All Bicol barangays have fire brigades ready for emergencies

By Ernie Delgado

MASBATE CITY --- All 3,740 barangays in the Bicol region have established fire brigades, the regional head of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) announced last Wednesday.

Fire Senior Supt. Achilles Santiago, BFP director for Bicol, said that these fire brigades, officially known as Community Fire Auxiliary Groups (CFAG), have been trained by the BFP to respond to fire alarms quickly.

“I’m happy to announce na meron na din po silang community fire protection plan (CFPP),” Santiago said during the Philippine Information Agency’s Ugnayan sa Bicol briefing.

CFPP, which is often part of the broader “OPLAN Ligtas na Pamayanan” (Safe Community Plan), is a localized strategy developed by municipal fire stations in collaboration with barangay officials. Its purpose is to prevent and respond to fires within specific communities.

These plans are tailored to address the unique needs and vulnerabilities of each barangay, with a focus on promoting fire safety awareness, prevention, and preparedness.

He said the CFAGs consist of members from barangays, including village officials, who would be able to respond to a fire alarm in their respective barangays.

He stated that the group would likely utilize a fire extinguisher or buckets of water to help prevent a fire from spreading.

CFAGs would be extremely beneficial whenever a fire alarm is activated, he said.

He pointed out that since the CFAGs are familiar with the local terrain, they can respond quickly in the event of an incident, and if they manage to contain the fire before the fire truck arrives, it would be advantageous, as the damage would be reduced.

Santiago expressed hope that municipal and city officials would continue to support fire stations and brigades in their communities.

He emphasized that the advancement of a community should not be hindered by the devastating effects of a fire.

“Ang progreso ay dapat tapatan ng fire protection. Sabi nga nila, mabuti pang manakawan ka, huwag lang masunugan,” he said.

(Progress must be matched by fire protection. As they say, it’s better to be robbed than burned.) (PIA Bicol/Masbate)

Volunteer firefighters work to contain a fire until the Bureau of Fire Protection’s fire trucks arrive. This undated photo shows the volunteer fire brigade, officially known as the Community Fire Auxiliary Group, in the vicinity of Barangay Poblacion in Aroroy, Masbate. (Contributed photo)