Fire station

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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"Firehall" redirects here. For the Canadian performing arts centre, see Firehall Arts Centre.
"Fireman's hall" and "Firemen's hall" redirect here. For the hall in Alfred, New York see Fireman's
Hall (New York). For the hall in New York City, see Firemen's Hall (New York). "Firehouse" redirects
here. For other uses, seeFirehouse (disambiguation).

Fire station in Kostroma, Russia(1823-26)

Parque de Bombas, a 19th-century fire station in Ponce, Puerto Rico

A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, or firemen's hall) is a structure or other area set
aside for storage of firefighting apparatus such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal
protective equipment, fire hoses and other specialized equipment. It may also have dormitory living
facilities and work areas for the use of fire fighters. Living areas are sometimes arranged above the
garage bays where personnel without specific station duties during the night shift are allowed to
sleep unless a dispatch is called. In that situation, firefighters may have special means to allow entry

to the ground floor quickly when a call for help is received, such as sliding down a brass pole called
a fireman's pole. This arrangement also allows for a raised area to hang hoses to dry to prevent
damage. In a single story station, a tower-like structure is sometimes used for hose hanging.
An occupied station will usually have a station alarm system for receiving and annunciating an
alarm, and indications of where and what caused the alarm. However, sometimes the only "alarm" is
a telephone that is rung in case of emergency. In a volunteer fire department where volunteers do
not staff the station, the firefighters may be summoned to the fire station by siren, radio orpagers,
making a station alarm system superfluous.

American MUTCDsign W11-8 warning of a fire station

In a more structured operation, full-time or on-call volunteer or career firefighters staff the station
some or all of the time. There may be office space for the officers, a library of reference and other
materials, and a "trophy wall" or case where the firefighters display memorabilia.
Activities in a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment,
and continuing education in the fire service. Weekly or bi-weekly routine typically includes various
drills in which firefighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the
fire station during annual "fire prevention week" or similar, and the facility may also be used for fundraising by the "firemen's association", "fire buffs", or "fire auxiliary".
The approaches to a fire station are often posted with warning signs, and there may be a traffic
signal to stop or warn traffic when apparatus are leaving or returning to the station.
In larger cities fire stations are often named for the primary fire companies and apparatus housed
there, such as "Ladder 49", or the district which they serve. Rural fire stations are usually named for
the county, town or village, but may also be named for the independent fire district serving a
collective geographic area.

Gallery[edit]

Marblehead, Massachusetts, United States fire station

Fire Station in Upernavik, Greenland

Fire Station in Monza, Italy

Historic Toronto Fire Services Fire Hall

LAFD Fire Station 1, Los Angeles,California, United States. This type of fire station in common in the Los
Angeles Metropolitan Area

A fire station in Frankfurt, Germany

Turvey Park Fire Station in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia

Tama Fire Station of Tokyo Fire Department, Japan

An urban fire house in Manhattan,New York City, built in 1894

A firehouse in the Pisek District of the Czech Republic

SIM Fire Station 23 in Montreal,Quebec, Canada

The Vatican City fire station, headquarters of Vatican fire brigade

Fire department
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Fire Brigade" redirects here. For the Move song, see Fire Brigade (song). For the football club,
see Fire Brigade SC. For the computer game, see Fire-Brigade: The Battle for Kiev - 1943.
The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States
and do not represent aworldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article,
discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (October
2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

A fire department (United States and Canada) or fire brigade (United Kingdom and
Commonwealth) (also known as a fire and rescue service or simply fire service) is
a public or private organization that provides predominantly
emergency firefighting and rescue services for a specific geographic area, which is typically
a municipality, county, or fire protection district. In the United States a fire brigade is the private
firefighting organization of a company or enterprise, operated under rules from OSHA. A fire
department usually contains one or more fire stations within its boundaries, and may be staffed by
career firefighters, volunteer firefighters, or a combination thereof (referred to as a combination
department).[1]
A fire department may also provide "fire protection" or fire prevention services, whereby firefighters
visit homes and give fire safety advice and fit smoke alarms for members of the public. In many
countries fire protection or prevention is seen as an important role for the fire service, as preventing
a fire from occurring in the first place can save lives and property.
Contents
[hide]

1Organization
1.1Jurisdiction

2History
2.1Ancient Rome

o
o

2.21600s and 1700s: Property Insurance Companies, Public Funding, and Improved
Firefighting Technology

2.31800s: Fire Companies and Municipal Fire Departments

2.41900s: Motorized Fire Departments

3Emergency Medical Services

4See also

5References

Organization[edit]
Fire departments are organized in a system of administration, services, training, and operations; for
example:

Emergency fire & rescue vehicles of the German fire services

Administration is responsible for supervision, budgets, policy, and human resources.

