No to Firecrackers for a Safe New Year

Roxas City, Capiz (PIA) –Health and fire officials are urging the public to be safe by doing away with firecrackers in welcoming the New Year.

Roxas City Bureau of Fire Protection Information Office has been appealing to the parents of kids to remind them of the danger said firecrackers pose to their lives.

According to SFO1 Armstrong Buñi, the parents play a very important role so that their children will not be victims of firecrackers this Yuletide season.

He stressed that children are usually victims of firecracker injuries sometimes because of lack of guidance from parents or lack knowledge of children themselves on the consequences of their acts.

Buñi likewise said that to heighten public awareness on the evils of firecrackers and on fire safety techniques, they are intensifying their information and education activities through barangay fora and mobile public address system or “recorida.”

On the other hand, the Provincial Health Office has likewise reiterated their call in view of its Iwas Paputok Campaign.

Information Officer Ayr Altavas of the PHO said that the holiday season, especially the New Year can still be welcomed without being injured by firecrackers.

Altavas said that the public can still use indigenous materials to make sounds to welcome 2016.

He stressed that with firecrackers always lead to injuries of the hands, arms, eyes or any part of the body and can also cause either partial or total disability to a person who will be victimized by it.

According to him, per the PHO record as of December 26, there were already six firecracker-related injuries here.

Of said cases, two each are from Sapian and Pontevedra, and one each from Tapaz and Panitan.

This year’s Iwas Paputok Campaign of the Department of Health has a theme “ Sa Ingay, walang sablay. Sa paputok goodbye kamay.” (JCM/JBG/PIA6-Capiz)