NEGLIGENCE and carelessness are the major factors in the occurrence of fire, the Dagupan city fire marshal said Tuesday.
Sr. Insp. Romualdo Mina said that fire fighters always consider every day as fire prevention day since fire, he pointed out, occurs anytime even during the cold season.

The country observes March as fire prevention month because of the start of summer and to make people fire-conscious throughout the year.

Mina, who guested at the weekly Pantongtongan Tayo radio program of the Philippine Information Agency over Radyo ng Bayan DZMQ last Tuesday, urged the public to be always aware or conscious of fire hazards in their homes, offices and places of work.

Fire hazards include open liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank, substandard electrical wires and materials, plugged but not used electrical appliances like electric iron, smoking in bed, stocking of gasoline and other fuel at home, etc.

On the common impression that firemen do not act fast in case of fire and they do it for some monetary considerations, Mina said that the initial reaction of a firefighter is to get to the scene as fast as possible and to put out the fire.

“Pag lumaki kasi yong apoy, mas lalong problema kaya kung puede maagapan ng maaga at mapatay agad,” he said.

There are factors that delay the response however, he explained, mentioning the time element in reporting the incident to the fire station, traffic situation, accessibility of the place and cooperation of the people in the area as to directions made by concerned agencies like the police.

Some people also do not understand that priority is given to materials or belongings that could yet be saved, he also said. “Kung wala nang pagasa na maisalba pa yong nasusunog, yong mga katabi ang binibigyan ng priority para hindi na masunog,” he clarified. (DOS)