ADOPTING the fire safety tactics of the United States’ New York Fire Department, the Quezon City Fire Marshal on Tuesday said fire incidents from January to November this year have dropped by at least 85 percent.
In an interview, Fire Marshal Sr. Supt. Manny Manuel attributed the significant decrease in the number of fires to their successful house-to-house information drive for the public to know the safe practices to prevent an outbreak of fire.
“Oplan Paalaala [Reminder] is very effective,” Manuel told the Manila Standard. “We give our hotline number to the people so they could immediately call us up before the fire gets big.”
Moreover, the city fire district has continued to conduct safety lectures and drills, and even periodic inspections of the city’s commercial establishments “all year round.”
He also credited their improved radio communications equipment, the values formation of their personnel to “truly serve the country” and the professionalism within their ranks.
“We have fire fighters who have earned degrees in engineering, criminology, nursing and even education. When asked why they applied for work as firefighters, many of them told me they wanted to serve the country and our people, and they see themselves as heroes in their own small way,” he said.
The Bureau of Fire Protection has already professionalized their ranks, he said, citing all agency personnel are board or licensure passers, and Civil Service eligible.
Records showed there were only 235 fire incidents from January to November against 400 incidents of the same period of 2016.
“We receive three calls a day, some of them are just minor fire incidents and even prank calls,” Manuel said.
According to Chief Insp. Rosendo Capellan, they have at least 48 fire trucks.
Mayor Herbert Bautista instructed Manuel to adopt the fire safety tactics used by the New York Fire Department going around the place even if there was no fire just to heighten the awareness of the people to stay on alert at all times.