MANILA, Philippines - While March is Fire Safety Month, safety consciousness should be observed throughout the year. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) seeks to raise home safety consciousness and awareness. The annual search for the Ten Outstanding Pilipino Firefighters draws attention to their work and advocacy.
Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Chief Rolando M. Bandilla Jr. recently announced the winners of the search for the Ten Outstanding Pilipino Firefighters for 2010. The annual search was organized by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) together with the Safety Organization of the Philippines (SOPI) in partnership with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) as part of their CSR projects. It aims to recognize outstanding and dedicated firefighters who selflessly perform their duties to protect the lives of people and their properties.
The search is not limited only to operations but is also open to administration personnel who are recognized for their exemplary performance, moral values as well as interpersonal and community relations. The firefighters respond to emergencies and calls for help not only during fires but also during disasters such as typhoons and floods.
With the coming holidays, home safety consciousness is again given special attention. Cheap Christmas lights have been seen as the culprit in a number of fire incidents. While faulty electrical wiring has also been blamed, more often, the cause of house fires can be traced to misuse of electrical outlets such as octopus connections resulting in dangerous overload. Other common causes of fires during the holidays are the careless use of firecrackers.
The BFP distributes leaflets containing information about fire prevention and home safety through the barangays. They are also in Facebook.