said. “And we did. We wanted to change theexperience of purchasing a home security system. That meant we had toleverage technology to improve the delivery model, give customersmore options and provide world class service.”

This process began with a true DIY home security system that wasmeant for people with electronics expertise. Then, home securitytechnology improved and the Internet took off. That’s when SafeMartbegan to innovate and change the industry. after ten years of hardwork and innovation, Plug & Protect(TM) is truly a self-installablesystem for the mass market.

“It was that original DIY home security system that started it all,”Johnson said. “And since then, it has been our focus to improve thecustomer experience that brought us all the way to Plug & Protect(TM)and it’s what will continue to push the company forward over the next10 years.”

Innovation at SafeMart has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, Incmagazine named SafeMart one of the inc. 5000 fastest growingcompanies in the nation for the third year running. top ten Reviewsawarded SafeMart the top wireless home security company in its reviewof the industry. “Watching SafeMart grow from a business that cateredto a boutique clientele of do it Yourself-ers to a company thatserves the mass market and is recognized by national publications hasbeen very exciting,” says Johnson.

Contact: Sam McBride sam@SafeMart.com 785-321-3154 mailto:sam@SafeMart.com

Copyright 2012 Marketwire, inc., all rights reserved.

A veranda can be the best place where people can get together for a pleasant day. However, once the sun falls, need the entertainment go along with it? Improvements in lighting over the past several years have opened up more options for illuminated verandas. the application of flood lights, candles, or even the popular tiki torch is decreasing over time.

Today, there are LED deck lights which can be properly placed on, around, or even in verandas. These lights are superior to others in lots of ways.

First, there is the priority of safety. for most people, lighting that contains some kind of spark seems to be the only idea. However, there are a number of negatives to this; even a gently breeze could blow out the flame, the light could fall over and cause a larger fire, or someone may even mistakenly touch it and burn themselves. That’s an issue with LED deck lights. they can be placed anywhere and they use very little heat. Therefore, there is usually no need to bother with anyone burning themselves. this is especially helpful when children are around.

Another great feature of LED deck lighting is that they use hardly any energy. LED bulbs are becoming the standard in beneficial lighting, seeing as they use so little of it. this is ideal for anyone who may be using numerous lights for an extended length of time. furthermore, LED deck lights require very little to no maintenance.

Although some lights require constant filling of oil (tiki torches), replacing (candles), or even changing of bulbs, LED deck lights keep working far longer than any other method. People no longer have to stop what they are undertaking simply to refill or replace whatever form of lighting they were using.

LED deck lighting also boasts the fact we now have many different styles and varieties to choose from. who wants to be tied to only one option for lighting? some lights can be installed as post caps in order that they sit on top of the deck posts. Others are mounted inside the posts so that they can lay flush up against the side of it. this is specifically convenient for those who want a sleek, complex look without having to worry about anything getting knocked from its location or bent. While there continue to be numerous styles, one more well known option is of the “lamp” looking lights. These can be mounted to a vertical surface and hang like a lamp.

There are many possible, low risk, and cost efficient ways to use LED deck lighting to illuminate spot. It is genuinely an increasingly popular option that can be considered by almost anyone.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the crash occurred at the intersection of Southeast 100th Avenue and County Road 25. they said the bus, which was transporting 42 students to Lake Weir High School, was stopped at a traffic light when a 1999 Hyundai sedan struck it from behind.

There was minor damage to the bus. a different bus came to the site and picked up the students and took them to school.

Troopers said the driver of the car was cited for careless driving.

The student, age 15, was taken to Munroe Regional Medical Center.

Man, 54, accused of running a chop shop

A 54-year-old-man accused of operating a chop shop was charged with additional offenses Friday.

William Randall Nichols, who already faces 13 charges ranging from grand theft to possession of methamphetamine from arrests on Dec. 6 and Dec. 8, was charged this week with burglary, grand theft and grand theft auto.

The latter charges were levied after detectives from the Holly Hill and Lady Lake Police Departments, along with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, obtained a search warrant for Nichols’ Ocklawaha mobile home.

They found a pressure washer stolen from a home nearby as well as keys to a four-wheeler that reportedly also was stolen from a home not too far away.

Nichols was taken into custody Wednesday on a Lake County warrant for grand theft auto. Also arrested at Nichols’ home the same day on a similar charge was Robert Daniel Adkins, 33.

Nichols was arrested Dec. 6 for operating a chop shop, a term commonly used for an operation in which stolen vehicles are dismantled so the parts can be sold. He posted bond the next day, but was rearrested Dec. 8 on charges including grand theft and dismantling, destruction, and change of motor vehicle.

Lottery tickets stolen from convenience store

A burglar stole a number of lottery tickets from a convenience store Friday.

