A Case Study

About

Fire Safety Management Strategy

Rendered by Personnel of Bureau of Fire Protection

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the course

OJT

for a degree in

Bachelor of Science in Criminology

SUBMITTED TO:

Prof.

SUBMITTED BY:

JOHANN NEIL GAY-YAJOHANN NEIL GAY-YA

SUBMITTED ON:

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 INTRODUCTION
In Philippine society, there are distinctive numbers of incidents that may occur at any
time and in any place. One of those is the so-called fire incidents that generate from
various causes of fires, such as heating, faulty wiring, flammable liquids, etc. The
existence of this kind of incident can stimulate tremendous damage to life and
property. However, its occurrence may be convertible, providing the different kinds of
fire management strategies and safety measures that can provide specifically by the
personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Correspondingly, the above-mentioned strategies and safety measures consist of a

different approach for the development of fire safety management. This was
delineated how fire strategies address fire safety as well as how the treatment of fire
in the place like buildings. In particular, this mode of safety is described in terms of
planning, maintenance, and emergency procedures. More so, it also contains actions
and procedures that may result in lowering the amount of risk of fire and the
preservation of life safety. One of the examples of which is basing the emergency
plan on the outcome of fire safety risk assessment (Wong et al., 2014).

On the other hand, as guided by the provision R.A. No. 9514, otherwise known as
the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008, is stated that this code shall be administered
and enforced by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), under the direct supervision and
control of the Chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection. With this, it is stated that BFP
personnel are authorized to issue implementing rules and regulations in relevance to
this code, and they are responsible for assisting fire practitioners and volunteers who
shall undergo mandatory fire suppression, inspection, as well as rescue. These above-
mentioned are just some of the responsibilities of the BFP, specifically in the
prevention of fire, as stated in Section 5 under this provision.

However, despite the provided fire safety management strategy, still, there are
certain cases of fire accidents that happened and were reported in the Philippines.
Like for example day of January 11,2022 Grocery Store in Remus, Baggao, Cagayan
get burnt because of left plugged equipment.the fire started around 12:45 AM and
only then did they receive the report around 1:05 AM so they responded immediately
to put out the fire. It will be three in the morning when the incident is declared fire
out.Based on BFP Baggao's estimate, the structure is likely to cost ₱ 3.5 million pesos
not including its contents which could possibly reach more than ₱ 5 million pesos.

So considering the above-mentioned discussion, the case tends to determine the

different fire safety management strategies provided by the BFP to prevent the
occurrence of various forms of fire incidents in the Philippines. Additionally, the
determination of the effectiveness of those particular strategies in the prevention and
suppression of fire is also part of the aims of this case study. Hence, the presented
data and information that will constitute this study will govern different branches of
the Bureau of Fire Protection in the Philippines that may lead to the enhancement and
development of the fire safeguard and management strategies rendered by the BFP
personnel.

Issues and Concern

This Case study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the fire safeguard system
rendered by the BFP personnel in the prevention and suppression of fire.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:

1. What are the different fire management strategies executed by BFP personnel
to extinguish the occurrence of incidents of fires?

2. What certain measures may be proposed to enhance particular fire

management strategies in terms of:

2.1 fire prevention and suppression; and

2.2 rendering knowledge to the community?

Background of the Case

Fire cannot be considered as the only aspect to believe in that happens to

someone else. It viewed unnecessary inconvenience posed by security measures. In
accordance, there are certain efforts to prevent the occurrence of destructive fires and
to lessen the inimical impacts of those incidents that initiate the revealing of patterns
of reaction that is followed by inaction. It is stated that a multitude number of fire-
prevention successes have been the outcome of forces exclusively on the political
process that acting on their own self-interests. These aspects benefited the entire
country, particularly on the development and enhancement of the regulations
(Diamantes, 2016).

Fortunately, the responses of firefighters throughout the world in terms of

emergencies in the assemblies, residential, business, and institutional building often
range from the activation of the fire alarm. With this, those responses made by them
will be called upon to interface a wide variety of building services that includes fire
alarms, sprinklers system, emergency lighting, fire pumps, and others. This happens
because fire prevention served as a higher priority for every firefighter considering
that they are the first emergency personnel to interact with the existence of different
fire safety issues as well as fire prevention activities (Burke, 2007).

