BFP Glan holds fire drill, feeding in school

GLAN, Sarangani (August 5, 2015) - The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Glan Office culminated the Disaster Consciousness Month celebration with an earthquake drill and a feeding program in a remote public elementary school in this town.

 

Around 250 school children in Kiogam Elementary School from kindergarten to Grade 6 joined the drill and benefited from the agency’s gift of food sharing on Tuesday (July 28).

 

Incorporating these two activities, according to Municipal Fire Marshal S/Insp. Lielani Bangelis, is their strategy of attracting the interest of the children to participate.

 

She pointed out that these activities were primarily aimed at promoting community welfare and at the same time gaining people’s “trust and confidence” in government especially in BFP.

 

Bangelis said conducting regular drills, feeding programs, house to house campaigns, organizing and strengthening group volunteers, performing inspections to establishments, other visibility activities, and being prompt in responding to emergencies are BFP’s way of drawing people’s trust to the bureau.

 

She encouraged other line agencies to actively promote public safety.

 

The feeding program came in as part of the bureau’s social responsibility. But she said this is also her office’s initiative “to help alleviate short-term hunger during school days which is a primary vehicle for meeting nutritional requirements.”

 

Bangelis hoped their simple way of reaching out to communities to educate and perform feeding program would generate positive impact on poverty and hunger related problems and will empower communities.

 

During the drill, F03 Ronillo Barsumo taught the children the basic dos and don’ts in earthquake and fire situations.

 

“Lacking basic knowledge and preparedness,” he said, “could put one’s life at risk.”

 

School principal Ritacio Tumulak said the earthquake drill was very important in equipping his pupils with the knowledge that would help them save not only their lives but the lives of others as well whenever disasters strike. (Osias Paoyon/BFP GLAN)