The head of the Quezon City Fire District appealed to the public on Friday night to shun all activities that could potentially start fire incidents and may lead to damage in properties--and even death.

In an exclusive interview, Quezon City District Fire Director Senior Supt. Gary Alto stressed the need for the public to avoid fire hazard activities every time, especially during the New Year’s celebration when the risk of fire is high due to firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials.

In the past New Year revelries, authorities noted an increase in fire incidents, with firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials as the usual reason.

In order to avoid blaze, the BFP created a video showing Bureau of Fire Officer 1 (BFO1) Maria Glaiza Tioco gave some tips and appropriate techniques on how to deal when fire incidents occur.

In the video, Tioco explained that fire also breathes, eats and needs heat to spread adding that oxygen, fuel and heat known as the ‘fire triangle’ to create a blazing inferno.

“At pag nagkaron ng chemical chain reaction ang tatlong ito, dito na magsisimula ang apoy. Kaya nararapat na tanggalin natin ang isa sa mga elemento ng fire triangle upang mabugsa natin ang apoy (When these three creates a chemical chain, this is where fire starts. That is why there is a need to remove one of the elements of the fire triangle to stop the fire),’’ Tioco said.

Tioco stressed the need for the public to remember the acronym BFP otherwise known as B-reading, F-eeding of fuel, P-utting or adding heat.’’

Expressing the breathing term, Tioco stated that fire only needs a lower oxygen level compared to a human being in order to survive adding that “most fires require at least 16 percent oxygen content to burn while humans need 19.5 percent of oxygen to survive.

“Kung aanalyze-in natin, sa kadahilahang ito ay mas una pang namamatay ang tao kasa sa apoy (If we analyze this, for this reason people die first compared to fire.’’ she added.

With regard to the feeding of fuel scheme, Tioco noted that fire survives by engulfing things which it can burn or where heat can go through in various places which can cause huge damage to properties.

In putting or adding heat instances, Tioco maintained that fire needs to reach heat or what is termed as “burning point’’ that causes it to spread further to adjacent areas.

To fend off fire

Tioco noted that the “smothering or suffocation’’ method provides a protective measure against the fire by covering the blaze taking away the oxygen in the chemical chain reaction.

In the “cooling’’ method, Tioco lamented that what is being done is to lower the fire temperature to remove the heat stressing that water is mostly used for this purpose until fire dissolves.

Pertaining to fire “starvation’’, Tioco bared that this process calls for the removal of things which the fire may engulf and cause it to spread to a larger area, a system where fuel is lessened in the fire triangle.

“Sa sunog, isa sa strategy ng bumbero ay ang cover exposure. Ito ay ginagawa sa pamamagitan ng pagbobomba ng tubig sa mga kalapit na bahay na nasusunog (During fire incidents, one of the strategies used by the firemen is the cover exposure. This is done through the use of water hoses in the nearby burning houses,’’ Tioco said.

Tioco admitted that this technique is tainted with much controversy as some thought that the BFP men need grease money to target the hoses to their houses.

“Ito ay aming ginagawa para di na kumalat ang apoy sa mga katabing gusali. Ang tupok na bahay ay di na natin masasalba. Ngunit mapipigilan natin ang pamiminsala ng apoy sa katabing gusali kung ito ay ating gagawin (We are doing this to prevent the fire from spreading to the adjacent buildings. A totally burned house cannot be saved. But we can prevent the fire from doing further harm to the adjacent buildings if we do this),’’ she clarified.

The BFP officer emphasized that people should not grab the fire hoses from the firemen or meddle with their firefighting tasks as they risk their lives in performing their duties. (Chito A. Chavez)