BONTOC – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) –Mountain Province sets another milestone in public safety services by having its first municipal fire station in the eastern part of the province.
FO1 Mirasol M. Navarra, the Provincial Information Officer of BFP- Mountain Province said that the municipal fire station in Paracelis has been activated on January 20, 2015.
According to Navarra, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Paracelis has provided a lot and building housing the Paracelis Municipal Fire Station. She added that the newly- established municipal fire station operates 24/7 with seven personnel in a shifting duty. FO3 Charles Fidel C. Golocan who was assigned at the BFP- Provincial Office is the acting Municipal Fire Marshall of Paracelis.
Navarra further said that the fire station is equipped with one Fire truck and fire fighting gears. She explained that since the fire station is newly activated, the bureau is working on providing office supplies and additional fire fighting equipment to include first aid kits, trauma bag, stretchers and extinguishers.
It will be recalled that in 2014, five fire incidents occurred in Paracelis. This include burning of three residential houses, one Baptist Church and one school.
With this, Navarra relayed the BFP- Mountain Province is hopeful that with the activation of a fire station in Paracelis, suppression and prevention of destructive fire in the said municipality and the nearby municipalities will be addressed. This is because fire stations in the municipalities of Barlig and Natonin are not yet activated.
She also stressed that with the activation of a fire station in Paracelis, it is a challenge to the bureau to strive harder and bring fire service closer to the hearts of the public and always find ways to respond to the demand of service.
The BFP created by virtue of RA 6975 is mandated to establish at least one fire station with adequate personnel, fire fighting facilities and equipment in every provincial capital, city and municipality subject to standard rules and regulations as maybe promulgated by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). //Alpine L. Killa