FIREMEN from different firefighting groups in Metro Manila join a motorcade on UN Avenue in Manila to remind the public to be more alert with the start of Fire Prevention Month. RICHARD A. REYES
After two huge blazes hit Valenzuela in a span of two weeks last month, the city government is rethinking its strategy in fighting fires, this time involving the residents of fire-prone communities in its efforts.
Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian said that the city government was currently expanding its “Bantay Sunog” program.
“We have to face the reality that some communities are really fire-prone. We’re improving on Bantay Sunog by first identifying communities which [are high-risk],” Gatchalian said in an interview.
Next, city officials will then identify residents who will be part of the program and equip them with fire-fighting tools and resources such as fire extinguishers to help them snuff out minor blazes before these grow out of control.
“In our preliminary identification, we have named 90-plus informal settler communities [which are fire-prone], with almost half of them having a high risk of catching fire. These communities will be our priority for Bantay Sunog,” Gatchalian said.
“On the side of prevention, we are informing people to be alert and aware. In the case of the blaze in Gen. T. de Leon, the fire was allegedly caused by kids playing [with] fire. So they should really guard their children,” he added.
The city government has also asked water concessionaire Maynilad to drastically increase the number of fire hydrants throughout the city after firefighters cited the lack of these as the reason why they found it difficult to immediately extinguish the blazes in Barangays Marulas and Gen. T. de Leon.
“The installation of fire hydrants are actually under the control of Maynilad and we have an outstanding request for them to increase the current 200 hydrants in the city ten-fold, up to 2,000,” Gatchalian said.
He noted that the city government’s studies had shown that fire hydrants should cover a 50-meter radius, explaining the need for 2,000 water
hydrants.
Finally, the city government said it would improve and widen roads and alleyways in these fire-prone communities to grant fire trucks access should a blaze break out.
He noted that while the city’s fire department was very much capable of responding to calls for help, their trucks were hampered by narrow streets and alleys.
After the two big fires which affected more than 2,500 families in Marulas and Gen. T. de Leon, Gatchalian said the city government was now making arrangements for the victims to return to their houses.
“In the case of the Marulas victims, titles to their land should be awarded soon, with the National Housing Authority taking care of the construction of their houses,” Gatchalian said, explaining that the victims were living on government-owned property that was the subject of final negotiations prior to its distribution to beneficiaries.
Some 2,000 families lost their homes after a fire, caused by residents who deliberately burned a motorcycle, spread to more than a thousand homes before it was put out.
“Meanwhile, the city government will enter into talks with the private landowner of the informal settlers in Gen. T. de Leon to hopefully reach a deal where the residents could eventually own the land they live on,” Gatchalian said.