The Davao City Fire District gave safety tips to the public in preparation for the long weekend.

SFO4 Ramil Gillado, spokesperson of the Davao City Fire District, said during the AFP-PNP Media Conference on Wednesday that negligence and reckless practices, such as leaving the house for hours with appliances still plugged in, should be avoided as this is one of the major causes of fire incidents.

Gillado said among the top three causes of fire incidents is electrical, including but not limited to overheated appliances and electrical short circuits.

It was reported that there was an 18.8% increase in the recorded fire incidents in the city. Recent statistics show that compared to the previous year with 446 fire incidents, the recorded cases today have already reached 530; 261 of which involved structures like houses and business establishments.

To prevent fires during the long weekend, Gillado advised the public to turn off and unplug their appliances before leaving the house for vacation or visiting the cemetery.

The people should also check their LPG tanks for possible leaks; turn off their water sources; lock their doors and windows; and most importantly, not leave lit candles unattended.

“Fire safety is everybody’s concern and responsibility, nga himuon safety ang atoang property, ang atoang kinabuhi, ug atoang kaubanan sa community (Fire safety is everybody’s concern and responsibility. We have to make sure that our properties, our lives, and our community are safe),” Gillado said. CIO