EDITORIAL - It’s that time of year again

Just a few days ago our editorial was about keeping ourselves safe from fires. Now we choose to write about it again on the occasion of the start of Fire Prevention Month.

That editorial was written about the fire that hit Barangay Suba, Cebu City, on the night of February 26, Wednesday.

On the day the editorial came out, February 28, Friday, another fire broke out in Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Cebu City. And then the following day, the 29th, another fire broke out in Barangay Ibabao, Mandaue City

It’s almost ridiculous how these fires keep happening. Is the weather just that hot, or are we that bad when it comes to preventing fires? Or are we just that plain unlucky?

The Bureau of Fire Protection is not remiss in reminding us about fire safety. Every first day of March they go on a caravan with sirens blaring to remind people it is the riskiest time of year when it comes to fires.

Those who are not familiar with this yearly practice of the BFP usually get the heck scared out of them, but the caravan is a good way to get the point across that we should always practice fire safety.

Given how close we have decided to build our homes to each other, how crowded settlements have become, and how many people are still having problems getting water, we cannot afford to let our guard down when it comes to fires.

A fire is a disaster many times over. When a community burns down, it’s not just those left homeless that suffer. The nearby public schools are also affected because they get turned into evacuation centers for those left homeless in a fire, and students miss out on their classes. The barangay also has to look after those left homeless. It’s a problem that tends to get bigger.

So again, and we cannot say this enough, we should all practice fire safety. Make sure you never overload your electrical outlet, report illegal power connections, always mind what you are cooking if using firewood, keep matches and lighters away from children and, last but not least, keep those roads clear for emergency vehicles.