BAGUIO CITY – The 8th National Fire Olympics of this year has amplified community engagement by including the industrial and Community Fire Auxiliary Groups (CFAG) categories. This expansion not only broadened participation but also highlighted a commitment to inclusive firefighting efforts.
In previous years, the Fire Olympics primarily featured Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) participants. However, including industrial firefighters, this year shows a new era of collaboration between industries and firefighting agencies. These industrial firefighters brought expertise and experiences to the event, highlighting the crucial role of industries in fire prevention and response. Moreover, the participation of CFAG members added a perspective to the Fire Olympics.
According to FDIR. Louie S. Puracan, Ceo VI, Chief of Bureau of Fire Protection, “This year is quite different. May industrial, may CFAG yung galing barangay po natin na community fire auxiliary group natin. Sinama po natin sila. Nakita kasi namin na yung volunteer fire brigades po natin, kung matatandaan po ninyo, napakalaki po ng contribution ng volunteer fire brigades. Kung wala po yung volunteerism and fire protection, mahihirapan po talaga yung kabumberohan natin.” By integrating the industrial CFAG category into the event, organizers aimed to empower local communities and strengthen their capacity to mitigate fire hazards effectively.
Throughout the three-day event, participants engaged in a series of challenges meant to test their fire safety and disaster response skills. From simulated rescue missions to endurance tests, participants demonstrated readiness to confront various firefighting incidents. The games featured tower blitz, fire ground search and rescue challenges, search and rescue attack (SARA), firefighting relay, high-level ropemanship, and others.
There are 1,600 participants from different regions. There are 17 stations from the BFP Regional Offices, 10 from the Industrial Category, 12 in the Community Fire Auxiliary Group (CFAG) Category, and four from the Fire Volunteer Association. Some of them are the BFP Region 2, BFP Region 4A, BFP Region 5, BFP Region 7, BFP Region 9, BFP Region 11, BFP BARMM, BFP CAR, barangay Malued, barangay Bineng barangay Wack-Wack Greenhills East, barangay Sta. Rita, barangay Hangayabon, Brgy. Sagrada Cfag, Bayog Cfag , Brgy. Alfonso Xiii, Nuavali Ayala Land Estate (Region 4a), Federal (Federal Union of Philippine Volunteer Fire Fighters & Communications Group Inc.), Toyota La Union, among others.
FSSUPT Annalee G. Carbajal-Atienza from the Bureau of Fire Protection has also mentioned the importance of this yearly National Fire Olympics. “We opt to have the Fire Olympics para parang pagsasanay or exercise ng BFP personnel when it comes to the rescue when it comes to first aid. More about physical fitness and yung stability under pressure, yung tinatawag natin, you know what to do in case of emergency.”
Beyond the competitive aspect, the Fire Olympics also served as a platform for knowledge exchange and community-building. “Nagiba na kasi ang landscape ng fire protection. Dati yung sunog na ano lang siya sa isang lugar lang talaga. Ngayon yung sunog, cross boundaries na, cross regions. So, kailangan talaga magkakilala yung mga bumbero sa iba’t ibang region. Ang responses kasi namin is national na in-spoke. Kaya mahalaga na magkilala sila.” said FDIR. Puracan.
By embracing diversity and inclusivity, the event not only showcased the nation’s firefighting prowess but also fostered a sense of unity and collaboration among the unsung heroes of our society, the firefighters.
The impact of this National Fire Olympics extends far beyond the competition arena. It leaves a lasting legacy of resilience, empowerment, and collective action in pursuing fire safety and preparedness. By Hazel Rose N. Infante