ANDA, Bohol, March 11 (PIA) -- A key fire official here has called on the public to report to the fire station first when a fire breaks before livestreaming the incident.

Speaking during the Kapihan sa PIA, Office of the Provincial Fire Marshal Operations Officer and Dauis Municipal Fire Marshal Fire Inspector Servando Jumawid and Fire Officer 1 Gian Paolo Dolotina explained that even if firefighters try to be there at that critical time when a fire breaks, they only know of fire incidents when they are posted on social media.

The fire officials noted that the first five minutes after a fire breaks is the most critical time when firefighters have to be at the fire scene.
Within this time when the fire fighting team arrives, the chances of controlling the fire is relatively bigger.

But instead of getting the information to the nearest fire station, Jumawid said netizens would go online and livestream the incident without first informing the fire station.

In the instance that the fire breaks in building made of light materials, the response time is drastically reduced, and with a fire truck that can only sustain a few minutes of extinguishing the fire by hosing, the odds pile up against the firefighters.

“We see it as a problem, which delays the response time,” Jumawid said.

He added that as soon as they get the call, they have to coordinate with the local police to mobilize and secure the fire scene and its nearby areas, especially when the fire victims try to salvage things that they can still retrieve from the fire scene.

“What is sad is that without the police securing the place considering that firemen are just enough to man the fire engine and the hose, opportunistic individuals also steal what has been salvaged, adding to the victim’s already sad plight,”  Jumawid said.

He added that the police secure the fire scene and allow the fire fighters to have a good place to operate their equipment.

Both firefighters agreed that having a working fire extinguisher can be a game changer in the fight against fires.

Having a fire extinguisher and knowing how to use it especially during the early stage of the fire can solve the problem.

This month, the BFP will hold an open house in their stations and allow the public to see and learn about firefighting, give orientations on firefighting equipment, and do fire drills. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)