Question: My granddaughter is one of those whose water smelled like gasoline from the tap. Her husband is in the Navy and they have little ones at home. She is feeling like she should throw away some of the baby things, but will they get reimbursed for that?
Answer: “If you are an active duty Navy or Marine Corps member or a reservist on active duty residing in (Department of the Navy Public Private Venture) Housing and your personal property has been damaged or destroyed due to fuel-contaminated water, you may file a Personnel Claims Act (PCA) claim if your personal property was located in your assigned quarters or located on base when it was damaged,” according to the U.S. Pacific Fleet website devoted to the Red Hill water crisis, bit.ly/ 3pHiQhm.
The website provides detailed instructions for filing such claims. Affected Army and Air Force personnel should file with their own service, it says.
These claims are for damaged or destroyed property, not for incidental costs such as paying for laundry services, and not for inconvenience, the website says.
As for your granddaughter’s larger concern, we couldn’t find a list on the Pacific Fleet’s website of items that should be discarded. However, the nonprofit group Armed Forces Housing Advocates offers such guidance, having consulted with Purdue University’s Rapid Water Contamination Response and Recovery Team.
AFHA’s “Hawaii Water Crisis Guide: What to Do with Contaminated Items,” says that dangerous chemicals can adhere to or penetrate plastic, rendering contaminated items unsafe for future use. “Anything that is plastic used for feeding a baby or toddler should be immediately discarded” if it came in contact with contaminated water, the guide says, including “plastic plates, bowls and utensils, plastic or silicone teethers and pacifiers, baby bottles, sippy cups, feeding mats, bathing sponges, bottle sanitizers, etc.”
The guide covers other personal and household items as well, beyond those used by children. You can read it at 808ne.ws/toss, or find it from the group’s home page, afhousingadvo cates.org, where there’s an open letter asking President Biden to declare an emergency over contamination in the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam water system.
Q: How was that huge parade allowed in Waikiki during the pandemic?
A: You are referring to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade held Tuesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the attack that thrust the United States into World War II.
Honolulu County’s COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed as of Dec. 1. Parades fall under the category of events, which are allowed to operate at full capacity and without confirmation of COVID-19 vaccination or testing, unless food or beverages are served. Face masks are required at all events, indoors and outdoors. Read Honolulu County’s rules at oneoahu.org.
You can read more about the parade, and view a replay, at pearlharborparade.org.
Q: Are gyms supposed to be requiring face masks?
A: Yes. Indoor fitness facilities and classes on Oahu are subject to Honolulu County’s strictest COVID-19 rules. They are supposed to require confirmation of COVID-19 vaccination or negative testing for entry by people 12 and older, and require people 5 and older to wear a face mask.
Auwe
Graffiti is getting bad again. There are apartment buildings on Kapiolani Boulevard near the freeway entrance that are covered, and if you look in any drainage canal it’s likely taggers will have been there. This is not art. — Disgusted resident
Mahalo
A very big mahalo to Jaime of Hawaiian Electric who helped me with some heavy lifting when she responded to a call. Merry Christmas and best wishes. — Kapahulu senior
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
