TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Fire Protection(BFP) reports there remain twelve municipalities in Region 8 with no fire stations and manpower; however, they are steadily closing the gap as many of these areas have started to build their firefighting facilities and are currently in various stages of construction.
The construction of more fire stations and the purchase of fully modernized fire-fighting tools and lifesaving equipment are part of the strategic move towards BFP modernization.
Fire Senior Supt. Randy Mendaros, Assistant Regional Director for Operations of BFP 8, said in a forum Samar province has the number municipalities which have no fire stations.
These are Almagro, Daram, Sto. Nino, Tagapul-an, and Zumarraga, all island towns off the Samar Sea.
In Northern Samar, Biri town still has no fire station as its construction has been suspended due to permits needed to be acquired from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; in Lapinig and Victoria, fire station construction is 50% and 37% complete respectively; and the remaining is in San Vicente.
In Eastern Samar, Maydolong and Mercedes continue to await the start of the construction of their fire stations while in Biliran province, only the island of Maripipi is without a fire station, however, its construction is now at 37%.
Concerns were raised among island towns having no fire station that in times of conflagration, fire responders will not be readily at hand.
“It will be quite dangerous when the conflagration occurs in an island. It may take time for neighboring firefighters to respond due to the distance of the waters,” Mendaros added.
He otherwise assured the remaining 12 areas in the region are being prioritized for the fire station projects. Common problem among these LGUs is the unavailability of appropriate land for such a construction and the permit requirements to be secured.
The BFP regional office announced this information during a forum conducted to formally open the Fire Prevention Month observance this March.
BFP-8 has lined up various activities regionwide for the month-long observance. These activities are set to reinforce fire safety awareness and strengthen the bureau’s community relations with the general public.
This year’s theme for the Fire Prevention Month is “Sa Pag-iwas ng Sunog, Hindi Ka Nag-iisa”, reinforcing the collective responsibility of fire prevention.
(AHLETTE C.REYES/PIA-8)
