MARCH is the month during which the country experiences a sudden shift from cold weather to warmer temperatures, and with this change, the greater risk of fires. This must be the reason the government decided long ago to declare March as Fire Prevention Month.
Among the natural disasters like floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruption, tsunami, tornado and tropical cyclones, fire is the most preventable while the others are fortuitous happenings that people can only cope with or manage.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said 13,029 fire incidents were posted from Jan. 1 to Dec. 26, 2022 which is 4 percent lower than what was recorded during the same period in 2021. Meanwhile, 15,679 fires have been recorded nationwide from January 1 to Dec. 26, 2023, which is considerably higher than the numbers notched the previous year.
BFP spokesperson Fire Supt. Annalee Atienza said the majority of these fire incidents are residential, adding the problem with residential areas is that “these are not covered by the Fire Code where an annual fire safety inspection is conducted.” Also, she noted that 24 of these recorded cases were related to fireworks.
‘There are other reminders that are so simple and ordinary that many people have taken them for granted.’
According to Atienza, the three primary causes of fires are electrical ignition resulting from arching, electrical ignition caused by a loose connection, and fires caused by smoking or a lit cigarette. Another cause of household or business establishment fires are leaking and exploding LPG tanks.
We note that the BFP has been spreading fire prevention awareness through roving units and firetruck visibility programs, as well as consistently conducting inspections on manufacturers and sellers of firecrackers.
Authorities still list faulty electrical connections and electrical overloading as the No. 1 cause of fires in the Philippines. It becomes imperative therefore to focus on electrical safety in any campaign to prevent fires, if we are to save precious lives and property from going up in smoke.
The things to watch out for in connection with electrical usage are old wiring, improper connections and poor or damaged wire quality. It should be noted that overloading occurs when the current being passed through the wires exceed the capacity limit the wires can handle; this can heat up the wires, melting the insulator, producing sparks that can lead to fires.
There are other reminders that are so simple and ordinary that many people have taken them for granted. Some of these are:
* Never leave an open stove or lit candle unattended. Unlike other causes, unattended cooking/candles involves the presence of active fire. Leaving it unattended can lead to serious accidents.
* Refrain from using firecrackers during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, including fiestas and other merrymaking occasions. Watch only fireworks duly approved by local government units.
* Dispose of your cigarette butts properly. Make sure there is no active ember when you throw it in the garbage bin, where paper, plastic and other flammable materials are plenty.
* Solvents, cleaning agents, adhesives, paints and thinners can ignite and explode if not stored properly. Store these flammable liquids in their approved containers, properly sealed and stocked in places with the suggested temperature indicated in the packaging.
* Use alarms, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers as directed by building and fire authorities. They form part of a whole system of preventive measures against fires.
Although fires and other disasters always happen, we have to recognize that these man-made catastrophes are most of the time preventable. Fire prevention is everybody’s concern, during the month of March and also in the rest of the 11 months of the year.