BFP on blue alert starting Dec. 17, red alert from Dec. 23-Jan. 2

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said Friday they will be on code blue alert status starting December 17 and code red alert status from December 23 to January 2 for possible fire incidents during the holiday season.

“Simula December 15 po ang buong BFP ay status code blue. At sa December 23 hanggang January 2 ay code red,” BFP spokesperson Fire Senior Superintendent Bonifacio Carta said at a press conference.

(Starting December 15, the entire BFP will be on status code blue. And from December 23 to January 2, it will be code red.)

Blue alert requires 50% attendance of personnel and involves emergency preparations according to the incident management system.

Red alert requires 100% attendance of personnel where an impending disaster or emergency is imminent. This also requires personnel to stay in their offices or stations for 24-hour monitoring to immediately respond to critical incidents.

“Bilang bahagi ng Oplan Paalala: Iwas Paputok, magde-deploy po ang BFP ng 32,000 personnel sa buong bansa upang isagawa ang mga sumusunod na aktibidades,” Carta said.

(As part of the Oplan Reminder: Avoid Fireworks, the BFP will deploy 32,000 personnel nationwide to carry out the following activities.)

These activities include boosting the visibility of fire trucks, ambulances, and first aid teams along major roads and high-traffic public areas.

The BFP will also intensify inspections on firecracker stores, electrical decorations, factories, and transport hubs, which face increased risks during the holidays.

Public information campaigns will be held in barangays, social media platforms, and commercial districts to remind the public of fire safety practices. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News