St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 3

3 3 APR 3 0 1985 3 APR3 0W35 4A Region ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Apr. 30, 1985 Smoke Detectors May Have Saved 35 Lives, City Fire Marshal Says By Gregory B. Freeman Of the Post-Dispatch Staff As many as 35 lives may have been saved in St. Louis this year by smoke detectors, says Fire Marshal Neil F.

Svetanics. Svetanics said city firefighters had installed 12,000 smoke detectors in homes between January and April. More than half the 20,000 smoke detectors installed in the city during that period were installed with the help of Operation SafeStreet and other programs. As a result, Svetanics said, there have been only five fire deaths in the city so far this year, compared with 32 in all of last year. "We've got 35 documented cases this year where fire alarms alerted people and may have saved lives," he said.

Svetanics said the Fire Department was involved in many situations not directly related to putting out fires that few people are aware of. For example, firefighters were involved in rescue efforts for two boys who were trapped in a hill of sand earlier this month. The department shuts off broken water pipes, removes doors from old refrigerators so they will not be hazardous to children and recovers bodies from the Mississippi River, Svetanics said. "We do other things too, like helping get children who have been accidentally locked in cars or houses," he said. "Sometimes, people will accidentally lock themselves out of the house by leaving their keys and their kids inside.

We get them out." Svetanics said the department often was asked to cut rings from fingers. "Sometimes a person will have a ring on that's too tight and their finger will swell," he said. "We have a way to cut that off. "In fact, we've cut off everything from rings to handcuffs, anything that can be stuck on the hand," he said. "We've had a few cases where people will get their hands stuck in soda machines, gumball machines and pool tables." Svetanics said the department has even had to rescue a burglar from time to time.

"Burglars are notorious for getting trapped," he said. "They'll climb a tree to a building and then jump to a window. But then they won't be able to get out. We'll come and get them and then turn them over to the police." Because the city's Emergency Medical Service is short-staffed, a city policy requires that fire trucks in addition to EMS vehicles respond to calls for heart attack victims. Firefighters assist the paramedics.

Svetanics stressed that the department's top priority remained fighting fires. He said other cases were dropped, if necessary, to respond to a blaze. "We are a natural first-aid site for a neighborhood," he said. "We have a reputation for responding to a call faster than any other agency, barring none. Our response time is 3 to 5 minutes, and we're proud of it." Man Charged In Dispute With Teacher Over Trip 1 1-flJ L.J of.

X. IX A father who challenged his son's teacher for her exclusion of the boy from a field trip was charged Monday with third-degree assault and false imprisonment. Both are misdemeanors. Keith Crawford, 40, of the 8800 block of Oxford Lane, is charged with striking the teacher, Lillian Gray, and preventing her from leaving her second-grade classroom. The incident took place March 15 at Herzog School, 5831 Pamplin Place, authorities said.

Assistant St. Louis Circuit Attorney Robert L. Garrison said he also was considering a charge of false imprisonment against the boy's mother, Lynn Crawford. According to police reports, the Crawfords went to the classroom to demand that their son, Sterling, be allowed to go on the field trip. He had been excluded for disciplinary reasons.

Mrs. Gray told police that she had covered her face with her hands as Crawford approached her and that he had knocked her hands away and shouted at her. The Crawfords in turn filed suit April 19 against Mrs. Gray, accusing her of civil assault, making a false statement to police and intentionally inflicting emotional distress. The suit seeks $55,000 in actual damages and $25,000 in punitive damages.

Child-Find Missouri Adds Operators In Wake Of Movie, President's Plea ill1 'iiiinii4i 1 miffifii ir- Wayne CrosslinPost-Dispatch When Flyers Meet Jim Franklin, wearing a black helmet and silver cape, talking Louis airport. Franklin, a professional stunt pilot from San to members of the Aerostar Owners Association who Angelo, Texas, flew in an aerobatic demonstration Monday gathered around his twin-engine Aerostar at Spirit of St. during the group's national convention in St. Louis. Passenger Train Service Arrives In Belleville With Amtrak Debut champagne excursion to Centralia on Child Find-Missouri added three telephone operators Monday night to handle a flood of calls expected after the showing of the movie "Adam." The movie tells the story of a 6-year-old boy kidnapped in 1981 from a store in Florida and killed.

Each time the movie is broadcast, agencies for missing children get numerous calls. The movie was broadcast nationally on NBC in St. Louis on KSDK, Channel 5. "We've added three operators to our regular staff of two, and we expect about 500 calls," Jackie Corey of Child Find-Missouri said Monday. The agency's number is 781-8226.

Ms. Corey said the non-profit group in Missouri often worked in cooperation with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Washington. She said both Child Find-Missouri and the National Center expected more telephone calls than ususual Monday night because of a videotaped appeal by President Ronald Reagan shown after the movie. Reagan planned to ask viewers to call the National Center's toll-free number with any information they have about the 54 missing children whose photographs accompanied his appeal. The toll-free number is (800) 843:5678.

This is the third year that NBC has broadcast "Adam." Last year, viewers helped locate 19 of 51 missing children whose pictures appeared at the close of the program. In addition, Child Find-Missouri helped find nine of 17 children from the Midwest whose names were sent to them by the National Center. In 1983, the public helped find 13 of 55 children missing nationwide. The National Center added 40 telephone operators this year to handle the thousands of calls the movie and the president's message were expected to produce. The banner was rolled up and presented to Belleville Mayor Richard Brauer.

"We're just pleased that the station is finally open," Brauer said. The first group of passengers included about 40 participants in a Sunday night. Daily stops began Sunday morning. Passengers can board Amtrak for St. Louis each day at 6:50 a.m.

The same train goes on to Kansas City. A train for Centralia leaves Banner or not, Amtrak has made its debut in Belleville. About 50 people boarded an Amtrak train on its first three stops Sunday and Monday at a new platform in Belleville. The official opening of the platform was Monday morning. Amtrak officials had provided a banner for the 6:50 a.m.

St. Louis-bound passenger train to break through. But Southern Railway System officials objected, reportedly citing company rules that prohibit obstacles on the tracks. Belleville daily at 9:40 p.m. The new Belleville platform is on the Southern Railway line at the city's north edge.

The platform is at Illinois Route 159 (North Illinois Street) and Douglas Avenue. A plexiglass shelter for passengers and signs are yet to be erected, but Brauer said those were expected to be in place in a week or so. The platform was built by Belleville Concrete with Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation sharing the $25,080 cost equally. Man Gets $255,000 In Suit Against UE A man who worked at Union Electric's nuclear power plant in Callaway County has won $255,000 in damages from the utility for injuries he suffered in a fall. Leonard D.

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