‘We’re not ready’

WHAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS HERE?

A blaze that hit a 24-storey housing tower in London showed just how tough the fire department’s job can get. It also prompted this reality check: a Cebu City official said that the local fire department needs more equipment to handle rescue and firefighting operations in high-rise buildings. Fire Marshall Rogelio Bongabong, for his part, emphasized the need for prevention and Fire Code compliance.

Official says city’s firefighters may not be fully capable of fighting fire in tall buildings

With more high-rise buildings sprouting in Cebu City, a local official admitted that the City Government and City Fire Department are not a hundred percent capable when it comes to responding to fire alarms in tall structures.

In an interview with SunStar Cebu, Councilor Dave Tumulak said the City’s firefighters are skilled in responding to fire incidents in high-rise buildings.

The skills and training of the firefighters, he added, should be complemented with enough equipment.

“Right now, I can say that we are capable of responding to big fires when we talk about our personnel, but we should add more to our equipment,” Tumulak said.

In October last year, the City donated an aerial ladder truck that they can use in rescue operations in buildings that are up to 18 stories high.

But Tumulak, who chairs the public order and safety committee in the City Council, said there should be an additional aerial ladder.

Apart from the aerial ladder, Tumulak said the Bureau of Fire Protection also needs more breathing apparatuses for personnel who will penetrate the burning edifice, if in case there are people trapped inside.

“If our budget will allow, I am willing to push for the purchase of an additional aerial ladder,” he said.

But for City Fire Marshall Rogelio Bongabong, city fire responders can use their existing equipment.

“Responding to fires, especially in high-rise buildings, will really depend on the situation. The aerial ladder is not our only option because we can still use other equipment or access the fire safety features of a building,” Bongabong told SunStar Cebu.

Bongabong believes that it would be better for the public to be preventive and follow all the provisions of the Fire Code.

“It is really better if there is prevention because even if we have well-trained firefighters and equipment, but if people will not be mindful of the things they should do to prevent fire, it’s useless. Even in London, we presume that they have sophisticated equipment in firefighting, but fire still hit one of their high-rise buildings,” he said. /