Camanava has only 19 firetrucks

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Fire Protection in the northern part of Metro Manila is on New Year Red Alert since Monday for possible fire incidents but it has only 19 working firetrucks to cover the 255 barangays under its jurisdiction.

But firemen are not bothered claiming they have adequate support from private fire volunteer groups. 

Caloocan City, with 188 barangays, has only six fire trucks. “But we have several fire volunteers apart from support from other neighboring fire stations,” FO2 Alex de los Trinos, of the Caloocan City BFP, told The STAR. 

He said that there are only two fire-prone areas being closely watched by the local firemen — Maypajo and Heroe’s del ’96. The areas are thickly populated “and have respective histories of large New Year fires,” De los Trinos said.

FO2 Efren Espinosa, of the Malabon City BFP, said that they have only four working firetrucks monitoring the city’s 21 barangays.

“We have been constantly reminding our residents as we go around the city using megaphones to be watchful of the fire specially during the New Year revelry,” Espinosa said.

There are also two fire-prone areas they are watching in Malabon, Barangay Catmon, host to a large squatter colony, and Barangay Hulong Duhat.

In Navotas City, the local BFP has only two firetrucks covering its 14 barangays. But FO3 Jun Valeriano said that fire volunteers in Navotas has at least 10 fire trucks to augment them in case need arises.

“We didn’t even have a New Year fire last year may be due to our regular Oplan Paalala (reminders) to residents about fire hazards and how to avoid them, he said.

In Valenzuela, Superintendent Agapito Nacario, the city fire marshal, said that their seven firetrucks are closely monitoring barangays at the boundary of Bulacan, known for its firecracker industry. – Pete Laude