“Safety first is safety always.” – Charles M. Hayer
Rightfully so, the Iloilo City Government, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and MORE Power joined forces to eradicate electrical fire incidents in highly populated areas as the LGU have taken the lead in launching the Integrated Approach to Fire Prevention program.
The collaborative effort will work closely to tackle the common causes of fire incidents within the area, including jumpers, unauthorized load connections, open wirings, substandard service wires, and lack of awareness/negligence.
“The city government is working with MORE Power on the integrated approach to fire prevention program,” Iloilo City Mayor JERRY P. TREÑAS said. “The fire incidents in Iloilo City are mostly preventable and due to illegal electric connections.”
According to insiders, the purpose of this initiative is to achieve specific objectives, such as ensuring all service lines are jumper-free, rehabilitating old Elevated Metering Centers (EMCs) and over-extended low-lying wires, validating and converting unauthorized load-side connections, and institutionalizing fire safety through community involvement.
The program will be implemented in four phases, starting with the deployment of line sweepers to conduct thorough inspections of secondary lines, service drops, metering facilities, flying connections, and loop connections, and will also validate and convert unauthorized load-side connections, with households apprehended for such violations to be regularized through the MORE Konek program. Moreover, old EMCs and over-extended low-lying wires will be rehabilitated, with priority given to those in depressed or vulnerable barangays.
“We need to work closely with MORE Power and the barangays to legalize electric connections to prevent fire incidents in the city, the Mayor added. “Funds of the city going to financial assistance can be put to better use.”
For its part, MORE POWER will ensure that corrective measures are implemented by working in collaboration with barangay officials, the BFP, OBO/CEO, and its own distribution engineers. In addition, it will implement an Information, Education, and Communication program (IEC) covering electrical and fire safety, as well as RA 7832. The BFP will also be involved in facilitating fire safety seminars.
“With these measures in place, the City Government of Iloilo, MORE Power, BFP and leaders of the local communities hope to achieve the target of zero fire incidents within six months,” an insider enthused. “The Iloilo City Government’s leadership in this program demonstrates how it values partnership and collaboration as well as the importance of collective efforts to prevent fires and make homes and communities safer.”
Needless to say, through continuous effort and determination, this project shows that it is possible to achieve the target of zero fire incidents.
