Senate minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano urged local government units to allocate more funds for the continuous upgrading of the capabilities of their local fire fighting units to ensure their readiness in responding to fires and disasters.
The senator made this call as he cited the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) statement that the country’s fire fighters not only suppress fires but also perform multiple functions including first aid and aiding in disaster prevention and preparedness.
He noted that today’s fire fighters are trained not only tend to victims of vehicular accidents but also to launch rescue and retrieval operations during calamities.
The minority leader pointed out that the time for local government units to fortify local fire fighting units with equipment support is urgent because the likelihood of an increase in the incidence of fires is looming in the horizon now that PAGASA has declared that summer has officially started.
Cayetano stressed that there is also a need to look into the plight of the fire fighters.
“When people are properly compensated and their concerns addressed, they will be more productive and effective in doing their work. In this profession, we need motivated men. So we need to do our part of taking care of their needs if we expect them to take care of us in return,” he said.
