WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES

Brgy 01, Maria Aurora, Aurora

Fire Protection and Arson Investigation (CDI_6)
Prepared by; Melvin R. Hugo, MSCrim, RCrim

LESSON 1

Course Description

The course presents the creation of the Bureau of Fire Protection, its mandate, powers,
and functions. It also covers the understanding of the behavior, characteristics, and chemistry
of fire. It involved fire safety and protection, including the conduct of arson investigation.

Learning Outcomes;
At the end of the study the students must be able;
 To know the historical background of Bureau of Fire Protection
 Analyze the laws relative to fire service, organization and development
 Appreciate the role of BFP in the maintenance of organization and public safety
 Recognize the training needed by the BFP personnel in the fire service
 Understand the concept of fire protection, prevention and public safety

Introduction and Focus Questions

Have you ever thought who founded fire-fighting and why was organized firefighting
developed? As a future public servant, do you dream to become a fire fighter too? Do you want
to know what the role of a fire fighter is? Can we consider fire fighters as heroes? As a
Criminology student, you need to be armed with a plan that serves as your guide in your
mission as a future law enforcer and a public servant, a coordinates to direct you to have a
better understanding of the different principles, and a weapon not just to protect but buckled
up yourself to engage. Even so, your skills and knowledge we give you the supreme power as to
prepare your journey to save lives and properties.

Tracing back the historical background of fire-fighting is one of the focuses of this
module for you to appreciate and value the important role and functions of fire fighter in saving
lives and properties. If you are unaware and have little knowledge regarding what fire fighters
do and you are aspiring to see yourself to become a fire fighter in the future, this module will
enlighten your mind know and identify the world of fire fighters by understanding the
organization, administration and the fire-fighting operation of Bureau of Fire Protection as the
leading agency to protect, prevent us from ham and to suppress fire destruction from
happening in the future. As they always said, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, so if you are
knowledgeable enough on how to control the power of fire, you know exactly what to do to save
others from the destruction fire.

A Brief History of the Fire Service

1,000,000 years ago, history records indicate that primitive man knew how into
make fire (Nice, France);
500,000 years ago, history records indicate primitive man learned to control! fire
(China and Europe)
400 BC Alexandria, Egypt. Known to have the first water pump.
The first Roman fire brigade was created by Marcus Licinius Crassus. He took
advantage of, the fact that Rome had no fire fighters. He created his own brigade
of 500 fire fighters who rushed to burning building at the first cry for help. Upon
 arriving at the fire, fire fighters did nothing while Crassus bargained over the
price of their services with the property owner. If Crassus could not negotiate a
satisfactory price, the fire fighters simply let the structure bum to the ground.

23 BC Caesar Augustus in Rome created first fire fighting force. Servants of

Commonwealth" were a group of slaves and troops capable of protecting Rome
from fire. The units were called Familia Publica but not very effective.

6 AD after a large catastrophic fire. Vigiles formed in Rome formed by Emperor

Nero. Used for fire suppression and military purpose patrolled the streets to
watch for fires and served as police force. It was recognized as 1st organized fire
fighting force. They combat fires using water buckets and pumps. They line up
to the nearest water source and pass the bucket hand in hand to fire.

100 AD with the collapse of the Roman Empire, firefighting and fire protection
gave way to the Dark Ages. Ignorance and superstitious led to the mystery of fire
and its cause.
10066 William the conqueror lead the Normans to rule the England. Under this
law all fires were to be extinguished by night fall. The word curfew (French for
"cover fire) Originated about 200 years earlier.

1100 Laws and ordinances were passed in London declaring no thatched root
requirement of party walls and structures built in stone.
1827, Wooden match with a chemical head was invented by Englishman John
Walker.

Organized fire services in Europe were usually only formed after hugely destructive
fires. The Great Fire of London in 1666 led to the development of fire insurance industries in
England. These companies marked their insured properties with metal badges called fire
marks and formed private fire brigades to protect those properties. Each company's brigade
attended only those premises bearing the company's own fire mark. There was much
competition, and occasionally rival fire brigades even obstructed each other in their firefighting
efforts. It was not until the 1800's that London insurance companies began to cooperate and a
single London Fire Engine Establishment was formed. The new service fought fires in any
premises within the London area.

