The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 26

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Sunday, February 4, 2001 Tip-over hazards common in homes SAFETY from B1 rector at the National Safe Kids Campaign, an organization that works to prevent injuries. But Mickalide and others said the accident at Disston was a warning about broader risks to children. It was an example of what the commission refers to as "tip-over accidents," which typically involve furniture or entertainment equipment. Rader said such accidents injured 8,000 to 10,000 people a year, including about 5,000 children 10 years old and under. About six children a year are killed in such accidents, the commission says.

Mobile folding tables, because of their size and weight, are unusually dangerous. "With an item that weighs 350 pounds, when it falls over, it can be a death trap for a young child," Rader said. "And once these tables start to fall, it's difficult to stop them." But folding tables are far from the most common tip-over threat. From 1990 to 1997, at least 28 children died when television sets fell on them, often from unstable TV carts. After two major TV-cart recalls in 1999, Rader said, the agency has urged manufacturers to adopt a stability standard.

More than half of the 5,000 annual tip-over injuries involving children are linked to dressers, bureaus and chests-of-drawers, Mickalide said. Last year, the safety commission issued new standards for such furniture, designed to ensure that they won't topple when a child climbs onto a lower drawer. Dennis Durbin, an emergencyroom doctor at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said he had treated several children injured by toppling TVs, and had seen injuries from falling air conditioners and furniture. Durbin said televisions tended to be front -heavy, making them easier to tip, and thus should be pushed back on the stand as much as possible. Youths vow to help the community SERVICE from B1 people and giving up their Satur- days." Ta Jones, 15, of Nicetown, another Young Hero, began volunteering when she was in second grade.

Her mother, Darlene Crawford, often tells her, "You might not have a lot, but you can still give to someone who might not have anything." The program, in its fourth year, brings together youths from diverse backgrounds. In addition to performing community service, they also learn about social issues. Program sponsors said the youths took their commitment seriously, agreeing to report for volunteer work every Saturday. The shifts run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"They care about the idea of giv- Classifieds The Inquirer NEWS 1-800-341-3413 Rader said a 2-year-old boy was killed in Pittsburgh in March 1999 when a television a 27-inch set that weighed 78 pounds fell on him during a broadcast of Teletubbies. "He reached up to touch the television and apparently pulled it down on top of him," Rader said. He said the safety commission focuses on practical advice. "Heavy televisions should always be on low tables, not on high tables," he said. "And never leave a remote control on top of a television because that can encourage young children to reach up or climb up to get the remote control." Linda Hawkins, program coordinator for the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Philadelphia, said small children saw bookcases and entertainment centers as ladders to be climbed.

Hawkins, whose organization offers home-safety workshops, recommends the wobble test. "Go and give it a nudge and see what happens. If you can make it move, it's a hazard to your child," Hawkins said. "If a TV stand is wobbly, it's better to put the TV on the floor." Unstable furniture should be screwed to the wall. Durbin said the worst thing about tip-over accidents may be how avoidable they seem after the fact.

Still, it may not be surprising that tip-over accidents are not at the top of school administrators' agendas. School districts face an array of safety problems buses, swimming pools, laboratory equipment that are linked to much more common injuries and accidents than tip-overs. Given all the potential hazards that school officials are expected to keep track of, and a dizzying number of product warnings, supervising school safety has become "a nightmarish responsibility," said Ronald Stephens, director of the National School Safety Center in Westlake Village, Calif. To Stephens, all the warning la- How to prevent tip-over accidents Heavy objects, such as televisions, bookcases, bureaus and wall units, cause thousands of injuries to children every year. Safety experts say many of these accidents can be prevented: Televisions should be on sturdy stands made for that purpose.

Because they tend to be front-heavy, they should be pushed as far back as possible. A TV is safer on the floor than on a wobbly table. Anchor bookcases, china cabinets and entertainment centers into wall studs. Consider anchoring bureaus as well. Check the stability of furniture by doing the "wobble test." If it moves, it's not safe.

