Fire Officer 1 John Escar Estolonio shared with CDN Digital what his daily routine is like as a member of the Cebu City Fire Station. | CDN Photo/ Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The shrill sound of a fire alarm ringing inside the Pari-an Fire Station signals the time for firefighters to spring into action.
In less than five minutes, the brave men and women responders scramble to put on their protective gear and board the fire truck—fully equipped and ready to head wherever their services are needed.
A typical day in the life of a firefighter is truly unpredictable, with some days busier and more hectic than usual. On other days, however, they get to enjoy a hot cup of coffee in the morning before starting another long and demanding day of fulfilling their duties.
In this special feature, CDN Digital takes you inside one of Cebu City’s fire stations to see how one of its fire officers typically spends his day.
Fire Officer 1 John Recar Estolonio happily shared what his daily routine looks like as a proud member of the Cebu City Fire Station (CCFS).
During his week-long shift, 25-year-old Estolonio spends all his time at the Pari-an Fire Station, where he is assigned. His personal belongings are kept in a cabinet inside the sleeping quarters on the station’s second floor.
Estolonio wakes up as early as seven in the morning, gets out of bed, and greets his colleagues. After waking up, he quickly gets ready for the day and grabs a quick bite for breakfast.
If there are no fire alarms in the early hours of the day, Estolonio starts his shift by grabbing a bucket and a mop to begin cleaning. To ensure that their shared living and workspace remains neat and tidy at all times, the firefighters themselves clean every nook and cranny of the building daily.
Once every corner—from the conference room to the downstairs area—is thoroughly cleaned, Estolonio checks his personal protective equipment (PPE) and their operational tools.
He emphasized that this step is a crucial part of their daily responsibilities, as they must ensure that everything is ready in case of an urgent emergency response.
“Always gyud na namo gicheck kay simbako og naay alarma, kahibaw mi nga maggamit dayon siya,” he said.
(We always check that because if ever there’s an alarm, we know it will be used immediately.)
The next item on Estolonio’s agenda is heading to their leisure area for some exercise. A corner inside their conference room serves as a leisure area, equipped with several pieces of gym equipment and even a billiard table, which crew members can freely use during their free time.
Estolonio joins his teammates in exercising, ensuring that they stay healthy and strong, all while chatting amongst themselves like good friends.
He emphasized that moments like these help strengthen the sense of brotherhood their team has built over the years. Developing a strong bond and genuine camaraderie, he believes, enhances their teamwork, which in turn enables them to serve the public more effectively.
When noon arrives, Estolonio and his colleagues prepare a simple lunch in the fire station’s kitchen and eat together.
After a hearty meal, he typically continues his errands around the fire station while remaining on standby for any emergency calls from the afternoon until night. He also takes time to rest in his quarters when possible.
This routine, according to Estolonio, occurs only on rare days when they do not encounter any fire incidents across Metro Cebu.
When the alarm sounds, Estolonio shared that they immediately spring into action, rushing to the firetruck parked on the ground floor in under five minutes. Unlike in previous years when they slid down poles, Cebu City firefighters now use the stairs to reach the truck as quickly as possible.
During an emergency, each firefighter takes their designated position inside the firetruck and hastily puts on their PPE while en route to the affected area. Ideally, a total of seven personnel are onboard during operations.
As a reserve driver, Estolonio often takes the wheel during field operations. He expertly maneuvers the firetruck through traffic to reach the scene as quickly as possible.
Upon arrival at a fire scene, Estolonio stressed the importance of every firefighter being mindful of their own safety as well as that of their colleagues and everyone present.
“Dapat paspas lang gyud ka and then dapat magmatngon sad gyud sa buhaton kay inig-abot nimo sa fire scene, wa ka kahibawo unsay pwede mahitabo didto. Daghan kaayong mga hazard nga pwede mahitabo,” he said.
(You really have to be quick and stay alert in everything you do because when you arrive at the fire scene, you never know what might happen. There are many potential hazards that could occur.)
