March is Fire Awareness and Consciousness Month

Since 1966, the nation has observed the practice of observing every year as Safety and Prevention Year. Each month is devoted to a particular safety aspect with emphasis on its prevention. Historically, the month of March generally has the most number of fires because it marks the start of the hot season, and it is fittingly the Fire Prevention Month. Its official title is National Information and Consciousness Month on Fire Prevention for Safety and Progress of the Nation.

Only a few months ago, we witnessed how a house fire could not only cause great damage to property but cause death on individuals who live in the house. We were an eye-witness to the fire that ravaged the home of Speaker Jose de Venecia and his daughter KC Perez de Venecia was trapped inside the burning inferno. She had a cell phone and could communicate with her parents and love ones outside even as she submerged himself in her bathtub full of water. The firemen outside could not do anything to help as they were not equipped with vestments that could help protect them from fire. It was a heartbreaking experience that made us realize how important it is to have well-trained firefighters provided with the very latest and best fire-fighting equipment.

The whole incident made us recall how almost a decade ago, the Ozone Disco Pub burned and 154 teenagers lost their lives, first, because the place was licensed for only 60 occupants and yet it was jam-packed with more than 400 customers. The place did not even have a fire exit.

Sad to say, before the start of Fire Prevention Month, three fire incidents happened in Manila, Navotas and Quezon City. The three caused the death of two toddlers who were cousins, injured five people and caused more than a million pesos in property damage.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo T. Reyes said, "The only way to save precious lives and properties during fire incidents is for our men and women in the field to be prepared and ready at all times, and for us to further improve our response time during such emergency."

What makes this year’s Fire Prevention Month more important is the fact that this year, we may have to contend with the problem of terrorists. They may set off bombs that may start fires.

According to the statistics that we obtained from Inspector Romeo A. Pepito, Chief of the Investigation Section of the Bureau of Fire Protection, last year, the country had 10,157 fires nationwide. This year, so far we have had 960 for January and 174 for February. We hope we can reduce the number of fires this year by taking all precautionary measures to protect lives and properties from needless fires.