April 18, 2018 – The month of March is the grueling month when it comes to fire incidents based on records from the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP). March and April are the hottest months every year in the Philippines according to weather bureau PAGASA, leading to the increase of fire incidents during this period. Thus, planning and preparedness to respond to fire emergencies is always the cost-effective way to prevent and mitigate fire disasters.

In line with the 2018 Fire Prevention Month with the theme “Ligtas na Pilipinas Ang Ating Hangad, Pag-iingat sa Sunog ay sa Sarili Ipatupad”, the Port of Cagayan de Oro with the cooperation from the different port stakeholders, organized three (3) fire emergency drills which was supervised and participated by PMO Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro in coordination with the BFP.

In the morning of March 21, 2018, the port cargo handling service provider, Oroport Cargo Handling Services, Inc. (OROPORT), conducted its drill, simulating fire at the engineering motor pool office building with possible personnel injuries (medical emergency). A demonstration on how to use a fire extinguisher was shown to the participants of the drill.

In the afternoon of the same day, the Pilipinas Shell North Mindanao Import Facility (NMIF) Waterfront Office also conducted an emergency drill. The drill simulated vessel on fire at berth which showed Shell NMIF and the victim ship’s response capabilities and equipment in handling vessel on fire.

Both emergency drills conducted by port stakeholders also tested the PMO MOC’s emergency communications protocol led by the PMO Command Center.

In 27 March 2018, PMO MOC conducted its own fire emergency drill at PMO Admin Building 1. The scenario was a building on fire with all the occupants as the participants including the port users located at the Assessment Billing and Collection Unit. The said drill tested the PMO’s capabilities, equipment and facilities on how to detect, verify, and respond to a fire incident as well as its evacuation procedures.

The conduct of drills in consonance with this year’s Fire Prevention Month serves to boost everyone’s consciousness that everybody must be responsible for keeping a fire-safe environment.

— By RP Nalzaro

Fire Drill conducted by Oroport Cargo Handling Services, Inc.

Fire Drill conducted by Pilipinas Shell North Mindanao Import Facility.