Many firetrucks are unregistered

The regional office of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) yesterday admitted that many of their firetrucks are not registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) according to the bureau logistics chief Nepomuceno Dangoy.

The admission came after a firetruck with plate number SEY-173 assigned to the Lahug fire substation caused an eight-vehicle pile-up resulting to injuries sustained by 20 people at M.J. Cuenco Ave. the other day.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has ordered the inspection of all fireturcks in the city particularly their brakes to ensure the safety of the people.

The mayor was saddened by the accident saying that the city has always been open to helping the fire department most specially in the acquisition of trucks.

It turned out that the firetruck involved in the accident was not registered since it was turned over to the BFP 20 years ago.

"Sukad ma sukad wala gyud na ma-rehistro pero I would like to clarify sukad nilingkod si Col. Victoriano Remedio (as BFP-7 director) last 2004 mao ni ang iyang gihatagan ug priority" Dangoy said.

Dangoy, however, clarified that 48 firetrucks, 8 of this are used by the Cebu City Fire department, were not registered under LTO. However, there are 54 other firetrucks that have been registered.

"Ang problema kay wala gyud nigitrabaho sa niaging administration ug gawas niini nihangyo na mi sa LTO nga tabangan mi maka facilitate sa pag-rehistro pero wala gyud aksyoni nila" Dangoy said.

Bureau of Fire Protection acting director Abundio Salinas told TV Patrol Cebu that some of drivers of firetrucks without registration have been hesitant to drive the truck.

"Tinuod na nahadlok gyud sila pero wala mi mahimo kinihanlang gyud kay mas duna mi dakong responsibilidad sa katawhan" Salinas said.

LTO 7 director Alex Leyson urged the fire officials to refrain using firetrucks for patrol if they are not registered.

"Lisod man sab kaayo kung magsige sila ug dagan unya walay rehistro looy intawon ang driver sa firetruck" Leyson said.

Leyson said he would not hesitate to apprehend unregistered firetrucks that are just going around the streets when not responding to an alarm. He added that another problem they encountered is that some firetrucks had no documents that are needed to have them registered.

"Kinahanlang man gyud na ang OR (official receipt) ug CR (certificate of registration) para ma-rehistro" Leyson said.

Remedio has been asking LTO-7 to provide them of the copy of OR and CR of the firetrucks. The letter of Remedio was received by LTO-7 last January 30, 2006.

Most of these firetrucks that have not been registered came from the defunct Integrated National Police.

Meanwhile, the traffic division of the Cebu City Police Office is still waiting the victims of the accident to formally charge SFO1 Floro Soco, Jr., the driver of the ill-fated firetruck. Soco can be charged for reckless imprudence resulting to multiple physical injuries and damage to property. Cebu City Fire Marshall Esmael Codilla said that the brakes of the firetruck malfunctioned.

Osmeña said that recently, the city facilitated the donation of a fire truck from Japan to the Mabolo Fire Station.

Osmeña said it should be and should have been the fire chief's responsibility to ensure that the fire trucks are well maintained. He added that the city has to seek donations, because the national government is not spending much on firetrucks.

The firetruck left the Lahug Fire Sub-Station around 9 a.m. the other day for the City Hall to conduct a patrol when the incident occurred.