Koronadal BFP: Fires, emergency responses dropped in the 2nd quarter
Statistics from Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Koronadal City Fire Station shows fire-related incidents as well as response for quick emergency services significantly curbed in the near half of 2020.
Only 13 fire-related incidents with estimated structural damage of 289,500 pesos were recorded in the span of May to June compared to the 21 fire incidents listed in the 1st quarter of 2020, valued more than 500,000 pesos in structural damage.
Due to high summer temperatures, most of the fires recorded in the second quarter came from wildfires on hilly and remote areas. The grassfires also implied the less cost of structural damage estimated by the bureau.
The BFP, being the first line of responders under the Korona 911 emergency response system, recorded a total of 49 responses with 52 patients in the 2nd quarter, visibly lower than the 153 responses with 170 patients during the 1st quarter of 2020. The difference in values indicate the number of patients involved in each response. Most of the response cases were trauma patients affected by the impact or medical patients requiring emergency intensive care.
However, Senior Fire Officer II Admin and Emergency Services Chief Henry Benosa appeals to the public to perceive the bureau’s emergency services as a mechanism reserved only for exigent cases, not as a transport service for non-emergency purposes.
“Maguba ang amon operation kung once i-cater namon ang iban… so amo na siya nga naga-stick kami sa amon nga protocol. Hindi kami mag cater sang mga [cases] nga ma-belong lang sa transport,” he added. The assessment of the incident will be the call of BFP if it adheres to their protocol response.