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FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM (FPP) OF THE BUREAU OF FIRE
PROTECTION (BFP) in URDANETA CITY
____________________________________
A Thesis
Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School
Pangasinan State University
Urdaneta City, Pangasinan
__________________________________
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master in Development Management
major in Public Management
____________________________________
by
ERNESTO F. GANDIA
March 2008
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The researcher wishes to express his heartfelt and profound gratitude to all those
unselfishly helped and contributed to the realization of this academic endeavor.
Specifically, he invokes the Almighty’s blessings upon the following:
Dr. Eusebio F. Miclat, Jr., Campus Dean of PSU Bayambang and presently the
MDM Program Adviser in the PSU Graduate School, Urdaneta City campus, whose
fatherly advice, untiring efforts, and constant encouragement pushed the researcher to
pursue the completion of the study and for his scholarly suggestions have greatly
improved the paper.
Dr. Josefina B. Bitonio and Dr. Domingo M. Cabarteja, my adviser and critic
reader, respectively, of this study, for their never ending advice, continuous support and
corrections up to the completion of this endeavor;
Dr. Zenaida U. Suyat and Professor Meliton G. Dassun, Dean and professor,
respectively, of PSU Graduate School, for all their words of encouragement that helped
the researcher defeat his fears and reservations;
Dr. Florita G. Lopez, Associate Dean PSU-GS, for her guidance to the researcher
regarding the sequential procedures in the preparation of the defense;
Sr. Supt. Rodrigo R. Abrazaldo and Supt. Leonard M. Consolacion, Regional
Director, Bureau of Fire Protection Region 1 and Provincial Fire Marshal of Pangasinan,
respectively, for the former guidance and understanding to the researcher relevant to his
duties and functions and the latter approval to gather data and administer the instrument;
To all the employees of the PSU Graduate School, Urdaneta City, for being
hospitable and courteous to the researcher every time we rubbed elbows in their offices;
To all the uniform and non uniform BFP personnel of Urdaneta City Fire Station,
Dagupan City Fire Station and Office of the Provincial Fire Marshal, Pangasinan, for
giving their unwavering assistance and support in gathering data and information that
significantly contributed to the completion of the study;
To a person whose name was not included, but in one way or another played an
important role that contributed in the success of this undertaking;
His dearest wife, Tita, and daughters Tephanie and Steffi, who served as his
inspirations in the completion of this thesis; and
Above all, to the Almighty God, whom he gets his vigor and knowledge that
served as his weapon and screen in making this masterpiece a success.
ERNESTO F. GANDIA
DEDICATION
I
lovingly
and heartily
dedicate this humble
work to all the men and women
of the Fire Service for their dedication to serve
the country, took risk and heedless of their lives,
so that others may survive…
EFG
ABSTRACT
Researcher: ERNESTO F. GANDIA
Degree / Specialization: Master in Development Management,
Public Management
Research Title: FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM (FPP) OF THE
BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION (BFP) in
URDANETA CITY
Adviser: Josefina B. Bitonio, D.P.A.
Institution: Pangasinan State University Graduate School
Address: Urdaneta City, Pangasinan
The study evaluated the Fire Prevention Program (FPP) particularly the
enforcement phase of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the city of Urdaneta during
the period of 2006 to 2007, as to whether it was fully implemented or not. It also
determined the extent of compliance by the business/building owners/occupants to the
standards of the Fire Code of the Philippines (FCP), as assessed by the BFP personnel of
Urdaneta City and the level of effectiveness in the implementation of the FPP, as
perceived by the BFP personnel and residents of the city. The problems encountered by
the BFP personnel and residents in the implementation and compliance of the FPP, and
their solutions adopted in their encountered problems were also looked into. The study
tested the following null hypotheses, viz. :( 1) There is no significant relationship
between the selected socio-demographic profile of the BFP personnel and the level of
effectiveness in the implementation of the Fire Prevention Program in Urdaneta City, and
(2) There is no significant difference in the level of effectiveness in the implementation
of the Fire Prevention Program in Urdaneta City as perceived by the BFP personnel and
the residents.
