Fire Prevention Month
March in the Philippines is designated as the National Fire Prevention Month based on the historical surge of fires that happen in this summer month. Since the late 80s, it has been the government’s thrust to promote awareness on the pro-active measures people can take to prevent, escape, and stop fires. From 6am fire truck parades to building-wide fire drills, many events and activities are done to help the people in the Philippines to be alert and equipped to deal with a possible fire.
Let’s Talk Passive Fire Protection
From March 21 to 22, KITCI, with the help of UAP Makati CBD, UAP Diliman, and UAP Taft, was able to hold a two-day series of events that discussed new concepts and latest technologies in Passive Fire Protection. KITCI was able to bring in both local and international speakers from across Asia, all of whom were able to share the best practices and standards from their respective countries and fields.
For both days of the event, KITCI was able to bring in Engr. John Cha of Promat, Engr. Azel Joaquino of Element, Melissa Sin, CPA of SKB Shutters, and Engr. Errol Malapitan of Rockwool Philippines. John talked about the basic concepts of passive fire protection; Azel discussed the importance of third-party testing in ensuring proper fire rated systems; Melissa talked about compartmentation and system failsafes in shitter door technology; and Errol talked about the importance of insulation in fire safety systems. KITCI’s very own Ar. Matti Kawpeng even joined Errol on the second day of the talks to share our experience as contractors dealing with fire safety systems.
Good Food and Lively Discussion
In addition to giving the attendees updated knowledge on the field, The event also gave the attendees the chance to ask interesting questions about the Fire Safety Industry, and how the Philippines fares in comparison to our ASEAN counterparts. Interesting points were brought up such as how Passive Fire Protection could interface with Heritage Conservation, or how the local fire codes could benefit from the concepts discussed in the event. Food was also served to the attendees, which facilitated a lively discussion among the attendees themselves.
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Key Takeaways from the Talk
Fire Protection, may it be passive or active, protects buildings, properties, and most importantly, human lives. At the end of the day, our main goal for talks like these is for the local industry to improve, and to keep up with international standards. Some key takeaways from the event are as follow
- Passive Fire Protection is just as important, if not more important than Active Fire Protection. Passive Fire Protection ensures that active fire interventions even have a chance of successfully working as intended.
- Third Party Test Certification is critical in ensuring that your fire safety systems can actually protect you in case of fire. These tests should always come from reputable institutions who conduct rigorous testing.
- Compartmentation is a critical aspect of Passive Fire Protection and can be done in all sorts of directions and configurations. These days, interventions aren't as constricted by long spans and or awkward clearances anymore.
- Fire rating is based on system, and not product. No one product can guarantee the fire rating of a system, as different products work together to ensure that a system is fire rated to your required time.
- The cost of a Fire-rated system is well worth the lives of the people, and material assets, that it protects from the destruction brought about by fires. Knowing that the things that are as invaluable as human life can be safeguarded by a system built into your structures is already a return on investment.
We want to help create fire-resistant communities in the Philippines free from worry of the destruction caused by major fires, and awareness campaigns like these empowers everyone to make better decisions in ensuring everyone's safety.
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