BFP reminds public anew of fire safety precautions

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Friday once again reminded the public to be mindful of household habits that could potentially raise the risk of fire, two days after a Quiapo fire killed six people, five of them children.

BFP Public Information Officer Fire Superintendent Joanne Vallejo said in an interview on Unang Balita that Christmas lights should be approved by the Department of Trade and Industry and contain the required Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker.

Christmas lights should likewise not be placed near highly combustible objects such as curtains and paper and must also be kept out of children’s reach, she added.

The BFP PIO also warned against using firecrackers during New Year festivities.

The Quiapo fire followed Wednesday’s blaze in a residential area in Taguig City, which left at least 200 families homeless.

Despite these two incidents in a row, fire cases in 2017 have seen a decrease compared to last year’s figure, said Vallejo, adding that fire incidents have dwindled by 35 percent between 2017 and 2016.

The top causes of fire are electrical connections, lighted cigarette butts, and open flames, she said.

When a small fire erupts from a household item, such as a cooking stove, it would be best to use a wet cloth or sand to cover the flame, which is still in its “incipient stage,” in the absence of a fire extinguisher, said Vallejo.

She said the public must pay attention to reminders by the BFP and the media as regards fire prevention tips, saying reducing the risk of fire is a “personal responsibility.”

“Unang-una, tandaan po natin na personal responsibility din po ang pag-iwas po sa sunog. Iwasan po nating mag-iwan ng mga kandila na nakasindi kung tayo’y aalis ng bahay. 'Wag po tayong gagamit ng mga gadgets na more than sa required na oras,” she said.

Children and household help, she added, must also be taught to be on guard against fire.

“Higit sa lahat po, kailangan ang mga bata ay turuan din po natin sila, lalo na kung iniiwanan po nila natin sila sa bahay, 'wag po nating ikandado ang bahay. We will have to teach them na… 'pag sakaling nangyari ang sunog, ito po ang exit, dito kayo tumakbo,” Vallejo said.

“Higit sa lahat, ‘wag po nating hayaan na ang mga katulong natin sa bahay ay nakikipagkwentuhan, nanonood ng TV, or nage-FB habang nagluluto,” she added. —Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas /KG, GMA News