By Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA
TUBA, Benguet — A total of 108 personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Cordillera have completed the five-day training to equip them with new techniques on rescue operations and firefighting.
“The five-day training will help our firefighters perform emergency response effectively in the region,” BFP Chief, Director Leonard Bañago, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview on Friday.
“Cordillera is prone to calamities. Take for example during Typhoons Ompong and Rosita. There were flash floods but with swift water rescue training, our personnel saved lives,” Bañago added.
He said the training, which consisted of lectures and simulations, was conducted by the Fire Fighters for Christ (FFC) of California, a group of retired firefighters who conduct training on new technologies and equipment on firefighting and rescue.
“Public safety is our challenge, but with the training done with the help of FFC, we can perform our mandate to protect and secure the public in any kind of situation,” Bañago said.
Participants were taught three new techniques — swift water rescue facilitated by Danny Rodriquez, Bob Ameche and Simon Hewiit; wild land fire management by Joe Lindaman, Patrick Stilson and Tom Nichols; and auto extrication by Luis Carlos and Dave Kromka.
“The Cordillera is a mountainous region, if there is a wildfire, equipment cannot be brought to the top of the mountain. Wild land management taught them to make use of what they have available, such as soil or shovel to put out the fire,” Bañago said.
In auto-extrication, he said, remaining calm is the most important factor. “Using a battery-powered saw is the most effective way of saving a person trapped inside a vehicle,” he said, adding that this needs to be done fast, especially if there is danger of the vehicle exploding.
The training was the fourth to be conducted by foreign firefighting experts under the BFP National Headquarters’ Training Camp Philippines 2019. The first was conducted in Quezon City, followed by Bacolod, Davao and Cordillera, respectively.
The FFC, a non-profit organization in the US, was established in January 1976 to encourage firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, BFP-Cordillera Director, Fire Senior Supt. Sophie Mendoza, said the training familiarized personnel on life-saving equipment.
“This training is equipment-based. The FFC donated cutting tools for auto extrication, shovels and rope bags for water rescue operations,” Mendoza said.
“Our functions have been evolving. Before, we were just into fire suppression. Now, we are capable of conducting search and rescue operations during disaster and emergencies and even handling hazardous materials,” she said.
According to trainer Joe Lindaman, they chose to include Cordillera in the training because of the susceptibility of the area to vehicular accidents, mountain fire, and even flash floods.
Lindaman said knowledge of how to use equipment would save lives.
