BFP enjoins observance of March as fire prevention month
Email This Article
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) enjoins all to be a fire free and fire safety conscious community as it observes March as the Fire Prevention Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 115-A.
Under the slogan “Kahandaan sa Sunog…Tungo sa Kaunlaran,” Provincial Fire Marshall Pepe Rebusa appealed to the public to be more safety conscious in view of the rushes of fire occurrence in the province.
Comparatively, in years 2009 and 2010, there is an increase of fire incidence by 25% although there’s a decrease of fire loss damage at 48.8% in Bohol. Prevalent causes are from electricity and open flame mostly in structural occupancies. There were also vehicular and grass fires.
Rebusa reminded the public that the duties of fire prevention belong to the people who cause the fire due to carelessness and negligence. Everyone must comply with the requirement of our fire safety laws, rules and regulations as the men and women of BFP-Bohol are doing its best to improve the fire prevention and protection services to the Boholano community.
The general public is accordingly advise to contact at once the nearest BFP fire station or call telephone hotline 160; 411-3586; 501-8474 or text cellphone 09487924782 for a speedy fire alarm response through the running ard assignment established under the Special Project: Provincial Integrated Fire Alarm and Other Related Emergency Responders Dispatching System (PIFARERDS) of the Provincial Government of Bohol as tied up recently with the Telephone and Radio Systems Integrated Emergency Response (TARSIER), a centralized quick anti-lawlessness response in the province.
BFP-Bohol is now composed of 19 fire stations and 4 sub-stations equipped with 26 firetruck units to cater the fire suppression needs of the province. Additional municipal fire station will be soon activated in Pilar town with the acquisition of a new firetruck unit purchased by the LGU thereat.
Fire Safety and Prevention
(The upcoming Women’s Month celebration for the whole month of March is not well thought of. The timing of this celebration conflicts with the national observance of Fire Prevention Month)
March is a Fire Safety and Prevention month, a time
when people should take time out from whatever they
do to think about, and be aware of the ways to help
learn fire safety and prevention to minimize loss of life, injury, property destruction and environmental damage.
Most people underestimate the risks for fire that
knowledge on fire safety and prevention is not given
any importance, and many either lack emergency
response plans or fail to practice fire drills. This annual observance of fire safety awareness is an excellent opportunity to focus on fire hazards, and to encourage the promotion of fire safety and prevention.
Fire is the most destructive, difficult to predict and
costly elements known to mankind. It is also mankind’s
best friend if under control, but the worst enemy when
out of control.
Fire risks in densely populated communities have
increased tremendously over the years, and so with
the costs of lives and properties. The existence of fire safety hazards is all over in urban areas where
substandard buildings or structures are more prevalent
than in the rural areas. Dilapidated buildings and other substandard dwellings like shanties in squatter areas are so close to each other that they do not have proper setbacks and firewall protection.
Some commercial buildings and most multi-unit dwellings
(apartments, hotels, motels, lodging houses, etc) have no fire alarm and sprinkler systems and adequate fire exits.
Fire can erupt any time at any place in any building. It can be started from electrical shorts, HVAC (heating, venting, air conditioning) failures, cooking oil unattended,children playing with matches or lighters, combustibles near an open fire on a stove or heating elements, smoking in bed, lighted candles and kerosene or oil lamps tipped-over by gusty winds, rats, cats or other house pets, etc.
In some commercial buildings where more than ten people
go in and out, doors swing inside instead to outside in the direction of flow of traffic. In case of a fire or emergency, people panic and rush to the nearest exits, people get piled up and jammed at the exit doors causing injuries and deaths because of their inability to open the doors which swing inside against the flow of traffic. Every emergency exit doors must be provided with push-panic hardware and illuminated exit signs.
Lives may also be saved if all dwelling units are provided with wired smoke detectors with back-up battery power to warn occupants in the event of a fire.
Many times lives have been lost in a fire because of
unapproved security bars or grilles installed on windows in residential buildings. Having a working smoke alarm system dramatically increases the chance of surviving in a fire.
Common sense will tell you that unapproved security bars or grilles installed on windows and doors are potential safety hazards in case of a fire. Dwellings with unapproved security bars or grilles installed on windows can become death traps. But with proper installation of release devices or mechanisms, deaths can be avoided.
While security bars or grilles may help your family to be safe from intruders, they can also trap you in a deadly fire. Windows and doors with security bars or grilles must have quick release devices, or approved release mechanisms which are openable from the inside without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort. Security bars or grilles on windows may be designed to automatically pop open every time any of the smoke detectors in the building are activated.
It is very important to practice an escape plan frequently with your family or all occupants in the building. Remember that in event of a fire, time is the biggest enemy, and every second counts! Escape first, then call for help. Develop a home fire escape plan and designate a meeting place outside. Make sure every occupant must know two ways to escape from every room (either through the door or window). Never stand up in a fire, always crawl low under the smoke and try to keep your mouth covered. Never return to a burning building for any reason, it may cost your life.
While government action is essential in tackling the
problem of fire safety and prevention, coordinated efforts of the public, particularly the occupants of the building are no less important.
New subdivisions should be designed to have minimum
standard width of roadways or streets to provide access
for fire trucks or equipment, ambulances and police
vehicles in case of fire or emergency.
There is a need for adequacy of enforcement action by
the Fire Department apart from regular inspections and
publicity through the media to step-up efforts on education by inclusion the subject of fire safety and prevention in the primary grades. A team of speakers from the Fire Prevention Bureau goes into schools and give lectures on fire safety and prevention and challenge school children to be safe.
It is necessary that regular inspections must be conducted by the Fire Department to ensure fire-safety regulations are being followed.
The Building Department, Fire Department and Health
District should get together and create a code enforcement task force for the purpose of conducting regular joint inspections (with police support for protection) in all commercial, industrial and residential buildings (with four or more dwelling units to include apartments, boarding or lodging houses, hotels, motels, dormitories, etc.).
The above suggestions are applicable to all other
occupancies (commercial and industrial) with occupant
load of 10 or more people, like movie houses, theaters,
night clubs, restaurants, department and grocery stores, discotheques, meeting halls, gymnasiums, or any indoor assembly facilities where adequate numbers of approved exits are required in accordance with the building and fire codes.
Observance of Fire Safety and Prevention Month is a
reaffirmation of the importance of fire safety and awareness. This is all about safety and prevention designed to educate the public, especially the children.
The Fire Prevention Bureau should provide fire safety
awareness education and training throughout the month of March. It should conduct activities in observance on Fire Safety and Prevention Month, such as Fire Expo Booth, display of fire fighting trucks, tools and equipment, fire fighting and vehicle extrication demonstrations, Fire Station Open House, fire safety trailer presentations, school visits and puppet shows that reinforce fire safety behaviors, etc.
Fire safety and prevention awareness is something that
needs to be shared, not only during the month of March
but all year-round.
Mar Dumadag
Stockton, CA
Hometown: Calape, Bohol