Remember that children are curious and will reach or climb to get things adults need to be watching them. For information on product warnings and recalls, call the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772 or visit its Web site, www.cpsc.gov/. The Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Philadelphia offers home-safety workshops. Call 215-590-3776. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has home-safety tips on its Web site: http://safekids.chop.edu.

bels in the world are no substitute for good judgment. One of his favorite strategies is to have schools send teams of teachers on a tour of their campuses specifically to look for hazards. "It's management by walking around," said Stephens, who assesses school safety at districts across the country, usually after a crisis. "Most of these things will jump out at you." Jeff Gelles' e-mail address is Inquirer staff writer Julie Stoiber contributed to this article. BAR APRIL SAUL Inquirer Staff Photographer Erica Copeland (left) and Camara Harrison do a cleanup dance during opening ceremonies of the Young Heroes Program.

ing back," said Sean Holleran, City Year deputy director. The volunteers will provide more than 14,000 hours of community service by May 26 when the program ends, City Year spokeswoman Kristine Alvarez said. At opening ceremonies yesterday, the volunteers dressed in black-trimmed yellow fleece pullovers and jeans excitedly filed into an auditorium in the library with the audience cheering loudly. They raised their right hands and pledged: "To serve myself, my community, and my world to the best of told my ability I will make a difference." Philip Behr, cochairman of City For More Information Slots are still available for middle and high school students in this year's Young Heroes Program. Call 215-988-2118, Ext.

229. Year's advisory board, praised the youths as "big citizens," which he defined as those "who care about other people more than "You really are big heroes," he told them. Melanie Burney's e-mail address is International VEHICLES, VINTAGE CONCEPT VEHICLES INQUIRER ADMISSION COUPON AND THROUGHOUT APPEARANCES WITH THIS ONE ADULT FEB 11TH GOOD ON VALID WED 8TH BE NOW THRU 7TH FOR OFF CASH, CANNOT ADULT 7 8. REDEEMABLE THURSDAY, DISCOUNT FEBRUARY NOT Automobile Produced Dealers By Association RULES REGULATIONS: WEDNESDAY AND THIS TICKETS. MUST PRESENT WITH ADMISSION ADMISSION ONLY OR AT SENIOR OF PURCHASE.

of Greater Philadelphia APPLICABLE COUPON FOR INFORMATION 215.418.2001 PLEASE CALL: AND Sponsored By DAILY $1.00 of every ticket is donated to The Inquirer people CH A The pediatric Children's healthcare Hospital network of Philadelphia HOURS: WEEKDAYS 12 NOON to 10 p.m. SATURDAYS 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. SUNDAYS 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets: ADULT $9.00 CHILDREN (ages 7 to 12) 5.00 SENIORS (WEEKDAYS) $5.00 CHILDREN UNDER 6 FREE phillyautoshow.com Pennsylvania Convention Center Metropolitan Area News in Brief A parade through Chinatown will mark the Year of the Snake The Year of the Snake will be celebrated with a Chinese New Year parade at noon today through the city's Chinatown section. The parade will feature dancers, dragons and firecrackers. It will run from 10th and Race Streets to 11th and Arch Streets and back. City's new voting machines won't help blind, speakers say The city's decision to buy 3,526 electronic touch-screen voting machines for $18.5 million ignored the needs of voters who are blind or have limited sight, representatives of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind and other groups said Friday. In addition to choosing machines that will frustrate blind voters, the city has a woeful record of helping wheelchair-users get into polling places, speakers at a City Hall news conference said.

Jim Dickson of Washington, D.C., vice president of the National Organization on Disability, attended with a guide dog at his side to say his group was pushing nationally for better voting facilities for the blind. Pamela Shaw, vice president of the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind, said having to seek assistance in the voting booth frustrates blind people taught to strive for independence. Chinese restaurant in Delco evacuated after noontime fire Employees and patrons were evacuated from the King-Fu Restaurant in Broomall, Delaware County, shortly after noon yesterday when a fire broke out in the kitchen, authorities said. No injuries were reported. Broomall Fire Company Chief Tom Murray Jr.

said firefighters responded shortly after 12:20 p.m. and fought the blaze for about 15 minutes. The fire started in the ventilation hood above the kitchen 'stove and was confined to the duct work, Murray said. He said it caused an estimated $7,500 in damages to the restaurant in the Broomall Shopping Center off West Chester Park near Springfield Road. The eatery, owned by Jun Fung Ding, will be closed until repairs are made, Murray said.

Ex-associate of mob informant hospitalized after gun attack HAMMONTON, N.J. John Beebee, 40, a former associate of a mob informant, was listed in satisfactory condition yesterday at Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center in Camden after he was shot Friday at his home, authorities said. Beebee was hit twice in the buttocks as he opened the back door of his house, police said. His assailant was apparently waiting for him in the backyard and opened fire when Beebee returned from a diner, investigators said. Beebee, a truck driver, was described by federal law enforcement sources as a bookmaker who once worked for Ronald Previte, a mob capo, or captain.

