In preparation for the opening of classes this June, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo directed the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to step up the inspection of all school buildings, universities, colleges as well as student dormitories and boarding houses in order to check on their compliance to fire safety requirements and standards.

In a directive to BFP Officer-in-Charge C/Supt. Samuel Perez, Robredo said that the fire bureau should take the lead in the fire prevention and safety efforts in schools and dormitories in order to ensure the safety of millions of students who will start their classes next month.

“The fire bureau should exert all efforts to guarantee the safety and security of our students,” he said.

Early this year, a fire broke out at a dormitory for students in Sampaloc, Manila where around P100,000 worth of property was damaged. Fotunately, no one perished during the fire.

In compliance with Robredo’s directive, Perez said he has already ordered his regional and field directors to make the rounds of all universities, colleges and student boading houses in their respective areas to determine if such establishments are abiding by the mandatory requirements set forth in the Fire Code law.

Among such requirements are: presence of fire alarms, automatic fire suppression system (AFSS), smoke detector, exit signs, which should be a foot long; first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and pathways leading to fire exit which must be accessible to the occupants of the said establishments.

The Fire Chief said that if the fire bureau discovers any fire safety violation, it will immediately inform the management of universities, colleges and dormitories to immediately correct all the violations.

He said erring establishments will be given a certain time frame to correct their violations before the BFP will conduct another round of inspection to check if such violations have already been corrected.

Regional directors shall submit their reports on violations and compliance to the Director for Fire Safety and Prevention not later than May 25, 2012 .

Perez also ordered BFP personnel to intensify their fire safety awareness campaign with the conduct of lectures, fire drills and distribution of fire safety materials. “We will conduct our evaluation thoroughly. Even the smallest fire safety violation shall be checked considering that what is at stake here is the safety of our people,” he said.###

DILG Central News Archive DILG Regional News Archive