HONOLULU, October 30, 2009 -- Radio pioneer Ron Jacobs escaped the early morning blaze that burned down his neighbor’s Kane’ohe home on the North Shore of O’ahu. Fire inspectors told Jacobs if he was still sleeping at the time that he would have died of smoke inhalation in a matter of minutes. 

(Click here to see TV news video: http://www.kitv.com/news/21478971/detail.html)

The fire, cause of which is still unknown, started at 6:45 a.m. and ignited the house next door to Jacobs. It was completely destroyed. The flames jumped to Jacobs’ dwelling, in which he lived for 13 years.  More than $25,000 in equipment, archives and personal effects was wiped out. Jacobs, who was born in Waikiki and began his radio career in Honolulu, suffered minor injuries.

“I was in the bathroom and heard neighbors screaming, 'Get out Ron,' and I ran out to see flames blazing in the air and hearing explosions. Figured I better go back and put on my pants," said Jacobs. "And when I ran back outside it was so hot that it burned my hand…and melted the front of my car."

"A family of two nice people and their two young two boys lived in the wood structure. They left about ten minutes before the fire, but we weren’t sure if anyone was still inside the burning building," said Jacobs.  

"I was scared beyond words. It's totally different when something like this happens to you, much different from reporting objectively about a disaster like I’d done for years," Jacobs said. "When you see a house turn into a raging inferno, with people crying and holding their kids, you appreciate the valor of the Honolulu Fire Department, take a deep breath and thank God for having survived."

The fire caused Jacobs to vacate the rental home, “The longest I’ve lived in one place, either in Hawai’i or the Mainalnd. He has moved to a new place, down the road from the house that was also the World Broadcast Headquarters for WhodaguyHawaii.com, the 50th State’s first homegrown, Internet streaming radio station.

Since 7.7.07, Jacobs had been, “Brah-casting contemporary and vintage Hawaiian music from our Jungle Studio."  Also featured were in-depth interviews with and live performances by top local and national artists and celebrities.

The fire knocked programming off the air, destroying all electrical, telephone, cable and satellite connections and damaged or ruined much of the delicate studio gear and computers.

WhodaguyHawaii.com is a non-profit labor of love for Jacobs, his crew, contributors and business partners.  The breakthrough project, “Was on the cusp of being self-sustaining before the fire destroyed the facility -- and our dream.

(See Mission Statement: http://www.whodaguyhawaii.com/mission.htm)

Jacobs is committed to rebuild both his home and his virtual little grass shack as soon as possible. An effort that the 72-year-old radio veteran and founder of APHO (Association for the Preservation of Hawaiiana Online) says will be both a personal and financial challenge. None of the contents destroyed were covered by insurance.

“Whodaguy” Ron Jacobs career began as a cub reporter in Honolulu the 1950’s, at the age of 15, at the local NBC affiliate. In 1958, at the age of 20, he became Hawaii’s youngest program director at KPOA. In 1959, he launched the fabled K-POI Radio, Hawaii’s first Top 40 outlet. In 1965, he went on to program KHJ “BOSS RADIO” in Los Angeles’s, where he produced and directed the 48-hour “Rockumentary,” the original HISTORY OF ROCK & ROLL. Other accomplishments included the creation of Watermark’s AMERICAN TOP 40 WITH CASEY KASEM, THE ELVIS PRESLEY STORY, the 13-album record series CRUISIN’: A HISTORY OF ROCK 'N ROLL RADIO. Jacobs’ HOME GROWN album concept began at KGB-San Diego and was continued when he returned to Honolulu in 1976.  All profits from this listener participation contest were donated to charities. 

In his career, which now spans seven decades, Jacobs has created programming and promotions that have raised more than two million dollars for United Way, American Red Cross, Habilitat, etc. He has authored several books, including his most recent, the second best-selling book in Hawaii for 2009: OBAMALAND: WHO IS BARACK OBAMA?

For further information regarding the rebirth of whodaguyhawaii.com please contact Ron at rj@hawaii.rr.com. 

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