(Speech delivered by Rep. Edcel C. Lagman at the Opening Ceremonies of the Bureau of Fire Prevention’s Fire Prevention Month at the Quezon City Memorial Circle on 01 March 2008)
Since today is the kick-off of the Fire Prevention Month, it would be appropriate to begin with the story of how fire was first bestowed on humankind. In Greek mythology, fire was a sacred element that could only be used by the gods. Prometheus was the Titan who, when he saw the first humans living like animals, shivering from cold and eating raw meat, decided to do the unthinkable – he stole a spark from the eternal bonfire blazing in Olympus, the home of the gods and gave it to mankind so they can have warmth and light.
The gift of fire from Prometheus did not only provide warmth to homes of mortal men and give them precious light at night, fire also gave them the opportunity to craft tools and weapons, create pottery, cook food and heat water for sanitation.
Fire became the beacon in lighthouses that kept ships from crashing into perilous rocks and veering into treacherous waters. Unfurling from watchtowers, fire made it possible for guards to warn their compatriots of attacking enemies. Fire was the magnet that drew people together at night and the magic of the firelight helped give birth to myths, legends and stories of valor and romance that became an invaluable part of oral tradition.
When the gods saw how humans began thriving with the help of fire, they did not let Prometheus go unpunished. It is said that Zeus, the foremost god, seized man’s champion and bound him to a rock on a mountain where an eagle devoured his liver. But because livers regenerate, Prometheus had to suffer this agonizing torture every single day until he was eventually freed by Hercules.
But why am I telling you the story of Prometheus, the fire-giver, when as firefighters and public safety officers your job is to put it out? I am telling you this story because if Prometheus’ act of kindling the first fire on earth prompted the improvident wrath of the gods, then the men and women who make it their profession to put out destructive fires must deserve great and countless blessings from heaven.
The officers as well as the men and women of the Bureau of Fire Protection deserve not only the blessings of the Almighty, you have the eternal gratitude of ordinary mortals because except for those who are arsonists or pyromaniacs, people in general have great aversion to uncontrolled fires because they kill lives and destroy properties.
As we all know, fire is a fickle friend. Although it has made progress possible, the good that it brings to our everyday lives/ can be easily upstaged by the damage it can wreak on entire communities in a matter of minutes.
Throughout history, fires have caused the decimation of populations and have reduced entire cities to ashes. The first fire in recorded history was the burning of Jerusalem by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar on April 09, 586 BC which destroyed the original temple and forced thousands of Hebrews into captivity.
The Great Fire of London in 1666 raged for three days and consumed more than 80% of the entire city. This fire began from a humble bakery and quickly destroyed St. Paul’s Cathedral, 87 parish churches and 13,000 homes. But the fire also completely wiped out the plague-carrying rat population of London. Ironically, this fire was the reason London was liberated, for several decades at least, from the dreaded Black Plague.
The first record-holder when it comes to the number of fatalities is Canton in China when a fire that broke out in 1845 in a theater killed more than 1,600 people.
Here in the Philippines, the relatively recent Ozone Disco and Manor Hotel fires in Quezon City, not far from where we are today, will be remembered for years to come for the senseless loss of lives and destruction of property.
But it is the fire that consumed the World Trade Center in New York in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 and reduced the once mighty structure to rubble that will be forever seared in our collective memories. This tragedy personifies the grievous wrongs that man can inflict on his fellowman even as it dramatizes the extreme devastation that fires can bring.
The death of thousands of civilians during this catastrophe stabbed at our hearts. But the image of the 343 firefighters who perished while trying to save lives elevated the status of the profession and established firefighters as authentic heroes. Their quiet courage and steadfast dedication to duty will not be forgotten. It would be good to bear in mind that the number of firefighters who died on that single day surpasses the total number of firefighters who have died while in the line of duty since the establishment of the New York City Fire Department in the 1800s.
The forerunners of our modern day firefighters were called the Vigelis Urbani or literally, watchmen of the city, who were first organized by the Emperor Augustus in 6 A.D. They served as both firemen and law enforcers of ancient Rome. The Vigelis patrolled the streets of Rome and used bucket brigades and crude pumps to put out fires.
Firefighting on the whole was rudimentary until the dawn of the 17th century which ushered in the advent of the horse-drawn fire engine and the fire hose which dramatically improved the success of the fire brigades. But it was Napoleon Bonaparte who is generally credited to have formed the first “professional” fire brigade whose members were recruited from the well-trained and disciplined French army.
Through the years, the importance of fire protection and suppression through continuing public education has taken a firm hold on people’s consciousness even as firefighting techniques and equipment have greatly improved since the days the Vigelis Urbani guarded Rome against fires and brigands.
But then, as now, one of the first lessons parents try to teach their young children is not to play with fire, both literally and figuratively. But for today, it would be best to only deal with the former. Parents teach their children about the dangers of playing with matches and the consequences of equating a hot stove to a plaything. But beyond these parental warnings, children, who are considered to be at greatest risk during a fire, can learn a lot more from the expertise of BFP personnel.
