Cebu City fires: Families told to practice ‘EDITH’ to save lives
The fire that hit a house in Doña Esperanza Village in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City on February 11 killed an elderly man. | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – In order to avoid the unfortunate scenario of getting trapped inside a burning house, families are encouraged to practice EDITH or “Exit Drills In The Home.”
Senior Fire Officer 2 (SFO2) Wendell Villanueva, information officer of the Cebu City Fire Station (CCFS), said it is important to identify an escape plan, especially for children who are often left at home while their parents work and the elderlies who are suffering from various health conditions.
“As a responsible adult and parents, we need to educate our children, mga yaya nato, mga senior citizen sa panimalay, nga sa matag karon ug unya ato gyung ipractice nang EDITH,” Villanueva said.
READ: Cebu City fires: Seven recorded in first week of March alone
(As a responsible adult and parents, we need to educate our children, our nanny, senior citizens at home of the need to practice EDITH every now and then.)
Cebu City fires
Several fires have already been reported in Cebu City since January 1 and at least six lives have perished in these fires.
One of the fatalities was Francisco Labra, a senior citizen who was unable to leave his burning home in Brgy. Tisa due to his poor health condition last February 11.
READ: Tisa fire: Early morning blaze kills sick 75-year-old man
When fires hit, some experience a heartbreak that is far worse than the loss of properties.
Officials of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Cebu City said that the loss of lives and possible injuries during fire occurrences may be avoided if families adopt the habit of practicing EDITH.
Practicing EDITH
EDITH puts emphasis on the need for preplanning and practice to help parents teach young kids the proper ways to escape fires safely. It also involves the following safety measures.
READ: Elderly dies after fire hits Kalunasan, Cebu City on Lunar New Year
- Installation of smoke alarms.
- Drawing of a floor plan of the home and finding at least two ways out of every room.
- Designating a safe meeting place where everyone can gather during evacuation in order to easily account for everyone.
- Conduct of an evaluation after the drill and discuss the things that need to be improved in the next exercise.
- Designation of a Fire Safety Conscious Person (FSCP) who will be tasked to protect the occupants from destructive fire.
READ: Cebu City fires: 3 killed, P12M destroyed in first 2 months
The following are what needs to be done during EDITH.
- Sound the fire alarm.
- Crawl on the floor.
- Follow the planned escape route.
- Exit through the designated exit area.
- Proceed to the evacuation area.
- Conduct a headcount.
- Evaluate checklist to ensure proper compliance.
READ: Cebu City fire: 70 families displaced, P1.2M properties lost
Evacuation route
Villanueva urged Cebu City residents to practice the method at least once a week or once a month.
BFP officials said it is important to know the residential floor plan for the occupants of a particular home to properly map out the best route for evacuation.
Moreover, they recommend the removal of window grills that are considered as fire traps.
Fire Senior Inspector Diomedo Alburo, deputy district fire marshall of the Lapu-Lapu City Fire District, said that if there was a need to use window grills, it was advisable to use grills that may be opened from the inside to ensure that emergency evacuation remains possible.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
