ILOILO City – Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo expressed willingness to sponsor an ordinance requiring every barangay to have fire brigades.
Barangay fire brigades could, among others, clear alleys from obstructions prior to the arrival of firefighters, said the councilor.
They may also identify areas through which firefighters could pass to get to the fire scene faster, he added.
“I think this proposal is very timely,” said Peñaredondo, citing the Aug. 11 fire that hit two barangays in Jaro (Calubihan and Taytay Zone II).
The fire destroyed 82 houses (66 totally gutted) and displaced 89 families.
“In the Jaro fire, there was some confusion. Had there been a fire brigade, the situation might have been easier for everybody concerned,” said Peñaredondo.
The fire brigade leader “must be active, young and with command,” he stressed.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III, meanwhile, said he had long been urging barangay councils to organize fire brigades.
“Ang fire matapna mo na immediately kon ang response is within the first 20 minutes. Kon magsobra na, daku na ina nga alarm,” he said.
Barangay councils may use their development funds to organize fire brigades and purchase needed equipment, he added.
Espinosa specifically called out barangays with areas not easily accessible to fire trucks.
On Monday, Espinosa approved the release of financial assistance to families affected by the Jaro fire. Families with totally burned houses would receive P7,000 each while those with partially damaged houses would get P5,000 each./PN