The shooting happened several hours after Philadelphia television station WXTF-TV aired a report on Previte, whose status as an FBI informant has been widely publicized. Police say the shooting appears to be connected to a dispute over money. Appellate court candidates seek parties' endorsements HARRISBURG Candidates hoping to fill seven open spots on Pennsylvania appellate courts face a critical test this week when the two major political parties make their endorsements. In all, about 30 candidates have expressed interest to the Pennsylvania Bar Association, which rates their fitness for judicial office. A smaller lot is expected to file by the March 6 deadline.

The hottest race is for the state Supreme Court seat of Chief Justice John P. Flaherty, a Democrat who will retire this year. At least three candidates who expressed early interest, two Republicans and a Democrat, received top ratings from the bar association and are vying for the nomination, set for Saturday. For the lower appellate courts, more than 20 Democrats and Republicans are competing to fill three slots each on the Superior and Commonwealth Courts. Woman, 74, dies after fire in her Frankford home A 74-year-old Philadelphia woman died yesterday after a fire in her Frankford home.

Wilhemina Gullett died at Temple University Hospital after she was taken from the house about 11:30 a.m. Gullett's daughter and several children were in the house at the time but escaped. The fire was brought under control in about 15 minutes. Fire officials said the house had several smoke detectors, but three of them were not working. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Weather conditions are updated throughout the day on Weather www.philly.com Vancouver Weather at noon today and forecast temperatures. Montreal Seattle NADA, Portland Billings Minneapolis Toronto Detroit Boston New York San Francisco Pittsburgh Philadelphia Denver Louise Washington Los St. Angeles- Memphis Fronts: Low Phoenix Atlanta High Dallas Stationary Rain Houston Warm Thunderstorms New Orleans Snow 3 ice MEXICO Miami Cold Today's highs and tonight's lows CONN. Scranton N.Y. N.J.

New York Allentown Trenton Manasquan Harrisburg PA. Philadelpbia MD. Atlantic City Wilmington Baltimore Atlantic Ocean temperature: 32 Washington DEL. Cape Henlopen Forecast A storm is developing off the North Carolina coast today. The storm will increase cloudiness across the Philadelphia region, and will track along the coast tonight and be off Cape Cod later tomorrow.

Snow will arrive later tonight. A change to rain in the city and points south and east is expected rather quickly after the precipitation begins to fall. Cold air will remain entrenched over the extreme northern and western suburbs, where mostly snow is expected to fall. Snow accumulations in northern Bucks and Montgomery Counties will be a couple of inches. A trace to one inch is expected in Center City.

Five-Day Forecast Today Sunshine cloudiness. followed Seasonably by cold. increasing Tonight 32 and Cloudy. east; Rain snow in the northwest. city, south Tomorrow Rain ending.

and Couple snow of inches possible in northwest suburbs. Tuesday Clouds sunshine. with Breezy some with a shower possible. Wednesday A and mixture sunshine. of clouds Thursday Mostly chance for cloudy some with rain.

a Sun and Moon FULL LAST Q. NEW FIRST Q. Feb 8 Feb 14 Feb 23 Mar 2 Sun Rises ......7:06 a.m. Sets ...5:23 p.m. Moon Rises ...1:30 p.m.

Sets ...3:37 a.m. Philadelphia Almanac Temperatures High yesterday 33 (3:30 p.m.) Record high for yesterday 62 (1991) Low yesterday 26 (11:45 p.m.) Record low for yesterday 4 (1881) Normal Yesterday's barometer 6 a.m. rising Noon .....30.30 falling 6 p.m. 30.33 rising Midnight ..........30.41 rising Daylight sky conditions yesterday clouds with sunshine. Precipitation Saturday ..0.00 in.

Month through Trace in. Year through Saturday ..2.77 in. Normal through Saturday ...............3.51 in. Deficit in. Degree days for heating ............35 Month through Saturday .........84 Season through Saturday ......3008 Normal through Saturday ....2954 Last season through yesterday .........2606 A degree day for heating is an index of energy consumption for heating.

It indicates the number of degrees the mean temperature fell below 65 degrees. Yesterday in Philadelphia 1 a.m. 2 a.m. 3 a.m. 4 a.m.

5 a.m. 6 a.m. 7 a.m. 8 a.m. 9 a.m.

