French firemen train Mandaue residents on basic firefighting

French firefighters teach Barangay Tipolo residents and volunteers how to hold a fire hose. CDN PHOTO/Julit Jainar

FRENCH firefighters conducted a training for the residents and fire volunteers of Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City on Wednesday (June 22) afternoon.

According to Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) Community Relations Manager Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara, the activity was in line with the “pro-poor” water supply project, a five-year project grant that MCWD received from the government of the Netherlands.

The training was also in cooperation with Tubig Pag-asa, a French nongovernment organization, and Barangay Banilad Fire Fighters who won in the 2016 Fire Fighting Olympics.

Volunteers and residents of the barangay who were also victims of the fire were taught how to operate the water pump that was donated to them.

Fire extinguishers were also donated to the Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association.

“We teach them how to shut off the fire and to use the fire equipment,” said Pami Prat, one of the French fighters.

Prat added that it is really important that residents should learn how to put off the fire especially that there are plenty of houses in the area.

Water and Life Philippines volunteer Estelle Pinault said it is important for the residents to learn how to respond to a fire especially that most of the houses in the area are made of light materials.

Shierlie Igdoy, 35, a resident, said she was thankful for the training especially that they have been victimized by the fire twice