The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is urging the public to use alternative sound-making devices such as horns or bang pot lids to greet the new year.
The bureau is on Code Red from Dec. 23, 2024 to Jan. 1, 2025.
“Our fire trucks are making rounds every day to remind the public about fire safety tips,” fire officer Franklin Calica of the BFP-Ilocos Sur provincial headquarters said.
As part of BFP’s “Oplan Paalala: Iwas Paputok”, Calica hoped for another year of zero firecracker-related incident this year.
To avoid fire in houses due to firecrackers, residents could prepare fire extinguishers or pails of water for immediate use in case of fire, he added.
Households with “anahaw” (palm leaves) roofing are also advised to wet the roofing an hour before the New Year’s revelry as a precautionary measure in case a lighted firecracker falls on the roof.
In Ilocos Norte, personnel of the BFP have been continuously inspecting firecracker vendors to confiscate any illegal fireworks, check their permits to sell, and make sure that they have emergency fire extinguishers in their stores.
Prohibited firecrackers include watusi or dancing firecracker, piccolo, pop pop, Super Lolo, boga, big Judah’s belt, Goodbye Philippines, Mother Rockets, Lolo Thunder, pillbox, Big Bawang, kwiton, kabasi, Atomic Bomb, five star, pla-pla, og, giant whistle bomb, and unlabeled firecrackers.
As per Republic Act No. 7183 or the law on pyrotechnic devices, persons caught manufacturing, selling, distributing, and purchasing illegal firecrackers may be imprisoned from six months to a year, and may be fined from PHP20,000 to PHP30,000. (Leilanie Adriano)