Accordingly, the Bureau of Fire Protection was created under R.A. No. 6975,
otherwise known as Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990.
Under this provision, the BFP should perform the following functions that include the
responsibility to prevent and to suppress all forms of destructive fires. The
enforcement of other related laws, specifically the Fire Code of the Philippines, is also
part of their functions. Along with this, the BFP shall have the power to investigate all
causes of fires as well as to file a complaint to the city or provincial prosecutor who
has jurisdiction over the case. In the time of national emergency, all elements of the
BFP shall upon the direction of the President, assist the AFP in meeting the national
emergency, and shall establish at least one (1) fire station with adequate personnel,
firefighting facilities, and equipment in every provincial capital, city, and
municipality subject to standard rules and regulations as maybe promulgated by the
DILG.

On the other hand, it is stated that in fire protection, time is the most significant
commodity. The decrease in the reaction time, evacuation time, response time, and
suppression time can be considered as the primary objective of the community in fire
protection. This concept can provide a "window of safety" that will lead to the
achievement of protection goals. Primarily, fire alarm systems are rendered for the
protection of life as well as the protection of property. Often, these systems were
utilized for the protection of the mission towards the property (Cote, 2003).
 Based on the findings of this Case study, that BFP workers were effective in the
areas of fire incident response, fire prevention, medical and rescue care, and fire
incident investigation. The overall impression of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)
respondents showed that they were efficient in the areas of responding to fire
incidents, suppressing fire, providing medical and rescue treatment, and fire
investigation.Withal, the study of Aquino et al. (2017) entitled, "Capability of the
Bureau of Fire Protection of Ilocos Sur in Responding to Emergencies," aimed to
determine the extent of the capability of the BFP in terms of addressing emergencies
in the year 2016. Accordingly, it looked at the significant relationship between the
extended capability of the respondents and their profile. This research study consists
of 69 BFP staff in selected municipalities of Ilocos Sur like Sto. Domingo, Bantay,
Vigan, Cagayan, Santa, and Narvacan.

Based on the results of this report, it indicates that a large percentage of

respondents are 31-35 years of age, men, married, bachelor's degree, with a monthly
family income of Php 30,000 35,000, with permanent status and national training
attended. Correspondingly, it reveals that Vigan BFP has the highest number of
materials, equipment, and vehicles used during fire activity procedures of the six BFP
stations, and the smallest is Sto. Domingo BFP. In this study, the extent of the
capability of BFP in responding to emergencies is “Very High.” Also, there is a
significant relationship between the extent of the capability of the respondents in
attending to emergencies and family monthly income.

On the other hand, the study of Mata et al. (2017) entitled, "Factors Affecting
Front-Line Services of the Bureau of Fire Protection in the National Capital Region,"
aimed to investigate the quality of the process rendered in front line services by the
Bureau of Fire Protection in National Capital Region (BFP- NCR). This study
revealed the positive influence on the service quality of the front-line service of BFP-
NCR providing the outcome of the interview that was conducted among the BFP
personnel who are from the Manila Fire District office and BFP-NCR main office.
This study concludes that communication requires an improvement in the service
quality dimension based on the evaluation conducted by the respondents. Thus, the
recommendation of the automated system was made by this study. This system
particularly refers to the new process of application for fire safety that will enable to
solve the weaknesses and deficiency of the existing process.

Lastly, the study of Gandia (2008) entitled, "Fire Prevention Program (FPP) of
the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Urdaneta City," evaluated the Fire Prevention
Program (FPP), specifically the phase of the BFP in the city of Urdaneta in the year
2006- 2007. The compliance with the standards of the Fire Code of the Philippines
has also assessed its extent in the conduct of this study along with the effectiveness in
the implementation of the FPP, as perceived by BFP personnel and residents of the
city. Correspondingly, this study revealed that there are certain problems that are
encountered by the BFP personnel which includes the lack of firefighting equipment,
lack of personnel, and old and dilapidated fire truck.

LOCALE OF THE STUDY

This was conducted at Bureau of Fire Protection. Baggao, Cagayan , where the On
the Job Training happened , and was finalized at the University Of Cagyan Valley
During the school year 2021-2022.

ADVANATAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Fire safety training is an important yet often overlooked aspect of running a business.
With so much to take into account, training employees how to respond in the event of
an emergency is something that many business owners forget to do. However, by
making fire safety a priority and ensuring employees know what to do when disaster
strikes, you could minimize the damage and potentially save lives in the process.

These are the Advantages of knowing the fire safety management strategy :

 PROTECT EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS

The most obvious reason to embrace fire safety training in your workplace is to
protect employees and customers. A fire in the workplace can prove deadly,
particularly if fire safety protocols have not been followed and staff are untrained.
By training your employees, you’ll have a team of people who know exactly what to
do in the event of a fire. Not only will they be able to escape the building themselves,
they’ll also be able to guide customers to safety.

 IMPROVE YOUR FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

Every business must conduct regular fire risk assessments to determine how safe the
premises are and demonstrate their compliance with government legislation. By
showing employees what to do in the event of an emergency and providing at least
some of your workers with thorough fire safety training, you can improve the quality
of your fire risk assessment and minimize the impact a fire could have on your
business. Not only can fire safety training protect employees, it could also protect you
from legal action.

 GIVE PEOPLE PEACE OF MIND

In the event of a fire, it’s essential that people stay as calm as possible. If people begin
to panic, they might not know what’s expected of them and they may struggle to
escape from the building. By training workers, you can provide them with reassurance
and confidence.

Some workplaces may require more extensive training than others. For example, if
you work in a care home, you’ll have to have an extensive evacuation plan to ensure
the elderly or vulnerable people in your care can escape.

 ABIDE BY GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION

Not only is fire safety essential for protecting people, it’s also a legal requirement. By
training employees and formerly logging their achievements, you prove you have a
dedication to protecting your team and minimizing the risk of fire.

Disadvantages of not knowing or learning some strategy how to put the fire down
 Can cause massive damage to community .
 Can cause death .
 Can damage to properties .

POSIBLE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS

These are some solutions that BFP Baggao Cagayan do.

1. IN PHOTOS : Personnel of this Station through the leadership of SFO3 Philip
James N Aquino, Officer-In-Charge, established BFP First Aid Service Team
(F.A.S.T) near Baggao FS to continously provide assistance and to ensure public
safety.

https://www.facebook.com/BFP-R2-Baggao-100818555901718/

2.Duty personnel headed by SFO3 Philip James N Aquino,OIC, attended the

assembly meeting conducted by the Public Market Association at Brgy. San Jose
Baggao. The members of the association felt the need to raise the issue regarding the
need for fire extinguishers in every establishment. As the forefront of this debacle, the
BFP Personnel of Baggao FS takes lead on building awareness and ensuring the
public of a fire-safe environment by educating them on how to use; or why the need
for such fire suppressive devices; like the fire extinguisher are mandated.
With the "Fire Prevention Month" already here, the very theme itself sets the
enthusiasm of the BFP Personnel ablaze and has their eyes set on performing their
duties and responsibilities as sentinels of Cagayan.

https://www.facebook.com/BFP-R2-Baggao-100818555901718/photos/
pcb.106368695346704/106368622013378/

3.15 Mar 2022

On duty pesonnel of this Station under the leadership of SFO3 Philip James N
Aquino, Officer-In-Charge conducted the following activities :

Community Fire Prevention Planning (CFPP) implementation at Brgy. Dabbac,

Baggao, Cagayan. Said activity aims to minimize fire risks and educate the
community on how to respond incase of fire incident.

Conducted giving and signing of KAISA manifesto ; a call-to-action against

destructive fire campaign to business owners at Brgy. San Jose, Baggao Cagayan.
 Based on the findings of this study, it is evident that incidents of fire can cause
severe eradication, injuries, and loss of lives. With this case aspires to expand
different strategies acquired by the Bureau of Fire Protection to effectively enforce
various regulations for the accomplishment of the safety of every individual against
the occurrence of emergency and destructive fires. Accordingly, the expansion of
these strategies can be obtained through direct participation and interaction of the
community to the BFP organization to easily adapt detailed information that should be
rendered during times of fire emergencies. Considering this, it will establish a
relationship between the community and the organization to coordinate with each
other.

