CAMP GEN. ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan—Looking for safety tips on firecracker usage, residents outside Bulacan can still avail of the details how as the Bulacan PNP tapped the internet for its public information campaign drive on safety use of firecrackers in time for New Year.
Senior Supt. Fernando Villanueva, Bulacan Police Director told NEWS CORE Friday the flyers he initiated done and distributed in the 21 municipal and three city police stations in Bulacan will have its own internet version for the consumption of non residents of Bulacan.
Villanueva said the safety tips can be found and read at the web site of the Bulacan PNP: www.bulacanpnp.com.
According to the police official, firecracker stall owners and the public can benefit in the safety tips to be posted on their website as the flyers and the public address are only distributed within the province.
He said he initiated the project because being Bulacan as the considered fireworks capital.
Mobile Public address on safety tips is also set to be conducted in the towns of Bocaue, Sta. Maria, Angat, San Ildefonso and Baliuag where firecracker stores abounds.
The information campaign drive is just an additional fireworks safety operations being conducted by the Bulcan police of raiding clandestine fireworks factories and ensuring that manufacturers and dealers are strictly complying with the safety guidelines.
He also said that the “no smoking and no testing” policy is being strictly enforced along fireworks stores.
“Mas masarap ipagdiwang ang Pasko at Bagong taon nang walang nadidisgrasya sa ating mga mahal sa buhay,” he said.
Among the safety reminders are : “Use only labeled fireworks products with the name of manufacturer and instruction manual.”—”Don’t use banned, oversized and killer types of firecrackers like “Goodbye Philippines”, “Kabase”,”Plapla”, Super Lolo, “Giant Bawang”,—”Light fireworks in open grounds or places that can’t trigger fire like electric wires, flammable liquid and other places with combustible materials.—”Don’t let children light a firecracker. Guide them into using sparklers and other safe toy firecrackers.”—”Don’t light fireworks with hands, use a long stick in lighting firecrackers and other pyrotechnics devices.”—”Bury or brace fountains and other types of “pailaw” on a ground with sand or earth and make sure it that it will not tilt before lighting them.”—”Don’t use firecracker when drinking liquor or any intoxicating drink.”—”Don’t try to relight defective firecrackers. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes and then douse it with water.”—”Don’t pick used or defective firecrackers.”—”Wet areas after using firecrackers and pyrotechnics and make sure that no more embers are left that could spark fires.”
The PNP Civil Security Group in coordination with the Philippine Pyrotechnics Manufacturers and Dealers Association Inc. (PPMDAI) and the Provincial Government of Bulacan on Tuesday held a one day fireworks safety refreshers course at the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center here.
Chief Supt. Emelito T. Sarmiento, director of PNP-CSG, said the safety refresher course aims to instill safety consciousness to local manufacturers and dealers of fireworks. He said accidents can be avoided if the stakeholders and the public would strictly follow safety regulations.
Engineer Celso C. Cruz, chairman emeritus of PPMDAI, gave a lecture on the proper packaging, storage and shipment of fireworks products. He said that some accidents happen due to careless packaging of fireworks.
He urged local manufacturers and dealers to stop the practice of just placing fireworks in paper bags or boxes. He added that there are proper and safety procedures in packaging, storing and transporting pyrotechnics.