In 1672, an uncle and nephew in Amsterdam, both called Jan Van der Heide,
invented a flexible hose, which could be joined together to form a long pipe.
Later, the same men invented a pump to deliver water through the hose, and
fire-fighting became much more: efficient.

1679, Boston, MA established America's 1st fire department, 1st fire engine, 1st
fire house and 1st paid fire fighters.

1737 Volunteer Fire Department in New York City formed.

1752 Benjamin Franklin forms the 1st American fire insurance company.

In 1810, the Emperor Napoleon attended a ball at the Austrian Embassy. A

candle set the curtains ablaze, and the fire spread quickly, causing a dreadful
panic. After this fire, Napoleon ordered the creation of the Battalion de Sapeurs
Pompiers and the French Fire Brigade was born.

1819, London England was the site of the 1st steam fire engine to be built but
not dependable. The 1st known female firefighter is Molly Williams, he took her
 place with men on the drag ropes during the blizzard of 1818 and pulled the fire
water pump to the fire through the deep snow.

The first organized municipal fire brigade in the world was established in Edinburgh,
Scotland, when the Edinburg Fire Engine Establishment was form in 1824 led by James
Braidwood as the first chief if Edinburg Fire Brigade.

The German company Daimler invented the first petrol-driven pump in 1885, but the
pump still had to be taken to fires by horses.

Although today's fire services have a range of modern equipment, fire can be just as
dangerous now as it was thousands of years ago. Firefighting is an activity intended to save
lives and property. It is one of the most important emergency services in a community. Fire
fighters battle fires that break out in homes, facto, factories, office buildings, shops, and other
places. The people who work as fire fighters also help others who are involved in many kinds of
emergencies besides fires. For example, firefighters rescue people who may be trapped in cars
or vehicles after an accident. They aid victims of such disasters as typhoons, floods, landslides,
and earthquakes.

Before the advent of modern firefighting techniques, fires often destroyed whole
settlements. When a fire broke but, all the people in the community rushed to the scene to
help. Today, firefighting organizations in most industrialized nations have well-trained men and
women and a variety of modern firefighting equipment.

American Regime
Starts the fire service in the Philippines way back 1888.

August 17, 1901 U.S Philippine Commission organized (MFD) or Manila Fire
Department

Year 1940 Fire departments were established in neighboring cities and towns, each has
their own organizational set-up

Manila Fire Department

Part of Department of Street, Fire and Sanitation
Fr. Dodge was appointed as MFD Chief and ever first Chief of fire service.
Capt. Otis Vander Ford was the last American fire chief and resigned on October 18,
1935.

Year 1975
Integration of the Local fire department in the city/municipality police forces of the
Philippine Constabulary Integrated National Police (PC-INP).

Year 1977
The 1st fire code of the Philippines was as enacted (PD 1185)

RA 6975
DILG Act of 1990 (January 1, 1991 effectivity)
Established the tri-bureaus under DILG and one of it is the Bureau of Fire Protection

Year 2004
RA 9263 was enacted, BFP and BJMP Professionalization Act.

Year 2008
RA 9154 was enacted, amend and revised the fire Code of the Philippines
Year 2009
RA 9592 was enacted, an act extending for 5 years regulamentary period for
complying the minimum educational qualification and appropriate eligibility in the BFP.

BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION

Was under the direct supervision of DILG Undersecretary for Peace and Order
Act 1991 caused the inaugural operation of BFP on August 2, 1991 as a distinct
agency of the government.

F/Major Primo D. Cordeta was the first Chief Fire Marshall (1978-1989) under PC/INP

F/Brigadier General Ernesto Madriaga served as BFP first acting Fire/Chief/Director

(1991-1992)

The organizations primary responsibility is to ensure public safety through prevention

and/or suppression of all destructive fires and also responsible for the other related laws,
conducting investigations involving fire incident and causes thereof including the filing of
appropriate complaints/cases.

References:
https://oursoul.su.edu.ph/OER/index.php/ourSOUL-OER/article/view/127
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/central-luzon-college-of-science-and-technology/criminology/
criminal-investigation-6-arsoncrime-detection-investigation-6/17754337