Thank you for the editorial, We should all know what to do in a fire (July 22).
While evacuating a multistorey building is more challenging than a villa, it’s equally important to have an evacuation plan in both cases.
I have seen what fire can do to a person, so I am especially careful. At home, I ensure that there are at least two ways out, and I have briefed my children about how to evacuate using each exit and then to go to a safe place.
In teaching them, I use “what if” scenarios, such as: “What if the fire starts downstairs and you are upstairs? Your escape route should be through the bedroom window, which is not very high.”
I reinforce these evacuation procedures from time to time.
Fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and emergency contact numbers are part of my emergency plan. We also have a dog and, as they can sense danger, they are the perfect pet for children.
Randall Mohammed, Dubai
If somebody did throw a cigarette butt over the side and caused the Sulafa Tower fire, they certainly were not thinking or caring about anyone’s safety.
Even though no people were killed, some pets died.
Lisa Justice, Dubai
I recently used the stairs in an Abu Dhabi apartment block and I was shocked to find the exit blocked with rubbish such as mattresses and old bicycles.
I have since looked at several other apartment stairwells and found that this seems to be a common practice.
The potentially catastrophic consequences of this laziness do not need spelling out, especially in view of the recent fire in Dubai. Something must be done.
Will Higgs, Abu Dhabi
Take time to smell the roses
I'm writing about the service described in The middle-age Japanese men who are paid just to listen (July 22).
All you need to do in life is to put on your shoes, step out in the sunshine, walk, greet people, smile, and come home and pray. Life is simple, yet we want to make it complicated.
Arif Khan, Dubai
Television price rise a surprise
I am one of the people affected by the price rise for the Etisalat television package (UAE beIN sports subscribers hit out at price rise without notice, July 21)
I wasn’t informed in advance about the price change but when I called Etisalat, the call centre person confirmed it. When I asked her why I hadn’t been told, she said Etisalat had sent out a notice. Where and how they did this, I don’t know.
Jerry Okoli Odinanwa, Abu Dhabi
We got rid of everything except the basic package a few months ago due to poor customer service from Etisalat.
Problems have included: their failure to inform us of price changes; supposed upgrades that wiped everything we had recorded; and recordings that failed to start at the proper time.
It is so frustrating. We had the du service when we lived in Dubai and it was so much better, In Abu Dhabi, however, there is no choice.
C Goodey, Abu Dhabi
I will definitely unsubscribe from beIN. What is the use of being a subscriber when they isolate some channels and ask for an extra fee for special events?
Name withheld by request
US candidates agree on Israel
Whoever is elected president of the United States in November, be it Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, they will be beholden to an international movement to legalise the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.
Upon completion of Israel’s current land grab, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu will carry out a unilateral annexation of all of the Occupied Territories. If they can, they will expel the 5 million indigenous Palestinians to new refugee camps in adjoining states.
Both Mr Trump and Mrs Clinton are expected to promise unlimited support for the legalisation of the settlements.
Anthony Bellchambers, UK
Failed scheme was just a dream
I have just one comment on the story, Financial regulators shut down currency scheme in Dubai (July 21): if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. S O'Brien, Dubai