Jonvic Remulla relieves Makati fire execs over cars blocking fire trucks

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday relieved from their posts officials of the Makati City Fire Station, whose parked vehicles blocked the fire truck driveway when he conducted a surprise inspection of the facility.

Obstructing the fire truck bay is a violation of the Fire Code and its implementing rules.

Remulla, during his inspection, saw the parked vehicles of the concerned personnel blocking the fire trucks and emergency response ambulances. 

He said such obstruction would delay the response to fires and other public safety emergencies.    

Republic Act  9514 or the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2018 and the 2019 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) provide that there should be no obstructions in the ingress and egress of fire trucks and emergency response vehicles nor should there be any prevention, interference or obstruction of any operation of the fire service.

Officials who are found violating the said provisions may be held administratively liable for willful impropriety or gross negligence in the performance of their duty under Section 11 of the Fire Code. 

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has called on fire station chiefs to prohibit any parking in front of or near fire trucks and order the immediate removal of all unauthorized parked vehicles blocking fire response units. –NB, GMA Integrated News