Lone firefighter keeps watch in Bulusan town

BULUSAN, Sorsogon, Philippines – Don’t go crying fire in this town.

The reason: Only a lone fireman serves this tourist destination, armed with just a hose and a portable water pump.

“We have no fire truck; in fact, only one fireman is on standby at the municipal hall,” bewailed Alberto Fragio, chairman of Barangay Poblacion.

The fireman shares an office with the municipal police and inspects by his lonesome the fire safety of houses and buildings in this coastal town.

According to Fragio, the fireman – with rank of Fire Officer 1 – succeeded the town’s only firefighter for decades.

In case of fire, the fireman rides the police patrol car or a motorcycle, bringing his portable pump to draw water from the network of canals – flowing from Bulusan Lake – crisscrossing the town, Fragio said.

“Water source is not a problem. The canals serve as natural fire hydrants,” he said in a news forum hosted here by the Liga ng Brodkasters ng Pilipinas.

Bulusan Mayor Juan Guysayco, who was also a guest at the forum, said though that they have requested additional firefighters and a fire truck from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Fires, according to Guysayco, are not remote here as residents keep stockpiles of bottles of gasoline for their pumpboats and hand tractors.

He said the problem could have been addressed with the construction of a gasoline station in the church compound.

The Bulusan E-Group, however, has strongly opposed the project, saying the gas station would block the church’s 240-year-old belfry and could trigger fire that could destroy the historic landmark.

Vice Mayor Menandro Frayno said the municipal council would follow up its resolution for a fire truck and more firemen from the national government.

The biggest blaze that hit this town occurred in 1982 when a deranged man set his house on fire, razing at least 20 houses in the poblacion (town proper).