VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Ilocos Sur reiterated its plea to the residents to refrain from using faulty Christmas lights and other wired decorations to prevent fire incidents during the holidays.
In a recent episode of the Ammuentayo (Let us know) radio program of PIA Ilocos Sur, Fire Senior Superintendent Ramel Borja, provincial fire marshal, said, “Please do not purchase unbranded Christmas lights and refrain from using faulty electronic decorations.”
Borja reiterated avoiding the use of Christmas lights with already broken bulbs so as to prevent them from causing fire.
“We understand that some residents prefer the affordable ones; however, I would like to emphasize that we should prioritize the safety of our homes, and more importantly, our families,” he said.
He advised that if this cannot be avoided, they should maintain a scheduled time to turn on and turn off their wired decorations.
Borja recognized that while the BFP cannot ask the residents to completely resist using extensions and octopus connections, he reminded them that they must always check the voltage capacity in order not to cause an overload.
He also stated that they should check the quality of the products that they purchase and make sure to only buy those with Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) marks.
Additionally, Borja reminded those who will leave their homes for out-of-town trips to unplug their appliances or turn off their circuit breakers, check for leaks on their gas tanks, and make sure these are turned off.
He assured the public that BFP Ilocos Sur will deploy their First Aid Service Team (FAST), who will be on standby 24/7 to provide immediate transport and medical aid should there be any incidents.
Meanwhile, Senior Fire Officer I Franklin Calica mentioned that the BFP has recorded zero fire incidents caused by Christmas decorations during the 2022 and 2023 holidays. (AMB/ATV/PIA Ilocos Sur)
