ILOILO City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Western Visayas seeks to replace fire trucks that are at least 30 years old as part of its modernization efforts.
Fire Chief Superintendent Felixberto Abrenica, BFP Region 6 director, stressed the urgency of replacing aging units, which are becoming less efficient over time.
“Our trucks are already old. Some are over 20 years old and are no longer as efficient as new ones. We try to restore them, but the reality is we need new fire trucks,” Abrenica told Panay News.
The BFP’s central office has mandated that outdated fire trucks be retired and replaced with new ones.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has also assured additional fire truck allocations for Western Visayas.
Current fire truck distribution in the region is as follows:
* Negros Occidental – 94 units (11 unserviceable)
* Aklan – 24 units (six unserviceable)
* Iloilo – 97 units (14 unserviceable)
* Antique – 28 units (4 unserviceable)
* Capiz – 29 units (1 unserviceable)
* Guimaras – 7 units (1 unserviceable)
Despite several units being unserviceable, BFP Region 6 assures that there are still enough fire trucks to cover all towns and cities in the region.
Through the BFP Modernization Program, new fire trucks are purchased annually. This year, three new units have been allocated for Western Visayas, said Abrenica.
Abrenica also urged the public to prioritize fire safety to prevent losses.
“We respond to fires, but we’d rather have nothing to respond to. Every time we are called, it means someone has lost a home or a livelihood. Fire prevention should always be a priority,” he added.
BFP has ramped up its fire prevention efforts this March, with intensified information campaign and preparations for competitions aimed at enhancing the skills of firefighters and community responders.
Abrenica emphasized the importance of fire safety awareness, especially with rising temperatures increasing the risk of fires.
“Since the kick-off of Fire Prevention Month, we’ve been actively conducting campaigns and issuing safety reminders. The heat index is already over 40 degrees, making fires more likely to start,” he said./PN