Around 1 a.m. Friday, Ocala police officers went to the quick King at 2400 SE 36th Ave. in response to an alarm.

Officers searched the area, but did not find any intruders. they did, however, notice a hole in a vacant business. Officers believe the suspect entered through the roof, crawled into the attic, busted through the firewall and entered the quick King through an open hatch.

Anyone with information can call the Ocala Police Department at 369-7000, Crime Line at 369-7061 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, or visit ocalacrimestoppers.com.

COMMUNITY

Memorial fund to help pay funeral expenses

The Landon Teitloff Memorial Fund has been established at Wells Fargo to help pay the funeral expenses for the child, who died after being run over by a truck driven by a relative at the Hog Waller Mud bog near Palatka on Dec. 31.

Landon was 3 years old. his mother, a 23-year-old single mom, lives in Ocala.

Donations may be made at any Marion County Wells Fargo facility.

Class on Constitution begins soon at CF

The College of Central Florida will offer an introductory class on the U.S. Constitution from Jan. 12 through March 1 at 3001 SW College Road, Ocala.

Students who complete the class can enroll in an advanced class on the Bill of Rights.

The classes are offered by the Senior Institute and are open to anyone older than 50. there is a yearly fee of $125 to join the institute and a fee of $8 per class. For more information call 291-4444 or email .

Registration is open for relationship seminar

A marriage and relationship seminar will be held 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Jan. 21 at Shepherd’s Voice Counseling Center, 2206 NE eighth Road, Ocala. the cost is $60 for a couple or $35 per individual.

Topics include maximized relationships, parenting/blended family relationships, communication and conflict management. For more information, call 351-2777.

Horses for Hospice Trail Ride set for February

Hospice of Marion County will hold its 12th annual Horses for Hospice Trail Ride beginning at 8 a.m. Feb. 18 on the Central Florida Greenway at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala.

This year’s ride is in memory of Wayne Vaught, former Cross Florida Greenway enthusiast and trail ride chairman.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the first ride leaves at 9:15 a.m. Following the ride, participants can enjoy lunch by Tommy’s BBQ, entertainment by Bordertown and door prizes.

Proceeds will benefit patient care programs. it will cost $30 to ride. Wagons are welcome at $30 for each driver and $10 per passenger. Tickets for lunch and entertainment only are $10.

For more information, call 854-5218.

Outdoor programs are planned at local parks

Marion County Parks and Recreation offers the following outdoor recreation programs:

Kayak outings: Jan. 7, 8, 13, 21 and 22. Learn the basics, see wildlife or paddle the Rainbow, Silver or Ocklawaha rivers. Equipment provided.

Eco tram tours: Jan. 12, 15, 26 and 29. Unwind on a motorized nature ride through Sunnyhill Restoration Area or Carney Island Recreation and Conservation Area and see landscapes and wildlife.

Basic wild caving: Jan. 14. Turn on your hard-hat light and get ready to climb, crawl and squeeze through rocky surfaces and tight spaces in this cave exploration program. Gear provided.

Pre-registration and nominal fees are required.

For more information, call 671-8560 or visit marioncountyfl.org/parks.htm.

Women’s club luncheon is planned for Jan. 24

The Ocala Christian Women’s Club invites area women to a “Sparkling Ice Luncheon” at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 24 at the Ocala Hilton, 3600 SW 36th Ave., Ocala.

The event includes Premier Jewelry with Alena Bair, soloist Christin McFarland and speaker Carolyn Pruette. Reservations are necessary by Jan. 20. the cost is $16 and child care is available. For more information, call 236-1982.

Magnet school expo will be held Thursday

A magnet school expo will be held 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Marion Technical Institute, 1614 SE Fort King St., Ocala.

The event includes exhibits from Dr. N.H. Jones, Madison Street Academy, Oakcrest Elementary and Reddick-Collier Elementary; Howard and Belleview Middle Schools; and Belleview, North Marion, Forest, Vanguard, Dunnellon and West Port High Schools. Also learn about programs at MTI.

For more information, call Julie Shealy at 236-0550.

