ILOILO City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 6 released fire safety reminders for the Dinagyang Festival.
“Let us be vigilant kag i-remind ta ang kaugalingon ta…maghalong gid,” said Senior Superintendent Jerry Candido, BFP-6 director.
He recommended having a fire safety checklist that outlines what should be done before leaving the house to join the merrymaking.
Unplug all appliances and gadgets.
Switch off the main switch to cut off the power supply if no appliances are in use.
Check the kitchen. Put off the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) regulator. Check if there are embers that were not put out.
Place flammable liquids like gasoline and paint away from the kitchen. And make sure there are no lit candles.
“If we have checked all of them, then we can leave. Buot silingon free ang aton balay sa sunog because of our safety checklist tips. That way we can prevent fires. Masubo na ‘ya nga pagbalik naton waay na kita sang puloy-an,” Candido added.
According to the BFP-6 director, most of the fire incidents that occurred during past Dinagyangs were due to negligence.
In 2022, a conflagration occurred in barangays Tanza-Esperanza, Malipayon and Tanza-Timawa, all in Iloilo City Proper district, during the highlight of the Dinagyang Festival on a Sunday night.
At least 100 houses were affected, and the narrow passageways hinder fire trucks from responding efficiently.
Last 2014, meanwhile, a large fire also occurred on a Friday night in the downtown area that razed at least 11 establishments.
As a preemptive effort on their part, the BFP-6 will deploy its personnel, fire trucks, and ambulances around Iloilo City, especially at the four judging areas during the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan and Dagyang sa Barangay tribes competition on Jan. 21 and 22, respectively.
The four judging areas will be the Freedom Grandstand, the Iloilo Provincial Capitol area, Quezon Street, and Mapa Street.
Around 200 firefighters from BFP-Iloilo City will be deployed, and firefighters from other local government units will augment their forces, too, Candido disclosed.
He also stated that fire trucks will be stationed both inside and outside the crowd for easy pullout in the event of an emergency.
“Wala man naton ginapangayo pero kon may sunog, mahapos nga makaabot ang aton mga bombero, including our ambulances,” he said.
More fire trucks will be placed in strategic areas around the city, including congested barangays.
The BFP-6 director also said that the crowd and heat may make others not feel well and advised the public to bring a personal first aid kit when participating in the festivities.
Candido explained that although several emergency responders are on standby around the performance sites in the city, it would be better to be able to apply first aid immediately.
He also reminded spectators to bring drinking water and take their medications, if any, beforehand.
If one is already experiencing dizziness and shortness of breath, take a seat and call for assistance. Stay rested to avoid aggravating your situation, Candido said./PN
