SILG Remulla warns against BFP personnel selling fire extinguishers

SILG Remulla recently warned against BFP personnel from selling or endorsing of fire extinguishers and manufacturers, dealers or suppliers.  

This is a very welcome and timely warning.  I remember the late Jesse Robredo who, as then recently appointed secretary by PNoy, stopped another BFP scheme -- the FALAR -- that made it more difficult to comply with fire safety and inspection clearances.

I hope SILG Remulla follows through on this because we need to protect our growing number of young BFP personnel from developing corrupt practices.

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Here's an excerpt from the GMA news online article shared on msn.com:

“Bawal magbenta ng fire extinguisher ang mga fire marshal at kung may ganon ireport n’yo kaagad sa akin at tatanggalin ko ‘yan on the spot,” he said.

(Fire marshals are prohibited from selling fire extinguishers and if there are personnel doing that, report it to me immediately and I will remove them on the spot.)

“Galit na galit ako doon…Kalokohan ‘yan e. Bakit mo papahirapan ang negosyo? Nagbibigay ng trabaho ‘yan tapos gusto mo pagkakitaan lang,” he added.

(I'm very angry at that... That's absurd. Why would you make business difficult? It provides work and then you just want to make money from it.)

When he was a Cavite governor, Remulla said he reprimanded some fire personnel who engaged in such illegal practices including the endorsement of contractors for fire sprinklers.

Based on BFP Memorandum Circular 2016-016, fire personnel are prohibited from engaging in the selling of fire extinguishers and endorsing of manufacturers, dealers, or suppliers of fire fighting equipment.

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** Link to the news article

** Link to a Flameguard website, with an article on fire extinguisher expiration, inspection and mention of the same 2016 BFP memorandum circular.