EDITORIAL - Fire prevention

It’s Fire Prevention Month once again and national and local fire authorities are starting to get busy with their activities reminding the people of the need to be aware of fire incidents as we now head into the onset of the dry season.

Beginning today, as in the past, personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection will have their hands full in disseminating information. They will crisscross the barangays and advise the residents to take paramount premium on fire prevention.

Such activity nationwide by the BFP has been very crucial because March is the start of the months-long summer when communities, especially those thickly-populated areas, are highly vulnerable to fire incidents.

However, everyone should take note that it is not only during the dry season when cases of conflagrations are high. Even during the long stretch of the rainy period, fires still take their toll on populated areas.

In Cebu City and other areas in the metro, several fire incidents have occurred in many barangays. Since December, fires have destroyed hundreds of houses, rendered thousands of people homeless, and caused millions of pesos in damage. In fact, many lives have been lost during those incidents.

That is why there’s really a need for the people, and the authorities, to be always vigilant. Fires occur like a thief in the night, and in places where inhabitants have the habit of sometimes ignoring even the simplest steps to prevent fires.

So it is really important to treat every month like a Fire Prevention Month. In fact, everybody should make a habit to take up measures against fires. A fire can happen any day and everyone must be aware of it.