MARCH was the cruelest month in Cebu Province when it came to fire incidents in 2017, based on the records of the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) 7.
Firefighters responded to 49 fire incidents in that period and BFP 7 Director Samuel Tadeo urged every person to be “fire-safety conscious” as he led the kick-off ceremony of the Fire Prevention Month yesterday.
“There is no other alternative to prevent destructive fire than by having a well-informed public with regard to fire safety,” Tadeo said in his speech.
Most of the incidents in Bohol and Lapu-Lapu City happened in February last year with 13 and six incidents respectively. Four were recorded in January in Siquijor province.
In 2016, April was when most fire incidents occurred. Cebu Province had 78; Siquijor, 58; Bohol, 33; and Lapu-Lapu City, 21.
March and April are the hottest months in the country every year, according to weather bureau Pagasa.
The statistics of BFP 7 showed there were 622 fire incidents in 2017, which was 26.13 percent lesser from 842 fire incidents in 2016. Tadeo said the BFP 7 aims to further decrease the fire incidents this year.
Firefighters responded to 76 fire alarms last January, including the blaze that hit Metro Ayala Center Cebu.
BFP 7 estimated an P809.3 million worth of damages and it attributed the significant increase to the Metro Ayala fire incident last Jan. 5.
The damaged properties in 2017 were pegged at P100 million, which was 16.5 percent more than P85.8 million worth of damages in 2016.
The fire bureau recorded 15 fatalities in 2017---a 55.88 percent decrease from 34 fatalities in 2016. Two persons were killed last January.
Some 55 civilians were injured in 2017, an increase of 25 percent from 44 injuries in 2016.
No one from the firefighters was killed in the past two years. Four of them were injured in 2016; three in 2017; and three last January.
Residential structures were most hit by fire. BFP 7, however, noted an 8.13 percent decrease in residential fires, recording 384 incidents in 2017 from 418 incidents in 2016.
Faulty electrical connections were the common cause of the fires in 2017 and 2016.
At least 236 fire incidents were attributed to electrical causes last year, which was 3.27 percent lesser than 244 cases from the previous year. Last January, 27 fires were caused by faulty electrical connections.
Arsons fell to 11 incidents in 2017 from 23 in 2016. There were 515 accidental fires in 2017, which was a decrease of 24.26 percent from 680 incidents in 2016.
Tadeo took part in the parade with his personnel, advocating for a fire-safety conscious community.
He witnessed a simulation exercise participated by female firefighters as a way of honoring them as March is also observed as the National Women’s Month. Firefighters sprayed water with colors of the gay pride flag.
Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office Chief Nagiel Bañacia said they are planning to build a P4-million fire sub-station in Barangay Mambaling, an urban village of more than 32,000 people, according to the 2015 census.
BFP 7 has 39 fire stations in Cebu and 12 sub stations with 97 fire trucks and 692 personnel.
Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu
The Mandaue City Fire Station (MCFS) and Lapu-Lapu City Fire District (LCFD) started the first day of the Fire Prevention Month with a fire drill and talks with the barangay fire brigade yesterday.
MCFS personnel together with fire volunteers, private sectors and the Mandaue City Government started the opening of Fire Prevention Month with a unity walk at 5:30 a.m..
It was then followed by a motorcade and a fire drill at the City Sports Complex.
The fire drill scenario was that of a fire happening in a complex’s interior part. Victims were rescued on top of the building by using the ladder of a firetruck.
Personnel of Bantay Mandaue and Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue joined the drill.
Chief Insp. Bernard Batnag Jr., fire marshal of MCFS, said that if there is something that they need to improve, that is the acquisition of new equipment and a mini-firetruck that can penetrate narrow roads.
Batnag said they would also need a regular firetruck because they only have three functioning firetrucks. Two firetrucks are under repair while three are no longer serviceable.
There are a total of 41 personnel of MCFS. Of this number, three are non-uniformed personnel, while another three will be retiring this month and in April.
Batnag said they still lack personnel.
In Lapu-Lapu, Fire Supt. Rogelio Bongabong, fire marshal of LCFD, challenged his firefighters to go out and talk with the community on what actions should be taken in case of fire instead of just waiting for a fire alarm in their office.
LCFD personnel also had a motorcade yesterday morning.
Bongabong planned to ask the help of the Lapu-Lapu City Government for the purchase of a firetruck with aerial ladder to easily respond to fire alarms in high-rise buildings.
City Mayor Paz Radaza said they are willing to help the LCFD to fully serve the Oponganons.
“I told the fire marshal to identify their needs so they can have a checklist (that they can give to my office),” the mayor said. (KAL, FMG)