Thursday, July 31, 2008 Fire dep't lacks funds, equipment By Annabelle L. Ricalde
THE lack of firefighting equipment has impaired the Cagayan de Oro Central Fire Station from effectively performing its job, a fire official said.
Standard-wise, the city's fire department has not met the requisite for an ideal city fire station because it lags behind in terms of firefighting facilities, said City Fire Marshall Benigno Amomonpon Jr.
He said Tuesday's fire that engulfed a warehouse of Councilor Alfonso Goking near Cogon market shows the need for modern firefighting equipments.
According to him, firemen would have penetrated the origin of fire had they been equipped with self-breathing apparatus, like portable oxygen cylinders.
"Breathing apparatus would give our firemen the ability to penetrate the affected area without suffocation," he told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
A unit of oxygen apparatus costs around P200,000, and the fire official said they need at least two units installed in every firetruck.
It took the firemen hours to put out the blaze because it occurred in the middle part of a five-floor building, reducing the impact of the water hurled from the ground.
Despite its important, these equipment remain out of reach with the current budget fire departments are receiving from the National Government, Amomonpon said.
In most cases, local government units foot the bill for the equipment upgrades of fire stations.
Amomonpon said the fire department currently needs new fire jackets, footwears, and fire helmets. These protective gears should be replaced in every 10 years, he added.
The fire department also needs additional modern firetrucks.
Currently, the central fire station only has five firetrucks on standby. It also needs more specialized firetrucks -- the snorkel firetruck and the one that is equipped with aerial ladders -- on top of the two units already in service.
Some of the firetrucks badly need repair, he said, while funds for fixing its biggest tanker is still under consideration by the City Council.
