For kids, having “Disaster Risk Reduction Management” as a subject to learn seems a complex and serious that’s hardly grasped and appreciated by their young minds. How can we fill in and penetrate their little brains with the heaviness of knowledge that will prepare them to face real-life calamities such as fire?
Amongst many catastrophes that occur, fire incidents are almost regularly included in the news. Whether it’s caused by accidents like failed electrical wirings, explosion of devices and appliances, or even an unattended overcharged mobile phone, fire is oftentimes inevitable despite our safety efforts. This brought authorities to painstakingly learn the best strategies to prevent fire and suppress its burdens and consequences to humanity.
True to its ideals, the Davao City Fire Department continues its duty to educate Dabawenyos about the basics of Fire Safety. In fact, our public servants grew too enthusiastic to the extent that they even accommodated CJFI’s request to conduct a Fire Drill Seminar on a Chinese New Year holiday last January 28, 2017.
CJFI kids and staffs received the privilege of a training spearheaded by FO3 Gil Selvano and FO2 Joel Manburam, from Cabantian office, who acted as the main resource speakers. Topics discussed during the 1st part include:
- Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Primary Services
- BFP History
- Law Enforcements related to Fire Safety
- Definition and Chemistry of Fire
- The Do’s and Don’ts when there is Fire and
- How to Operate First-Aid Firefighting Equipment
To make the discourse appealing and dynamic, it was done in a classroom-setting-inspired way that made it possible for speakers and listeners to have smooth and open conversation with one another.
Like playing a game, the talk was like teaching the gamers the strategies on how to defeat the villain we know as ‘fire’. Teachers meticulously demonstrated the proper use of a fire extinguisher and also gave the chance for the participants to handle it themselves.
Speakers also included in their training the ‘duck-cover-hold’ procedure which is the very basic in evacuating from buildings which are caught up by fire.
Their knowledge was put to test when the trainers set up a controlled live fire outside the building. At that point, the participants were tasked to turn off the tank and stop the burning fire using the given fire extinguisher.
The participants accomplished their task and the spectators were caught jaw-dropped as the kids did it the ‘easy and fun way’. They knew what they were doing and were very positive to clean the fire even without hitting the deadline.
“Everyone was amazed by how they just did it that they still want to do it again”, school in-charge Ms. Honey Grace Orbina wrote on her report. Ms. Marichel U. Eyog, RSW, MSW who acts as the Center Head also noted that the task was completed excellently by the participants alone.
Satisfied by the results, CJFI is confident with its preparedness to face unavoidable fire incidents with their trained fire fighters as a famous line says, “Prevention is better than cure”.
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