MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) deployed yesterday 63 nurses to augment personnel of 12 hospitals managing COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region, which are in need of additional healthcare workers.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the firefighter nurses would serve for a period of three months, which could be extended depending on the situation in the hospitals.
“Given the need for nurses in several hospitals in Metro Manila, we are proud to assign our firefighter nurses to different hospitals where they are urgently needed,” Año said.
The 63 nurses come from a pool of 120 BFP personnel who volunteered to be assigned to hospitals. The rest will also be deployed in coordination with the Department of Health as the need arises.
The hospitals in need of additional nurses are located in Quezon City, Las Piñas, San Juan, Caloocan, Parañaque, Makati and Manila.
Nine nurses were assigned to the Las Piñas Doctors Hospital, eight to the Manila Central University-FDT Medical Foundation, seven each to Premier Medical Center and UHBI Parañaque Doctors Hospital, six to Manila Doctors Hospital, five to St. Claire’s Medical Center, four each to San Juan Medical Center, Providence Hospital and Novaliches District Hospital, and three each to Gen. Miguel Malvar Medical Research Foundation, Holylife Hospital and Ospital ng Tondo.
The BFP held a send-off ceremony for the firefighters at the bureau’s headquarters in Quezon City.
DILG spokesman Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the BFP personnel are no ordinary nurses since they have undergone specialized training in emergency response from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Under the deployment program, the BFP will coordinate with the receiving hospitals on administrative matters. The bureau will shoulder the salaries and transportation of their personnel.
The receiving hospitals will provide free board and lodging as well as meals for the BFP personnel.
The nurses will be vaccinated against COVID-19 and will undergo swab tests prior, during and after the deployment.
They will also be given medical assistance, including admission to a hospital in case they get infected with the virus.
BFP chief Director Jose Embang Jr. said the nurses can respond to other emergencies such as the fire that hit the Philippine General Hospital.
“They are firefighters so the deployment is not only dedicated to helping and augmenting hospitals,” Embang said.
The BFP has 5,034 registered nurses among its 27,968 personnel.