IN THE last 19 years, Cipriano Codilla Jr. welcomed the New Year either manning a fire station or celebrating with his family at home with his ears alert to the crackle of a handheld radio.
A few times, he had spent the New Year’s Eve extinguishing flames alongside other firefighters.
Tonight, the 45-year-old former member of the elite Special Action Force (SAF) will be home for the New Year’s Eve celebration.
If no major fire erupts, that is.
SFO2 Codilla, father of three, said he has accepted the fact that he doesn’t get to celebrate New Year’s Eve like most people.
The Mandaue City Fire Station, where he works, is on red alert on New Year’s Eve, which means all firefighters have to report when emergency arises.
Leaves of absence are disallowed.
Half of more than 30 firefighters will be in the station, ready to get on the fire truck when someone calls for help, while the rest can rest at home, after a 24-hour duty, but are still on call.
“Kung dako ang sunog o kung duol sa among gipuy-an ang sunog, mutabang gyud mi (If there’s a big fire, or when the fire is just near where we live, we have to help),” Codilla told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday.
Codilla, whose 24-hour shift was to end at 8 a.m. today, will get to be with his family tonight in their home in Talamban, Cebu City, but he will have to keep his handheld radio on.
“Di naman mi mahibong kung dunay sunog basta bag-ong tuig (We are no longer surprised when fire occurs during New Year’s Eve celebrations),” he said, adding that the prevalence of firecrackers increases the risk for fires.
Most fires that occur in the middle of the New Year’s Eve revelry in past years were caused by firecrackers.
He has joined response teams during quite a few New Year fire incidents, but what stood out in his memory was the deadly fire that struck an appliance center along the M.C. Briones national road some years back.
Two stay-in workers were killed. The fire, Codilla said, was caused by a firecracker.
“Naabtan mig kadlawn ato (We fought the fire until daybreak),” he recalled.
Cabancalan fire
Another memorable fire incident, he recalled, was the one that struck a lumber yard in Barangay Cabancalan. A firecracker triggered the blaze, too.
The sale of firecrackers has been banned in the city for several years now, a decision made after a fire razed firecracker shops and killed three persons in the reclamation area in 2004.
With the chances of a fire occurring higher during New Year’s celebrations, the deafening blasts of firecrackers when the clock strikes midnight keep firefighters in the station on their toes.
“Mag-uniporme na lang mi daan aron kung naay alarma bulhot dayon, way masayang na oras (We would put on our uniform in advance so we can leave the station right away if we receive an alarm),” Codilla said.
Thankfully, no fires have occurred during the New Year’s Eve revelry in the past few years, he said.
Education
Codilla, a criminology graduate, left the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police in 1996, three years after serving the elite police unit.
He then joined the Bureau of Fire Protection, heeding the request of his wife, who worried every time he was sent to conflict areas.
But Codilla said the work of a firefighter is just as dangerous as that of soldiers.
From the time they rush to a fire scene, firefighters are at risk as they have to travel at high speed.
As they battle with flames, they are exposed to several hazards like getting hit by the fire or falling debris, getting electrocuted and getting pinned under collapsing structures.
“Basin naay mubuto, wa ta kahibaw unsay naa sa sulod sa nasunog na bay o building (Something might explode. We can’t be sure what’s inside of a burning house or building),” Codilla said.
In 2007, while fighting flames eating up a firearm and ammunition factory in Barangay Subangdaku, a bullet flew and grazed his neck.
Codilla said the fire department’s effort to develop fire safety consciousness among the populace has not waned.
Fire officials always attend barangay assemblies, stressing the importance of taking preventive measures against fires.
“Okay ra nang makawatan ka kay naa pa imong balay, dili lang masunogan kay ang pila ka tuig nimo gihaguan mawala sad (It’s okay to lose things to burglars because you still have your house, but when fire strikes, the house you labored so much for will be gone),” he said.
So when celebrating the coming of another year, he advised, one should avoid practices that can cause fire.
At home, he and his family never use firecrackers, Codilla said. Instead, they make noise by shaking cans filled with 24 or 12 coins, in the belief it will keep money flowing 24 hours a day, 12 months a year.