Among the challenges that Estolonio and his team often face during operations are the narrow roads in some locations, particularly in residential areas, which make it difficult to maneuver the firetruck.
Estolonio added that while moving around to extinguish the flames and rescue any trapped civilians, firefighters must also manage the panic of some residents, who sometimes demand that their house be attended to first.
He told CDN Digital that every firefighter must handle victims’ panic properly to ensure that their safety remains the top priority above all else.
In such a dangerous profession that demands mental toughness and resilience, Estolonio has learned to set aside fear over his five years as a firefighter.
He admitted that, at first, there was indeed a sliver of fear in his mind every time he was deployed for rescue operations. However, through rigorous training, he has learned to condition his mind and heart to prioritize his duty as an emergency responder over any fear.
The passion to serve those in need is much stronger than any of my fears, Estolonio said. He emphasized that his primary responsibility is to extinguish fires and keep the community safe while also ensuring the safety of his fellow firefighters.
Despite firefighting not being his initial career choice, Estolonio is fully dedicated to his work as a member of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
After graduating from university with a degree in education and passing the teaching board exam, he joined the fire department. When asked why he chose to become a firefighter instead, Estolonio shared that he was inspired by acquaintances who helped him realize the deep sense of fulfillment that comes with being a fire officer.
“I think it’s a calling nga nasud ko sa fire. And maybe I was also inspired by some of the fire officers nga akong kaila…Nga in-ana diay ka fulfilling nga makatabang sa ubang tawo. So I think that’s why napili ni nako nga trabaho,” he shared.
(I think joining the fire service is a calling for me. Maybe I was also inspired by some of the fire officers I know… I realized how fulfilling it is to help other people. So, I think that’s why I chose this job.)
Aside from responding to fire incidents, one of the responsibilities of CCFS personnel is to spread awareness on safety tips for fire prevention through their ongoing “Oplan Ligtas Pamayanan” initiative. There are days that Estolonio and his teammates are deployed to join visitations at different barangay across the city to inform the members of the community on how they can prevent deadly fire incidents.
After every operation or scheduled program, Estolonio returns to the Pari-an Fire Station to change, possibly take a shower, and get some rest.
However, his day does not end even after the sun goes down. Like all firefighters, Estolonio is always on call and must be on standby 24/7 to quickly provide assistance when needed.
“So 24/7 mi nga on duty sa station. So anytime nga naay mga walk-in nga mga residente nga moreport nga naay sunog, naa ra gihapon mi,” said Estolonio.
(We are on duty at the station 24/7. So anytime residents walk in to report a fire, we are always here.)
After one full week of being on duty, Estolonio gets to enjoy a week-long break before his next shift. During this time, he can go home and dedicate his free time to family bonding and hobbies that help recharge him before returning to the fire station.
For the past five years, this has been Estolonio’s work routine.
With the goal of continuing to serve the residents of Cebu City, he urged the public to work together with the Cebu City Fire Station (CCFS) in ensuring that fires are immediately put out without anyone getting injured.
“Gihangyo jud nato sa atong komunidad nga kung naa silay madunggan nga alarma or naa silay masundan nga mga fire trucks, unta dili lang unta magsunod. Dili ta motailgate ug maminaw ta. Always keep right para makalusot ang atong responders para pud madali ang atong pagpawng sa sunog,” stated Estolonio.
(We are asking the community that if they hear an alarm or see fire trucks, they should avoid following them. Let’s not tailgate and be mindful. Always keep right so that our responders can pass through quickly, allowing us to extinguish the fire faster.)
“Kay ang fire prevention is a shared responsibility, dili lang para namo kundi para tanan sa atong komunidad. So kung naa silay knowledge sa fire prevention, ma-minus nato ang sunog,” he aadded.
(Fire prevention is a shared responsibility, not just ours but everyone’s in the community. If people are knowledgeable about fire prevention, we can reduce the number of fires.) /clorenciana
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