THE Bureau of Fire Protection in Northern Mindanao is planning to adopt the "tokhang" style of fire prevention and awareness initiative to the public.
BFP-Northern Mindanao director Senior Superintendent Lindy Lauzon said the "tokhang-like" campaign will determine whether a house belongs to a fire-hazard community. This means that BFP personnel will visit each residential houses, to knock and request residents to check whether it is prone to fire hazards.
"Tokhang," or "toktok-hangyo," means to knock and request. This method of inquiry originated in Davao City as part of a police operation in an attempt to curb illegal drug sales and activities.
Lauzon said that this is part of their plan, in the observation of the Fire Prevention Month, with a theme: "Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan (Operation Safe Community)," which aims to inform and educate residents on the importance of fire prevention down to the most remote areas in the villages.
"Kini aron mapahimangnoan sad ang mga residente ug mahibaw-an sad nila kung nabutang ba sila sa kakuyaw (This way, residents will be advised and so they will know if they are in grave danger),"Lauzon said.
After the survey in residential places, he said, the fire department will then craft a fire prevention and protection plan for the said community.
Lauzon said the BFP has already conducted a trainers' training with the village officials and Department of Interior and Local Government to establish the ground works and foundation of the program.
He said other provinces in the region have already penetrated in the remote communities.
However, Lauzon raised the challenges of the program which includes the acceptance of the residents, manpower, time and resources of the BFP. (AS)