The study used the descriptive-evaluative research design. The major instruments
used were the two sets of questionnaires, one for the BFP personnel (implementers) and
the other was for the business/building owners/occupants (residents). The content
validity of both instruments were computed and established. Said questionnaires were
pilot tested to a few BFP personnel of Dagupan City Fire Station and residents of
Dagupan City.
The business/building owners/occupants were randomly selected using sampling
techniques from the copy of the official records provided by the Business Permit
Licensing Office of the City of Urdaneta.
The hypotheses of the study were tested using the t-test for correlated means and
difference between means at .05 level of significance.
Summary of Findings
Socio-demographic Profiles of the BFP personnel.
a. Pertaining to age, the average age of the BFP personnel assigned in Urdaneta
is 39.78. The youngest is 28 years old while the oldest is 53 years old.
b. Concerning the educational attainment, majority of the BFP personnel (66.7%)
assigned in Urdaneta had finished their Baccalaureate Degree.
c. Looking into the years of service, a little more than one-third (38.90%) of the
BFP personnel have 10 and below years of service, while a little more than one-fourth
(27.80%) had rendered 11-15 years of service
d. By rank, a little more than one-fourth (27.8%) of the BFP personnel have the
rank of FO1.
e. For training attended, four-fifths(83.3%) of the implementors had finished their
Public Safety Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC) or Fire Service Basic Course (FSBC), while
a little less than two-fifths (38.9%) had undergone Fire Arson Investigation and
Inspection Course (FAIIC) No one among the personnel attended the Fire Alarm and
Detection Seminar.
Level of Effectiveness in the Implementation of the Fire Prevention Program
(FPP).
a. On the conduct of fire safety inspection as a requirement to the grant of permits
and/or licenses, for the occupancy of the building and installation of fire protection and
fire safety equipment, the personnel and the residents have the same descriptive rating of
“High.”
b. On the requirements for businesses, structures, premises and facilities in
Urdaneta City, the personnel and the residents apparently differ in their perception with
regards to the level of effectiveness of the FPP in Urdaneta City on fire safety
requirements to businesses, structures and their premises or facilities, the BFP rated
“High” compared to the residents’ rating of “Moderate.”
c. On the requirement of fire safety measures for hazardous materials, the BFP
rated it “High.” Conversely, the residents rated “Low.”
Extent of Compliance to the Fire Code of the Philippines. The BFP personnel
assessed the compliance of the standards of the FCP as “High.”
Problems Encountered by the BFP Personnel in the Implementation of the
FPP. The problems encountered by the implementers of the FPP in Urdaneta City were
ranked from one to nine in terms of magnitude as follows: (1) lack of firefighting
equipments (2) lack of fire personnel to implement the FPP (3) old and dilapidated fire
trucks (4). lack of financial and logistical support (5) Lack of cooperation or willingness
on the part of the building/business owners/occupants on fire prevention program; (6)
Political/VIP interventions; and (7) Inadequate communication equipment (8) lack of
enough information and knowledge on the provisions of PD 1185 and (9) lack of
investigative gear and equipment to be used in fire investigation.
Problems Encountered by the Residents. The problems were ranked from one
to six in terms of seriousness namely: (1) Lack of financial resources to comply the
requirements (2) unclear and inappropriate Fire Code requirement/s recommended by the
BFP for the residents to comply (3) proliferation of person not a BFP personnel posing as
a fire safety inspector (4) the conduct of fire safety inspection by BFP personnel who are
not in proper uniform. (5) very short time given to them to comply for the requirements
(6) corrupt BFP personnel implementing the FPP.
Solutions Adopted by the BFP Personnel. The solutions were also ranked one
to six based on the number of responses as follows: (1) conduct more Fire Safety
Education to the residents (2) allocate more funds for the Fire Prevention Program (3)
the reassignment or recruitment of additional BFP personnel to increase the existing
personnel and the BFP or LGU to purchase or provide additional firefighting equipment
to be used by fire personnel of Urdaneta City (4) coordinate to the politician/VIP
regarding their interventions and explain to them the importance of the program and the
possible consequences if all of the time the BFP acceded or granted their request and BFP
to purchase new fire trucks (5) opportunity for more training on Fire Arson Investigation
& Inspection Course and other related courses pertaining to the Fire Code should be
provided by the BFP to all interested BFP personnel and (6) BFP or LGU to purchase or
provide additional radios/telephone and cell phones to be used by fire personnel of
Urdaneta City.
