2 days before New Year, fire official reminds public anew to shun firecrackers

A stall selling firecrackers at the South Road Properties. | CND Digital File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two days before the New Year rolls in, a fire official reminds the public anew to not use firecrackers in welcoming the event to avoid untoward incidents from happening.

Senior Fire Officer (SFO3) Wendell Villanueva, information officer of the Cebu City Fire Station, said that they already activated their barangay fire volunteer brigades starting today, December 30.

This means that fire volunteers, together with their respective fire trucks, are already on standby in their respective areas, especially in fire-prone villages such as Mambaling, Luz, Pasil, and Ermita.

Villanueva added that the city’s fire responders remain on heightened alert until New Year admitting that fire safety is everyone’s concern. Villanueva urged the public to take part in the process.

“Kung mahimo atong likayan ang ang paggamit sa pabuto. Kung di malikayan, atong pahimangnuan pagbalik nga kaning mga naka inom, dapat di maggamit og firecrackers, mga bata pod,” Villanueva said.

“Sa firecracker zone sa mga sitio, dapat naay naka standby nga tubig ug fire extinguishers,” he added.

READ: Seek alternatives instead of using firecrackers, fire official suggests

Villanueva said that they only noted minimal usage of firecrackers in the past two years, but they anticipate that a lot will be using firecrackers in welcoming the new year this time.

He further reminds the public that based on their records, firecracker-induced fires usually occur during the new year celebrations and that they are hoping that the scenario will change this year.

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