Blaming the firemen

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Managing Editor ANTONIETA B. LOPEZ Business Editor ODETTE MONTELIBANO Desk Editor MARY ANN BARCELONA Advertising Coordinator RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete

ANDRES R. LEONARDIA Managing Director

The fire that gutted down several business establishments in Dumaguete last Sunday has again reminded our city officials of the importance of having a supertanker and a new fire truck for the Dumaguete City Fire Department.

This is the second major fire we had this year. The first was on April 1, during which five government offices were razed to the ground. Ironically they were just beside the fire department. On Nov. 5, several business establishments were also destroyed by fire. A potential business income loss to the city coffers next taxable year.

Six months ago the vice-mayor said that the city is aware of the needs of the fire department, such as the acquisition of a supertanker that costs P5 million. But until now no supertanker, or even the most basic fire fighting equipment, such as firefighting suits, gloves, and boots, have been acquired.

Due to financial constraints, the vice mayor and the city council asked for support from Second District Rep. Emilio Macias II after the April 1 fire.

In his letter to the city council, Macias assured Dumagueteños that he would secure funds in Manila for the purchase of the fire trucks for the DFPO. But up to this day, our BFD is still using the vintage 1960's and the 1980's fire trucks.

Whenever fire occurs in the city, we tend to put the blame on the fire chief for not effectively and swiftly extinguishing the inferno. Isn't it time we stop finding scapegoats and be part of the solution to this problem?

Perhaps our city officials will only remember their promises when another fire occurs in the business section, and then pass the blame again to the firemen.

As the song goes, "When will we ever learn?" When will we ever learn that fires can cause tremendous losses and even set back our economy and any gains we have made in the wink of an eye?*