10 a.m. 11 a.m. Noon 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 3 p.m.

4 p.m.............32/49 5 p.m.............32/47 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m. 9 p.m. 10 p.m.

11 p.m. Air Quality The worst pollutant in was ozone, produced reacting with vehicle The first column in the yesterday's code and Index. The second yesterday's highest column shows today's Good (G) Moderate (M) Unhealthful (U) Very Unhealthful (V) Hazardous (H) At a Pollution Standard general population begins other unhealthful effects. Yesterday's Pollution Standard Index Quality the region yesterday mainly by sunlight emissions. table shows Pollution Standard column shows pollutant.

The third forecast. Carbon monoxide CO Nitrogen dioxide NO Particulates dioxide SO Ozone Index rating of 100, the to experience irritation and High Pollution Pollutant Forecast Yesterday Today Bristol SO Burlington PA Camden PA Chester G18 PA Norristown PA Philadelphia PA Trenton OZ Wilmington G16 OZ Source: Clean Air Council, 215-567-4004. Ozone forecast available daily at 1-800-872-7261 and at http://www.dvrpc.org. Regional Forecast Poconos Seasonably cold and brisk today with sun followed by clouds. High 34.

Cloudy tonight. Snow arriving and lasting into tomorrow with 3-6 inches. Low tonight 24. Jersey Shore Cloudy today. High 42.

Cloudy tonight with a mix of rain and snow arriving, but quickly changing to rain; no snow accumulation. Low 34. Delaware Cloudy today. High 42. Cloudy tonight with a mix of rain and snow snow" arriving, but quickly changing rain; no accumulation.

Low Marine Forecast at 12-25 knots today. aMeniones 4 to 6 feet. Manasquan to Cape Winds southeast Visibility unrestricted. Winds northeast at 15-30 knots tonight. Delaware Bay Winds southeast at 10-20 knots today.

Visibility unrestricted. Waves 2-3 feet. Winds tonight northeast at 12-25 knots. Cape Henlopen to Virginia Beach Winds southeast at 12-25 knots today. Waves 4 to 8 feet.

Visibility unlimited. Winds northeast at 15-30 knots tonight. Tides Today Philadelphia (Chestnut Street) High tide 10:04 a.m., 10:36 p.m. Low tide ...4:34 a.m., 5:28 p.m. Delaware Breakwater High tide a.m., 5:10 p.m.

Low a.m., 11:02 p.m. Cape May (Municipal Pier) High tide .............3:43 a.m., 4:25 p.m. Low .10:23 a.m., 10:22 p.m. Atlantic City (Steel Pier) High tide ....3:15 a.m., 3:57 p.m. Low a.m., 10:02 p.m.

Beach Haven (Little Egg Harbor) High tide ..2:41 a.m., 3:23 p.m. Low .............9:35 a.m., 9:34 p.m. Barnegat Inlet High tide .....................3:21 a.m., 4:03 p.m. Low a.m., 10:18 p.m. NWS radio forecasts: 162.475 VHF-FM.

In the Region Weather indicatons: s-sunny; pc-partly cloudy; c-cloudy; sh-showers; -thunderstorms; -rain; sf-snow flurries; sn-snow; i-ice. City Yesterday Today Tomorrow Allentown Atlantic City Baltimore Harrisburg New York Pittsburgh Salisbury, Md. Scranton Washington Wilmington U.S. Cities Yesterday Today Tomorrow City Albany, N.Y. Albuquerque Anchorage, Alsk.

Atlanta Billings Boston Buffalo Charleston, S.C. Charleston, W.Va. Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Dallas Denver Des Moines Detroit Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City, Mo. Las Vegas Los Angeles Memphis, Tenn. Miami Minneapolis New Orleans Orlando Phoenix Portland, Maine Portland, Ore.

Richmond St. Louis Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco San Juan Seattle Tampa, Fla. City Acapulco Amsterdam Athens Auckland Bangkok Barbados Beijing Beirut Berlin Bermuda Bogota Brussels Budapest Buenos Aires Cairo Copenhagen Dublin Geneva Havana Hong Kong Istanbul Jerusalem Johannesburg London Madrid Manila Melbourne Mexico City Milan Montego Bay Montreal Moscow Nairobi Nassau New Delhi Oslo Paris Perth Prague Rio de Janeiro Rome St. Petersburg Seoul Singapore Stockholm Sydney Taipei Tokyo Toronto Vancouver Cities Abroad Yesterday Today Tomorrow.