GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) is planning to enlist more fire brigade volunteers this year as it moves to equip more local communities in combatting fire incidents.
Fire Chief Supt. Louie Puracan, BFP Region 12 director, said Friday they have set a series of engagements at the community or barangay level to establish their own volunteer fire brigades.
He said they will also push for the creation of more fire brigades among local companies and commercial establishments in the region.
Puracan said the move is in line with the agency’s thrust to focus on community-based fire prevention programs this year.
“We really need to create more community-based fire brigades and train more volunteers to complement with our fire prevention as well as response programs,” he told reporters following the kickoff ceremony of the Fire Prevention Month here.
He said the volunteers need not have advance firefighting skills but should be committed to undergo proper training and be ready when called up during emergencies.
Aside from firefighting, he said the volunteers will be trained on basic first aid and other related skills.
In line with the Fire Prevention Month, Puracan said they have lined up information and dissemination activities, as well as community engagements, until the end of the month in coordination with local government units.
This year’s theme is “Ligtas na Pilipinas ating kamtin, bawat pamilya ay sanayin, kaalaman sa sunog ay palawakin.”
BFP stations in the city and the neighboring areas as well as private volunteer fire brigades held a motorcade on Friday as part of the kickoff activities.
On March 6, Puracan said firefighters from all BFP units in the region and private volunteer fire brigades will gather in Koronadal City for the annual regional Fire Olympics.
He said BFP personnel will inspect business establishments regarding their compliance to the Fire Code of the Philippines.
“We will go to our communities and conduct house-to-house visits to make our households aware about basic of fire prevention and possible hazards in line with the prevailing El Niño phenomenon,” he added.