CALENDAR

TODAY

FORD SHOW: the 18th annual Ford Mustang Round-up Car show will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, and Sunday, Jan. 8, at Silver Springs Nature Park, 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. $24.99 to $31.99. (236-2121 or silversprings.com)

EDUCATION OPEN HOUSE: Ocala Civic Theatre is hosting an open house for its Education Department from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Students and parents will have a chance to be involved in theater games, face painting, making balloon animals, meeting instructors and the new Director of Education, and signing up for the Winter/Spring session that begins Tuesday, Jan. 10. (236-2274)

MEMORIAL SERVICE: Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park will host the Quarterly Memorial Service at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, 2601 E. Fort King St., Ocala, Readers for this event will be the U.S.S. Nautilus Submarine Base Veterans (671-8560)

DIAMOND BUYERS: the International Gold, Silver and Diamond Buyers group is making a stop at Courtyard by Marriott, 3712 SW 38th Ave., with buyers on hand 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Free to attend. (217-726-7590)

SUNDAY

BREAKFAST: all you can eat breakfast is 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, Jan. 8, US Veterans Post 100, 16535 N. Highway 301, Citra. $5. (595-5867)

DAVID HART: International concert organist David Hart performs at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, First United Methodist Church, 1126 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Free. (537-0207)

SOUNDART: Ocala Symphony Orchestra presents “Fabulous Flute Flare” as part of the Soundart series at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. $15. (351-1606 or ocalasymphony.com)

JAMMING: Jamming in the Park is 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, Marion Oaks Community Center, 294 Marion Oaks Lane, Ocala. (salsaandjazz.com)

TWEEN TIME: Wimpy kid games, trivia and more, for children in grades 4-6, begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, Marion County Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Registration required. (671-8551)

OSTOMY SUPPORT: Ostomy support group meets at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, Sheriff’s sub station, 3260 SW 80th Ave., Ocala. (237-4790)

ARMENIAN SOCIETY: Armenian American Cultural Society meets at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, 8831 SE 58th Ave., Ocala. (245-7755)

RAY COOPER SHOW: Ray Cooper performs at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, Countryside Presbyterian Church, 7768, SW 200 Highway, Ocala. (237- 4633)

PET VACCINES: the Florida International Teaching Zoo offers low-cost pet vaccinations 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, Seminole Feed, 5740 W. Highway 40, Ocala. $6 rabies; $14 distemper/parvo. (867-7788 or thezooschool.com)

JUBILEE OBSERVANCE: the Marion County Branch of the NAACP will celebrate a Jubilee Observance at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 718 NW 7th Street, Ocala. the observance is a commemoration of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. the public is welcome to attend. (629-4908)

SUNDAY SAMPLER: Garrison Doles and Sabal perform at 2 p.m. Jan. 8, historic Dunnellon Depot, 12061 S. William St., Dunnellon. $10. (465-2167)

To submit information for this list, send an e-mail to calendar@starbanner.com or visit ocala.com, scroll down and click on EVENTS CALENDAR on the right.

Road safety campaigner blasts government over ‘old bomb’claims.

A leading road safety campaigner has accusedthe government of hypocrisy after the Transport MinisterGerry Brownlee blamed the age of the vehicle fleet forslowing down improvements in road safety.

CliveMatthew-Wilson, who edits the car review websitedogandlemon.com, says the government has consistentlyblocked many affordable and effective moves to lower theroad toll.

“the government knows that if all vehiclesused daytime running lights*, the road toll would dropsignificantly, at very little cost to the consumer or thegovernment. yet, just last year, the transport ministerrejected this vital measure.”

“the government knowsthat unsafe roads contribute to nearly a third of the roadtoll**, but won’t fix many of the highest riskroads.”

“the government knows that ElectronicStability Control is a vital life-saving measure, yetrefuses to make it compulsory on new vehicles.”

“Thegovernment knows that safe vehicles are important, yetrefuses to require its own departments to purchase thesafest vehicles in their class.”

“the governmentencourages a transport system where those without a carsimply can’t get around. yet, the government blames poorpeople for driving the only vehicles they canafford.”“the government knows that road safety canbe dramatically improved for a relatively small cost, yet itpersists in blaming the victims, instead of takingresponsibility for a road toll that should be falling farfaster than it is.”

*According to European studieson the effectiveness of DRLs in improving road safety, thepotential savings are:• 25% of daytime multi-vehiclefatal accidents (11% of all non-pedestrian fatalaccidents)• 28% of daytime fatal pedestrian accidents(12% of all fatal pedestrian accidents)• 20% ofdaytime multi-vehicle injury accidents• 12% of daytimemulti-vehicle property accidents

members.optusnet.com.au/carsafety/paine_drl_nrma_racv.pdf

Daytimerunning lights are available online for as little as $20 andcan be installed on most cars in less than an hour. Due toimprovements in LED technology, modern daytime runninglights in most cases use less electricity than aconventional car stereo.

**The AA estimates that measuressuch as such as installing wire rope centre barriers andrumble strips could prevent up to 90 road deaths per year.That’s nearly a third of the current roadtoll.

ENDS

• NEW: Danish Refugee Council official says bribed guard made kidnapping possible
• Aid workers Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted are at a U.S. base in Sicily
• The reintegration process will help the two readjust to normal life, the U.S. military says
• They were freed in a daring rescue by U.S. special operations troops in Somalia

Rome (CNN) — a crooked Somali cop may have been the one who made the kidnapping of two foreign aid workers in October possible, the safety adviser for their employer told CNN.

