DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has warned the public anew in buying and using Christmas lights and other electrical decorations this holiday season to avoid fire incidents.
Senior Fire Officer III Rovir Solar, deputy city fire marshal/officer-in-charge in the Fire Safety Enforcement Section of BFP-Dagupan, advised consumers to buy only electrical Christmas decorations that have light-emitting diodes (LED) as they emit very little heat and are an excellent choice to prevent fire incidents.
He also advised purchasing Christmas lights with thick wires and plugs as thin wires and loose plugs can easily overheat and cause a short circuit which can lead to fires.
Further, he said to check if it has genuine Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers that certify the items have met the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) requirements.
Christmas lights and other electrical decorations without ICC are very dangerous and should be avoided as they do not undergo product testing.
“Kung pang outdoor naman na Christmas lights ang bibilhin, siguraduhin na ito ay waterproof at ang extension wire na gagamitin ay dapat hindi mababasa dahil ang tubig ay good conductor of electricity na magiging sanhi ng sunog,” he stated.
He stressed avoiding using poor-quality extension wires and not placing electrical materials next to plastics and papers as these are easily flammable.
Substandard Christmas lights caused some fire incidents in the previous Christmas celebrations, hence, Solar suggested using no more than three strings of Christmas lights per electrical outlet.
“Huwag na tayong lumagpas sa tatlong string sa isang outlet. Gumawa na lang tayo ng panibagong source na pinagsasaksakan ng iba pang Christmas lights para makaiwas tayo sa overloading kasi kapag na-overload ang isang saksakan ay iinit iyon na pwedeng maging sanhi ng sunog,” he said.
The BFP is on heightened or red alert status during the holiday season.
In case of a fire-related emergency, residents in Dagupan City may contact (075) 522-2772 or 0917-184-2611 for immediate response. (JCR/AMB/JCDR/PIA Pangasinan)
