Fires up 7.7 percent in 2005

A total of 10,728 fires occurred in the country last year, up by 7.7 percent from the 9,958 fire incidents recorded in 2004, the Safety Organization of the Philippines Inc. (SOPI) reported yesterday.

SOPI president Eros Zuniga said two firefighters and 247 civilians were killed in 2005 while property losses was pegged at P3.27 billion.

Zuniga said SOPI, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP), has lined up various activities to promote fire safety awareness, especially during the observance of the Fire Prevention Month in March.

The SOPI president noted that the National Capital Region accounted for P754 million or 23 percent of the total property losses incurred in fires last year.

"There is an urgent need to drum up public fire safety consciousness on the citizenry because of the mounting casualties and property losses from disastrous fires despite efforts of the BFP to prevent fire," said Zuniga.

Among the activities lined up by SOPI was the search for "Ten Outstanding Filipino Fire Fighters" and the "Outstanding Fire Safety Practitioners."

The SOPI will also host the National Industrial/Commercial Fire Brigade Competition and the National High-Rise Fire Brigade competition, both to be held on March 11 at the Global City, the NCR Barangay Fire Brigade competition to be held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle on March 18 and the 33rd National Fire Safety Convention on April 5-7 in Baguio City.

Zuniga pointed out that all sectors of the community should contribute their share in fire prevention because majority of disastrous fires occur due to negligence or carelessness. — Non Alquitran