BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – In March alone, a total of 51 fire incidents have been reported by the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
According to city fire marshal, Fire Superintendent Melanie Habawel, 16 were categorized as structural fires, 34 non-structural fires and one vehicular fire.
Habawel added that of the structural fire incidents, 11 were residential fires and of the non-structural, 19 were grass fires.
The city fire marshal said most of the fires stemmed from human negligence, such as improper disposal of cigarette butts, exacerbated by the hot weather and abundance of dry roadside vegetation.
“May primary source ignition gid ina siya kay indi man na magkusa sunog ang aton nga mga kahilamunan sa kilid. Usually ang ginahaboy nga upos sang sigarilyo kay usually ga-start sa public way gid ang kalayo, plus naka-contribute ang mainit nga panahon kag kaging gid ang mga dahon sang mga hilamon sa kilid dalan,” she stated.
Habawel stressed the importance of collective responsibility in keeping the community safe from fire hazards.
She said, for one, residents should refrain from practices such as indiscriminately disposing of garbage, particularly cigarette butts.
“Dapat ang mga pumuluyo ginabawal gid nga magtutod sang basura, una-una na siya. Ikaduha, old ways tana bala nga haboy diri, haboy didto [sigarilyo]. Siguro we should recalibrate our pinamatasan into a better one. Each one of us should do our share in keeping our community safe from fire,” Habawel said.
Despite the challenges posed by the increasing number of fire incidents, Habawel highlighted that the BFP had successfully conducted all activities planned for March as the Fire Prevention Month.
“We were able to launch and implement all activities directed by the higher office. We have also introduced innovative programs to enhance fire safety awareness in the city. In recognition of our efforts, we received an award from the regional office for conducting the highest Kiddie Fire Road Show in the entire region,” she concluded./PN
