Thursday, June 12, 2008 2 schools flunk By Linette C. Ramos Sun.Star Staff Reporter
A SURPRISE inspection spotted fire safety violations in two Cebu City universities yesterday.
Officials of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Cebu City Hall pointed out to the University of San Carlos (USC) main campus and Cebu Normal University (CNU) administration their fire safety violations and the need to correct them to protect students.
City Councilor Gerardo Carillo and City Fire Marshall Ismael Codilla visited USC and CNU yesterday to check their fire safety measures.
Carillo, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council (CCDCC), observed that although the schools have fire fighting equipment and measures, these are either defective or not properly used.
USC, for example, has boxes containing hoses for emergency use but these do not have nozzles and are not connected to a water supply source or a fire hydrant.
15 days
“So if there is a fire, wala gihapon gamit ilang mga (they still can’t use their) hose. Murag gibutang ang hose na para display ra (It’s as if they just displayed it),” Carillo told reporters yesterday afternoon.
He said the schools that have already been inspected will be given copies of the inspection report and will have 15 days to comply with the recommendations.
The CCDCC will inspect other private and public schools in the coming weeks to make sure that fire safety and other disaster preparedness measures are in place.
Boarding houses and dormitories will also be checked, Carillo said.
Yesterday, the CCDCC and the BFP also found that USC’s fire exits are not the ideal setup because a student would still have to get on a ladder or a table to reach it.
Hallways leading to the fire exits are also obstructed.
Not working
As for CNU, a government-run university, sprinklers have been installed in the classrooms but these are not working.
Fire extinguishers are also placed in strategic areas of the campus but all the units have expired, said Carillo.
The inspection was conducted as part of the activities of the Oplan Balik Eskwela Task Force.
This Saturday, the task force and the City Health Department will also conduct a seminar for all food handlers of canteens, concessionaires and caterers in the different schools in the city.
“We will train them on proper food preparation and food handling and make sure that all food handlers in the schools are issued health cards,” Carillo said.
