BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio Fire Department requested the city government to conduct an investigation on the legality of the existence of fire extinguisher suppliers in the city in order to establish which among the existing suppliers are operating pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.
In a letter to Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, City Fire Marshal Superintendent Joe Fernand Bangyod said the local government must make sure that all suppliers of fire extinguishers must have secured their respective business permits to allow the legitimacy of their operations considering that they have been allegedly misinforming local residents and businessmen on how to use the said firefighting devices.
Bangyod advised local residents and businessmen that instead of bringing their fire extinguishers to the suppliers for the annual refilling of the same, they should bring the said devices to the fire department for assessment so that it will be the firefighters who will recommend whether or not the extinguishers will be subjected to refilling.
It was learned that there is no need for the annual refilling of the fire extinguishers by the suppliers contrary to what had been told them, thus, the need for personnel of the Baguio fire department to assess the state of the fire extinguishers before making a conclusion whether or not the same will be subjected to refilling.
Domogan forwarded the letter to the city permits and licensing division for the conduct of the required investigation and that the outcome of such investigation will be submitted to the local chief executive for further needed action.
The controversy on the supply and disposal of fire extinguishers had been a long time issue considering that previous officials of the Baguio fire department were allegedly linked to several suppliers of fire extinguishers, thus, local residents and businessmen needing such fire fighting devices were directed to buy the same from selected suppliers.
Further, fire officials said local residents and businessmen must also be aware of what types of fire extinguishers should be used in their structures instead of relying on the recommendations of suppliers considering that there are numerous complaints relative to the devices being provided by some of the suppliers.
By Dexter A. See