U.S. military forces rescued Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Poul Thisted, 60, on Wednesday after they spent three months in captivity. now in Sicily, the aid workers are to be reunited with their spouses.

Buchanan and Thisted were traveling in Somalia as workers for the Danish Refugee Council at the time of their kidnapping.

Fredrik Palsson, the group’s global safety adviser, revealed new details about how the pair were captured.

Nongovernmental organizations such as Danish Refugee Council are required to have security while traveling in certain parts of Somalia. the Somali government provides protection, not private security companies, Palsson said.

Known as special protection units, these guards operate only in specific areas, and so aid workers must change vehicles and switch guards when they cross from one region to the next, he said.

“What happened was that one of the guards, he was sold out, and he had as a mission: to capture expatriates,” Palsson said.

The kidnappers paid off one officer, who replaced the regular guards with others who were in on the corruption, he said.

“And as they came close to the changeover position, then they were stopped, and then they were moved into other vehicles and they were driven away,” he said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military said that the two rescued aid workers need time out of the media spotlight to recover.

The workers’ health and welfare are the top priority, the military statement said, appealing to journalists to respect the privacy of the freed hostages and their families.

“It is extremely important that they have the chance to decompress from this event without the pressure of instant overwhelming public notoriety,” it said.

In a joint statement issued through the Danish Refugee Council, Buchanan’s and Thisted’s families expressed relief the two were rescued unharmed.

“We are grateful for all the efforts that have been put into getting them safely back to us and for the fact that a very difficult chapter in our lives is over,” it said.

“We need to look ahead now, and it is going to take time for us all to adjust and to return to normal life. we would like to thank all media for having respected our needs for privacy, and we request for everyone to continue to show us this respect and to give us time and privacy, which is all we need now.”

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The reintegration process allows the Defense Department to gather critical information while taking care of the freed captives, the military said.

“The process ensures returnees have the best chance to return to their previous lives following this significant event,” it said.

The two hostages were freed in a dramatic overnight rescue operation.

U.S. special operations forces parachuted into Somalia from airplanes early Wednesday, advanced on foot to a compound where the two kidnapped workers were being held and then freed them, U.S. officials said.

The nine gunmen holding the hostages were killed, officials said.

The kidnappers seized Buchanan and Thisted on October 25 in the central Somali town of Galkayo after they visited humanitarian projects there, the Danish Refugee Council said. Neither was harmed, the aid group said.

Buchanan’s father, John, was to go to Sicily to see her, CNN learned. She will be returned to the United States when she wants, probably in a U.S. military aircraft.

Somalia’s transitional government welcomed the U.S. military operation. the rescue “is a great joy to the Somali government and to all Somalis as well as to all right thinking people everywhere,” the government said in a statement.

“Hitting them hard is the only language kidnappers of innocent people, pirates and terrorists understand, and every opportunity should be taken to wipe out this scourge from our country.”

The new U.N. envoy to Somalia — the first permanent U.N. representative there in 17 years — also expressed understanding about the military operation.

“If negotiations fail, all means must be applied, including rescue operations,” Augustine Mahiga said Thursday, even as he urged that lives be protected “on both sides.”

Thisted’s sister and brother-in-law wept for joy when they heard he had been rescued, the brother-in-law, Svend Rask, told Denmark’s TV2.

“She was overjoyed when she told us what happened,” Rask said, speaking of the daughter who gave them the news.

The Navy SEAL unit that killed Osama bin Laden last year in Pakistan participated in the rescue mission, a U.S. official said, without specifying whether any of the same individuals were on both assaults. the SEALs are part of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, formerly known as SEAL Team Six.

The area where the hostages were seized is known as a hub for pirates, rather than an area of Islamic militant activity.

Somalia Report, a website that tracks piracy statistics, said more than $150 million was paid out in ransoms in 2011.

Successful pirate attacks on merchant vessels began to drop off in 2011 in face of improved shipping security — including on board armed security detachments — and stronger action from the foreign navies patrolling the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

The International Maritime Bureau, which tracks piracy, said the number of attacks had risen but the success rate had plummeted to 12% in the first nine months of 2011.

The aid workers were part of the Danish Refugee Council’s de-mining unit, which aims to make civilians safe from land mines and unexploded ordnance.

Buchanan has been employed as a regional education adviser with the mine clearance unit since may; Thisted, a community safety manager with the de-mining unit, has been working in Somaliland and Somalia since June 2009.

CNN’s Brian Todd, Dugald McConnell and Livia Borghese contributed to this report.

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