NMP Holds Fire Drill, Prepares Employees for Emergency Calls

NMP employees and Job Order Workers participate in the Fire Drill conducted on 22 February 2019

TACLOBAN CITY – As part of the employee’s welfare and safety program, the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) through its Safety and Health Committee facilitated the conduct of a Fire Drill participated by NMP employees and Job Order Workers on 22 February 2019 at the NMP Training Complex, Cabalawan, Tacloban City.

The activity was undertaken with the supervision of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) RO 8 who will conduct assessment of the performance of the entire process and make recommendations for further improvement. BFP officials present were: SFO1 Cres Ian P. Cajipo and FO3 Rowena C. Bulawan.

The conduct of fire drill is an annual activity of the Agency aimed to educate NMP personnel on what to do during emergencies especially in the event of a fire.

During the drill, NMP personnel were taught how to contain a fire either by the use of a wet blanket or fire extinguishers. They were also reminded the necessity to always contact fire officers when the need arises.

BFP personnel informed the employees that they only have to remember PASS in order to fight fire when using the fire extinguishers. PASS stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep.

Firefighters need to (1) Pull the pin first to discharge the extinguisher; (2) Aim at the base of the fire (this is making sure that they are hitting the source and not the flames); (3) Squeeze the top handle or lever to depress a button that releases the pressurized extinguishing agent; and (4) Sweep from side to side until the fire is completely out.

Employees were advised to keep a safe distance from the fire, but not too far that the extinguisher will not reach the source or agent.

The activity enlightened the employees about fire prevention, safety, suppression and evacuation, applicable not only in the office but in their homes, or any office.

The exercise was held in preparation for the observance of Fire Prevention Month being annually observed during the month of March pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 115-A issued last 17 November 1996 aimed to propagate safety consciousness by providing education and awareness among people to lessen the incidence of fire in the country.

Meanwhile, NMP continues to upgrade its facilities and provide maritime trainings required pursuant to the STCW Convention as amended in 2010 including value-adding courses towards improving the qualifications of Filipino seafarers for their employment acceptability and enhanced competitiveness. It also regularly conducts maritime studies to come up with policies for the improvement of the manpower sector of the industry.

Those interested in NMP research undertakings may visit the NMP website (www.nm.gov.ph) and access the e-Research Information System Portal which is designed to gather inputs for NMP’s research, dissemination of NMP completed researches and other articles pertaining to maritime research.

For more information about NMP trainings viewers may visit the agency’s facebook page (www.facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter) where all related information on NMP trainings are available.

Further, NMP encourages seafarers to avail of the NMP-OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) Seafarers’ Upgrading Program (SUP) and Skills for Employment Scholarship Program (SESP) which entitle the beneficiary to receive financial assistance for training costs from the OWWA.