“Call first before taking (fire) videos,” - BFP Kalinga officer to residents taking footages of fire incidents

Tabuk City, Kalinga – More than thirty fire incidents that left an estimated P2 million worth of damages were recorded in Kalinga in the first six months of 2025, according to the Provincial Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, Ronald P. Rivera, the Acting Provincial Fire Marshal of BFP-Kalinga, said that 31 fire incidents were recorded in the province in the first half of the year.

Although the BFP officer did not disclose the breakdown of their data per municipality/city, he said Tabuk City listed the highest number of incidents, and most are residential fires.

“When it comes to grass fires, it’s because of open flame, but nu dagituy residential fires ket electrical, caused by loose connections and unattended cooking,” Rivera added, pertaining to the cause of the fires recorded in the province.

To address the problem, Rivera said they are strengthening their fire prevention measures through the Oplan Ligtas Pamayanan (OLP) and Community Fire Auxiliary Group (CFAG).

The OLP is a community-based fire protection program launched in 2019 to promote fire safety through comprehensive, science-based solutions and community empowerment.

On the other hand, CFAG is a BFP-organized volunteer force of community residents in the Philippines who are trained to provide immediate response to localized fires and promote fire safety within their barangays.

Rivera shared that there are 10 fire hydrants in the province, but only 6 are working. Hydrants are fixtures in a street or other public place with a nozzle by which a hose may be attached to a water main.

In Tabuk City, there are 7 hydrants, but only 3 are functional, while Lubuagan has 2 working hydrants, and Rizal has just one. Other towns rely on nearby creeks or rivers for water supply during fire emergencies.

Rivera further mentioned that they have a running card system, a systematic responding system that serves as a guide to raise the fire alarm level and identifies the next responding units to support the fire operation.

“There are 7 fire hydrants in the city, but only 3 are operational. There are also fire hydrants in Lubuagan and Rizal, and when it comes to a large fire, we have the running card system so that if the fire gets large, we can call other fire stations that are nearby,” said Rivera.

The BFP officer, when asked about his advice to the residents to avoid fires, reminded them to observe fire safety practices, particularly in cooking and electrical use.

“Call first before taking videos,” he added, noting that timely reporting is vital to reducing casualties and property loss.