Solutions Adopted by the Residents. Only 16-29% of the residents adopted
some solution to the problems encountered with the BFP in the implementation of the
latter of the FPP which were ranked one to six accordingly based on the number of
responses as follows (1) e recommendation/s should be within the provisions of the Fire
Code of the Philippines (2) e no entertaining of person conducting fire safety inspection if
not in proper uniform and no ID to present (3) s the business owners/occupants should be
given more leeway in the compliance of the requirement/s of the Fire Code of the
Philippines and report immediately any corrupt actions undertaken by BFP personnel to
his superior, Local Chief Executive or the media (4) s the BFP personnel should be more
courteous and careful in conducting fire safety inspection (5) owners/occupants should be
given more enough extension of time in complying the Fire Code requirement/s (6) BFP
personnel conducting inspection should be in proper uniform.
Test of Hypotheses.
a. The relationship of the selected socio-demographical profile of BFP personnel
in Urdaneta City to the level of effectiveness in the implementation of the FPP is found
all to be not significant.
b. There is a significant difference in the level of effectiveness in the
implementation of the Fire Prevention Program in Urdaneta City as perceived by the BFP
personnel and the residents. The BFP personnel and residents differ in their perception in
the level of effectiveness in the implementation of the FPP on the conduct of fire safety
inspection and in the implementation of the FPP on the fire safety measures on hazardous
materials.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions are arrived at:
The BFP personnel of Urdaneta City are relatively young, highly educated,
experienced, well positioned in the rank and file, well trained in Fire Safety Basic
Course, but wanting in Fire Safety Advance Courses.
The level of effectiveness by BFP and the resident s in the implementation of the
Fire Prevention Program (FPP) in Urdaneta manifested a “High” rating.
On the extent of compliance by the city residents to the standards of the Fire Code
of the Philippines (PD 1185), the BFP personnel gave a rating of “High.”
The top three problems observed by the BFP personnel in the implementation of
the FPP in Urdaneta City are: (1) lack of firefighting equipment, (2) lack of personnel,
and (3) old and dilapidated fire trucks. On the part of the city residents, identified
problems are: (1) lack of financial resources, (2) unclear and inappropriate requirements
of the Fire Code on their part, and (3) proliferation of individuals posing as fire safety
inspectors.
Solutions adopted to identified problems by the BFP personnel are (1) conduct
and dissemination of Fire Safety Education, (2) allocation of more funds by the DILG-
BFP and the city government, and (3) increase number of BFP personnel, while the city
residents recommendations are : (1) Dissemination of the provisions of the Fire Code of
the Philippines, (2) rejection of BFP fire safety inspector who cannot present an ID and
not in uniform, and (3) flexibility and leeway in the compliance with the Fire Code.
The BFP personnel’s selected profiles variables were found to be not significantly
related in the level of effectiveness in the implementation of the FPP while the
perceptions of the BFP personnel And the city residents on the level of effectiveness
were all found to be significantly different.
RECOMMENDATIONS
On the basis of the foregoing findings and conclusions, the following
recommendations are forwarded:
1. BFP personnel in Urdaneta City should given the opportunity to attend training
programs particularly on Fire Safety Advance Courses. DILG and if possible the city
government should add more personnel for the unit in Urdaneta City.
2. DILG-BFP should address directly the problems of the BFP in Urdaneta City
particularly on:
a. Lack of firefighting equipments;
b. Provisions of new fire trucks; and
c. Additional allotment for supplies and materials.
3. BFP Urdaneta City should give more information and education campaign on
the Fire Code of the Philippines. These campaigns should be conducted in the barangays
with support of the city council and the barangay council in the city.
4. BFP Urdaneta City should closely police its rank and file to eliminate
instances of fire safety impostors. It should also conduct regular inspections of buildings
and business establishments of different type of occupancies, to negate the occurrence of
fire.
5. Replication of the study is also recommended.
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