INTERIOR Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla yesterday relieved officials of the Makati City Fire Station whose vehicles were obstructing the fire truck bay.
In a statement, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the obstruction was a violation of the country’s fire code and its implementing rules.
Remulla conducted a surprise inspection at the Makati City Fire Station yesterday and “saw the parked vehicles of the concerned personnel blocking the ingress and egress of fire trucks and emergency response ambulances.”
It said such obstruction will cause “huge delay” to the fire trucks and personnel in responding to fires and other public safety emergencies.
The DILG said Republic Act 9514 or the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2018 and its 2019 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation provide that there should be no obstructions in the ingress and egress of fire trucks and emergency response vehicles nor should there be any preventing, interference or obstruction of any of operation of the fire service.
“Officials found violating the said provisions may be held administratively liable for willful impropriety or gross negligence in the performance of his/her duty in accordance with Section 11 of the Fire Code,” the DILG said.
A picture provided by the DILG showed two vehicles blocking the fire truck bay. The DILG did not identify the fire officials owning the vehicles, who were sacked.
The DILG said Remulla urged fire station chiefs to prohibit the parking of vehicles in front or near fire trucks to ensure fire trucks are unhampered when they respond to emergencies.
The DILG said Remulla also ordered the “immediate removal of all unauthorized parked vehicles blocking fire response units.”
