The Manila City government has acquired new firefighting equipment worth P1.2 billion, including ladder fire trucks, to strengthen its civil defense capabilities.
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said the city have already received two state-of-the art firefighting trucks and equipment worth P180 million, aside from the 15 firetrucks the city acquired in 2018.
The ladder truck cost P85 million, while the super tanker, which can hold 10,000 liters of water, cost P38 million.
Estrada said Manila and Makati are the only two cities in Metro Manila that has aerial ladder fire-fighting equipment that can reach 56 meters high, apart from their 38-meter ladder Rosenbauer brand firetrucks.
The mayor said it has been one of his priority projects for the city to have modern fire trucks, which can respond to fires in high-rise buildings in Manila and nearby cities.
“The new equipment can reach buildings up to 160 feet high and respond immediately to help victims trapped inside buildings. It can contain fires in several minutes because of high water pressures from firetrucks,” he said.
Estrada, who is running for his third and last term as mayor, said the procurement of the equipment is part of the city’s continuing commitment to modernize and enhance the capability of the Bureau of Fire Protection and other public safety services.
“These new fire trucks are imported from Austria, which can be used for 15 years, and is like Mercedes Benz or BMW with easily available spare parts. We want to have more modern and useful equipment fire trucks with higher ladders and more rescue equipment,” he said.
The city government also acquire three rescue trucks, three rescue towing vehicles, protective gear, and eight mobile kitchens, which can be use during calamities.
Estrada said he is the only Manila mayor that was able to provide support to the Bureau of Fire Protection and Manila Police District to save and protect the public.