A massive fire is in the headlines again less than two months after a series of fires in March — designated Fire Prevention Month — but, the Bureau of Fire Protection reminds us, following the Fire Code can help mitigate the loss of lives and property from fires.
Engineer Ariel Miranda, chief of the Bureau of Fire Protectiom's Fire Safety Enforcement Division, says high-rise buildings and factories are required to install a sprinkler system with sprinkler heads placed 4.6 meters apart. The number of sprinkler heads installed depends on the floor area.
One portable fire extinguisher is also required for every 200 square meters of open space. If that space is divided into two, then two fire extinguishers are required.
A fire alarm system is also required. In case of fire, the alarm must first be triggered and the BFP called before attempting to put out the fire yourself.
A fire evacuation plan must also be posted in key areas. Hotels, for example, are required to post one in each room.
Fire exits must be properly marked with signs that must be lit 24 hours a day even during power outages.
Fire doors must be equipped with panic hardware — the metal that is pushed to open the door — and a glass pane so you can check if the fire exit is filled with smoke or people. A fire exit should never be locked.
Emergency lights must also be placed in the stairwell to guide people out of the burning building. These lights are also placed in various areas of the building.
Fire exits must lead to an alley or a street.In case your clothes catch fire, the BFP advises to stop running. The more you run, the more you will fan the flames.
Just remember SDR or stop, drop and roll — stop running, drop to the ground, cover your head and roll. In case that does not extinguish the flames, have someone nearby cover you with a wet cloth.
The BFP reminds the public that fire safety is everyone's concern.
Plant evaluators and fire safety inspectors must ensure that the fire code is enforced and that all requirements are met.
Building owners and administrators, on the other hand, must continue to comply with requirements even after their buildings have been inspected. — JDS, GMA News