In various circumstances, extension activities in the community can be conducted

in a form of a workshop. This can introduce an advantageous concept to every
participant to comprehend different cautions in the avoidance of fire risks. It can be
considered an efficient program, providing that it gives an outlook to demonstrate
certain aspects that is suitable in the obviation of the appearance of numerous fire
emergencies. Through this concept, the participant will not only absorb the learning
through listening, considering that it will require actual participation to internalize the
safety measures and methods that will administer by the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Moreover, the possible causes or nature of fire is actually essential to address in

the above-mentioned activities regarding fire prevention. This is because these forms
of the incident may occur not only accidentally but also through the negligence of any
individual. In line with this, according to IFAST (2020), human negligence is a
common cause of fire hazards. This can be in a form of improper use of electrical
appliances, the unattended leaving of cooking in the kitchen, as well as the lack of due
treatment or understanding of flammable or combustible substances and materials
methods. To stop this, fire safety preparation is invaluable. Negligence does not sound
so different from human error, but it appears to be the product of reckless conduct and
not compliance with laws and regulations.

On the other hand, the findings of this study also emphasize the problem
encountered by the BFP, particularly of having a lack of fire equipment that can
resolve the occurrence of fire. In order to address this area of concern, it requires the
allocation of the fund. This brings a larger impact on the financial management of the
fire department and the government. However, in terms of this aspect, the Philippine
government also experienced this kind of limited resources. With this, the possible
solutions that should be acquired are having knowledge about the proper management
of these types of fire equipment. In particular, the appropriate maintenance and
utilization of this equipment may result in its long-term use as a means of preventing
and suppressing fire.

Finally, owing to expanded mandates, roles, and activities, there are legitimate
barriers to the availability of time and resources that is evident in the fire department.
Despite this aspect, firefighters have long been recognized as problem-solvers. They
tend to work as managers and line officers with portraying the role of leadership to
manage the experience of every losses. Additionally, in order to respond appropriately
to the concerns of fire prevention, it should apply proactive and aggressive problem-
solving skills to protect the community that it was sworn to protect (Byrne, 2016).

On the basis of the foregoing findings, the following recommendations are

forwarded.

Recommendations
 1. The DILG- BFP should promptly address the following difficulties in terms of
the significant means for the prevention and suppression of fires such as the fire
equipment, fire truck, as well as enough allocation of manpower.

2. Strengthen the cooperation of the community with the BFP organization to

achieve a specific goal, which is the saving of lives and properties against destructive
fires.

3. Continuously conduct a special fire safety training of staff in a workplace

specifically to individuals who can be considered as the fire practitioners, to have
depth understanding regarding the proper prevention of fire in case of emergency.

4. The BFP should conduct more seminars or learning activities in the community
to strengthen the view of citizens about the significance of having a strong cognizance
in fire prevention.

5. The BFP organization should inform the community regarding the useful types
of equipment that can be utilized in preventing and suppressing fire. This must
include the proper use of that certain equipment.

6. The pieces of information that are stated in the Fire Code of the Philippines
must be absolutely imposed on the community in order to appreciate the benefits of
having knowledge and awareness regarding this code.

Conclusion

In conclusion it is important to have a fire protection system in place as a part of a

building’s safety plan. Without a fire protection system, the lives of those who are
inside the building are placed at a high risk in the event an emergency. The systems
recommended for use like the fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, fire pumps, and
smoke control systems use some amount of actions to notify of the fire and smoke
conditions, help slow the growth of the fire or to help put out the fire altogether. The
plan that is recommended follows the guidelines provided by Bureau of Fire
Protection and if they are put into use in Baggao ,Cagayan will be a safe place to work
and in case of a fire the building will include protections that will result in minimum
loss.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Bureau of Fire Protection (2012). Fire Safety Enforcement Manual 2012 Edition.

Commission on Audit (2018). Performance Audit Report PAO-2018-01,

Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Program.

Republic Act No. 9514 (2008). Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008.

Republic Act No. 6975 (1990). Department of the Interior and Local Government
Act of 1990.