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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Go broaches idea of arming firefighters

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Neophyte Senator Christopher Go is considering authoring a bill that will give firearms to firefighters so they can help in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on criminality.

Although arming the firefighters is not a part of his Fire Modernization Bill, Go, however, said he might just add such provision. But he wanted that his Senate Bill (SB) 204 first be passed into law.

“So that aside from firefighting, they can help in the campaign against criminality,”  Go added.

Go said his team is exploring how firefighters can also help in law enforcement efforts of the government.

Go expressed confidence that SB 204  or the ‘Act Strengthening and Modernizing the Bureau of Fire Protection will become a law because the President fully supports it.  The President mentioned the bill in this year’s State of the Nation Address, Go said.

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The proposed measure aims to improve the current state of the Bureau of Fire Protection, giving them better equipment and resources. 

It also intends to provide modern fire equipment and hire more personnel to strengthen manpower and trainings for firefighters.

“Their equipment should be replaced. They should have additional equipment. I have witnessed that everytime there was a fire, our firefighters really lack the needed equipment, he said. 

As of 2017, BFP has 2,674 fire trucks,  short by 932 units of the ideal number in the whole country.  

In fact, around 400 municipalities nationwide do not have their own fire trucks, BFP said.  

The Commission on Audit report also indicated that at least1,094 or 39.3 percent of these units owned by the government were purchased between 1950 and 1999, with at least eight acquired between 1950 and 1999.  

On an average, the useful lifespan of a fire truck is five to 15 years only. 

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