I commend the Bureau of Fire Protection for spearheading public education on fire safety measures which is essential in decreasing the incidence of fire. The fire drills and seminars being conducted by the BFP in coordination with schools, local government units and private partners equip the participants with invaluable skills that will help mitigate the loss of lives and properties during destructive fires. Moreover, these activities enhance public safety awareness not only in terms of fire prevention and suppression but also with regards to general disaster preparedness.
Because people are aware of the dangers of a fire, it does not take much prodding before they take precautions against it. Still, civilians both need and appreciate any assistance they can get from the BFP in the application of the basic principles in vigilant fire prevention and effective and skillful containment of fires.
Your theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Month underscores both the need for public information when it comes to fire prevention and emergency procedures and the necessity of public involvement in curbing the occurrence of fires. With its year-round campaign on fire prevention, the BFP has been doing an admirable job in educating the public about the hazards of fires, minimizing their incidence and highlighting their possible debilitating physical and psychological effects on the lives of victims.
Ultimately, this information campaign should aim to accomplish the twin objectives of helping the public mitigate the risks of fire through proper prevention practices and encouraging them to become more involved in community and BFP-sponsored activities related to fire prevention.
But for the BFP to be able to fully implement its mandate, PD 1185 or the Fire Code of the Philippines must be more effectively and stringently enforced. The Fire Code is the bible of fire prevention officers and like good evangelists you must continuously spread the good news that most fires are preventable with the correct precautionary measures even as you must strictly enforce the provisions of the Fire Code and file the necessary charges against those who violate it with impunity or worse, with the complicity of corrupt fire inspectors. Remember, the negligence or corruption of an inspector may lead to a fire that may cause the death of a fellow firefighter.
Per data from the BFP, electrical problems and open flames/cooking are the major identified causes of fires in the country. They account for 28.82% and 20.22% of all fires, respectively. Clearly, training people to take the proper safety measures will drastically lower fire incidence. But as there is no doubt about the fallibility of human nature, the preparedness of the BFP to quickly and ably respond to fire emergencies and strict and periodic building inspections are crucial.
I was amazed to find out that even with the lack of equipment and personnel, the total number of destructive fires in the country has increased by a mere 2.5% from 2006 to 2007. Moreover, the number of firefighters who have died in action has been decreasing. Although the BFP should not be content unless there is an actual decrease in fire incidence, casualties, injuries and damage to property, these statistics are still surprising considering that the BFP has a shortfall of 1,891 fire trucks, 16,406 firefighters and 10,500 sets of protective gear.
But to ensure that the BFP’s track record in terms of fire incidence and casualties improves, Congress, through the House of Representatives, has augmented the budget of the BFP for 2008 by P339.577 million or and increase of 7.08% over last year’s appropriation. Of this total amount, P200 million is earmarked for the acquisition of fire fighting equipment and fire trucks and P57 million is allocated for the half-year salaries effective July this year of new recruits in 500 new firemen positions.
The rest of the increases correspond to augmentations in other personal services, maintenance and other operating expenses and capital outlay.
This will certainly go a long way in enhancing the performance of the BFP with regards to actual firefighting, preparedness and inspection and investigation duties.
The Bureau of Fire Protection is indispensable in the building of a safe community and bringing about general public safety awareness. With the more than 9,700 fires that occur annually, firefighters and fire inspectors are the public’s protectors and literally even their saviors. We owe it to them that they be reasonably compensated and sufficiently equipped with modern protective gear and advanced fire fighting paraphernalia. Clearly, our protectors must also be protected.
People like you make it their business to save lives and prevent disasters. People like me can help guarantee that the favor will be returned not only in terms of increasing budgetary allocations for purchase of equipment and protective gear but also in the enactment of laws that will further professionalize and modernize the BFP.
Last month, bills that aim to do exactly this were discussed by the House Committee on Public Order and Safety and I am pleased to inform you that I am a co-author of House Bills 276 and 383.
HB 276 aims to professionalize the BFP through amendments to PD 1185 that will provide for both administrative sanctions and criminal penalties to erring and negligent fire inspectors whose laxity in the enforcement of fire and building safety laws lead to the loss of lives and damage to property. The proposed amendments will also expand the coverage of the BFP’s functions and duties to make it more responsive to the needs of the public it serves.
House Bill 383 or the “Fire Protection and Modernization Act” aims to upgrade the BFP and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of fire protection and prevention services by improving the competence of fire protection personnel through the establishment of training facilities, creation of specialized fire protection services and strengthening the capability of local government units to respond to fires. The measure also advocates for the creation of a special provident fund to help cover the retirement, disability and death benefits of BFP personnel and scholarships for their children.
I also propose the establishment of an Annual Congressional Award for “Outstanding Firefighters of the Year” which shall be adequately funded in the General Appropriations Act starting fiscal year 2009.
It is said that firefighters never die. Instead, they are ablaze forever in the hearts of the people whose lives and homes they saved. This sentiment is captured by the memorial wall erected beside the firehouse in front of where the World Trade Center used to stand. On the memorial to the firefighters who died on 9/11 are emblazoned the following words: “Dedicated to those who fell and to those who carry on.”
You are the extraordinary ones who still carry on and time and again literally display courage under fire and like the beneficiaries of Prometheus’ gift of fire, we ordinary human beings are truly grateful.