Motorcycles eyed to help fight fire in interior areas

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama is planning to buy three-wheeled motorcycles where a small water tank and a pump will be attached to serve as penetrators whenever fire will occur in heavily congested areas of Cebu City.

Rama came up with his idea after he inaugurated a newly-opened road at Sitio Itum-Yuta in barangay Lorega-San Miguel because he observed that the fire trucks cannot easily penetrate the narrow interior roads.

More than 100 houses made of light materials were razed by a fire that hit Sitio Itum-Yuta almost 20 years ago because the fire trucks failed to penetrate the interior portion of the thickly-populated residential area.

The mayor said he will ask his subordinate officials to make a feasibility study about it.

Councilor Alvin Dizon, a member of the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK), admired Rama’s plan and called it a “nice idea.”

Some City Hall department heads, who requested anonymity, said the mayor’s plan may not be feasible unless the water tank that will be carried by the tricycles only contains a few gallons of water.

“Bug-at kaayo ang tubig og maglisud pagdaug ang makina sa motor kon daku ang tangke sa tubig. Kon gamay ‘sab ang tangke nga ikarga wala ‘say kapuslanan kay dili ni makapawong sa kayo, (It would be difficult for the motorcycle to bear the water tank’s weight. If you put a small tank, it would also defeat the purpose because it wouldn’t be enough to extinguish the fire.)” a department head said.

Another department head asked “Kon tauran og pump aron makapasirit sa tubig sa ato pa butangan na usab og makina, mosamot kabug-at ang dad-on sa motor gawas sa tubig. (If we put a pump to spray water, we also have to put a machine. That would be an additional burden aside from the water.)” —/MIT (FREEMAN)