History of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)

Brief History of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)

• 1900: First fire department established in Manila
• 1940: Fire departments established in neighboring cities and towns
• 1975: Integration of local fire departments in the city
• 1977: First fire code in the Philippines enacted
• 1990: Republic Act No. 6975 established a separate Bureau of Fire Protection
• 2008: Republic Act No. 9514 revised fire code of the Philippines enacted

What is Fire?

• Fire is a rapid, self-sustaining oxidation process of combustible materials
• Accompanied by the evolution of heat and light of varying intensity
• Fire spreads quickly, becoming life-threatening in 2 minutes and engulfing in flames in 5 minutes
• Fire produces deadly smoke and toxic gases, making it difficult to breathe and causing disorientation

Elements of Fire

• Oxygen: at least 16% required, but normal is 21%
• Heat: enough to make the fuel ignite and burn
• Fuel: something that burns, such as paper, plastic, cloth, wood, or flammable liquids like alcohol

Tetrahedron of Fire

• Oxygen sources: some fuel materials contain oxygen to support burning
• Heat sources: open flames, sun, hot surfaces, sparks, arcs, friction, chemical action, electrical energy, and compression of gases
• Fuel: solid, liquid, or gas

Stages of Fire

• Ignition/incipient stage: fire is small, hard to detect, and confined to the fuel that ignited
• Growth stage: temperature and smoke increase, oxygen level decreases, and fuel is dried out
• Flashover stage: huge smoke is present, and fire is spreading to other furniture
• Fully developed stage: all materials are burning, and maximum heat is released
• Decay stage: intensity of fire is decreasing due to lack of fuel

How Fire Spreads

• Direct heat transfer (conduction)
• Convection: transfer of heat through the movement of heated fluids
• Radiation: transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves

Classes of Fire

• Class A: ordinary combustible materials (wood, cloth, paper, plastic, etc.)
• Class B: flammable or combustible liquids (gasoline, alcohol, paint, hairspray, etc.)
• Class C: energized electrical equipment (electric fan, microwave, TV, stove, etc.)
• Class D: combustible metals (magnesium, titanium, sodium, potassium, etc.)
• Class K: cooking media

How to Put Out a Fire

• Cooling: reducing temperature
• Smothering: excluding oxygen
• Fuel removal: removing the fuel source
• Inhibition: breaking the chemical reaction
• Reduction of heat: using something that absorbs heat, such as water or foam
• Exclusion of oxygen: closing the door, diluting oxygen, or blanketing with a wet blanket or foam
• Removal of fuel: turning off fuel supply or moving combustible materials
• Inhibition of chain reaction: breaking the chain reaction

Fire Extinguisher Use

• P: Pull the pin
• A: Aim at the base of the fire

Explore the historical timeline of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the Philippines, from its establishment in Manila in 1900 to the enactment of the revised fire code in 2008. Test your knowledge on the key events and developments in the evolution of fire departments in the country.