Service offers protection, safety, and education to the public.

Training prepares skilled people with the knowledge to perform their duties.

Operations performs the tasks to successfully save the public from harm.

A fire service is normally set up where it can have fire stations and sophisticated fire
engines strategically deployed throughout the area it serves, so that dispatchers can send fire
engines, fire trucks, or ambulances from the fire stations closest to the incident. Larger departments
have branches within themselves to increase efficiency, composed of volunteers, support, and
research.

Volunteers give advantages to the department in a state of emergency.

Support organizing the resources within and outside of the department.

Research is to give advantages in new technologies for the department.

Jurisdiction[edit]

Logistical Center & Maintenance Depot of the Houston Fire Department

A fire department's jurisdiction is organized by the governmental body that controls the department,
although there are private fire services as well. This comes from
a municipality, county, prefecture, state, province, or nation type of government. The most common
type of government control is at the municipality level. The jurisdiction size and organisation would
be set up by a department or the government in charge of these duties. This deals with the
placement of fire stations, equipment, and personnel within the area of control. Fire departments
periodically survey their jurisdiction areas and use the data for redeploying proper coverage. This
data comes from travel time, range from station, and/or a population survey. This brings equal
service to the entire community and gives the department efficient places to launch operations.

History[edit]
Main article: History of firefighting

Knox Automobile produced the world's first modern fire engine in 1905.

A 1951 Dennis P12 fire tender as formerly used by the Wiltshire Fire Brigade.

A Fire and Rescue NSW truck in 2008

Ancient Rome[edit]
The earliest known fire department was formed in Ancient Rome by Egnatius Rufus who used his
slaves to provide a free fire service.[2] These men fought fires using bucket chains and also patrolled
the streets with the authority to impose corporal punishment upon those who violated fire-prevention
codes. The Emperor Augustus established a public fire department in 24 BCE, composed of 600
slaves distributed amongst seven fire stations in Rome.[3]

1600s and 1700s: Property Insurance Companies, Public Funding, and

Improved Firefighting Technology[edit]
Fire departments were again formed by property insurance companies beginning in the 17th century
after the Great Fire of London in 1666. The first insurance brigades were established the following

year.[4] Others began to realize that a lot of money could be made from this practice, and ten more
insurance companies set up in London before 1832: The Alliance, Atlas, Globe, Imperial, London,
Protector, Royal Exchange, Sun Union and Westminster.[5] Each company had its own fire mark, a
durable plaque that would be affixed to the building exterior. A company's fire brigade would not
extinguish a burning building if it did not have the correct fire mark. [6]
Amsterdam also had a sophisticated firefighting system in the late 17th century, under the direction
of artist Jan van der Heyden, who had improved the designs of both fire hoses and fire pumps.[7]
The city of Boston, Massachusetts, established America's first publicly funded, paid fire
department in 1679.[8][9] Fire insurance made its debut in the American colonies in South Carolina in
1736, but it was Benjamin Franklin who imported the London model of insurance. He established the
colonies' first fire insurance company in Philadelphia named the Philadelphia Contributionship,[4] as
well as its associated Union Volunteer Fire Company, which was an unpaid (volunteer) company.[10]
In 1754,[11] Halifax, Nova Scotia established the Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency, which is today
Canada's oldest fire department.
In 1773, the city of Petersburg, Virginia established one of the first fire departments in the United
States[12][13] and it was also made up of unpaid volunteers[14]

1800s: Fire Companies and Municipal Fire Departments [edit]

In the 19th century, the practice of fire brigades refusing to put out fires in buildings that were
uninsured led to the demand of central command for fire companies. [citation needed] Cities began to form
their own fire departments as a civil service to the public, obliging private fire companies to shut
down, many merging their fire stations into the city's fire department. In 1833, London's ten
independent brigades all merged to form the London Fire Engine Establishment (LFEE), with James
Braidwood as the Chief Officer.[15] Braidwood had previously been the fire chief in Edinburgh, where
the world's first municipal fire service was founded in 1824, and he is now regarded, along with Van
der Heyden, as one of founders of modern firefighting. [7] The LFEE then was incorporated into the
city's Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1865 under Eyre Massey Shaw.
Established in 1853, the Cincinnati Fire Department is the oldest paid fully professional municipal
fire department in the United States.[16]
In 1879, Notre Dame University established the first University-based fire department in the United
States [17]

1900s: Motorized Fire Departments[edit]

In 1906, the first motorized fire department was organized in Springfield, Massachusetts, after Knox
Automobile of Springfield produced the first modern fire engineone year earlier.[18]

Emergency Medical Services[edit]

In many countries or regions (e.g. United States, Germany, Japan), fire departments are often
responsible for providing emergency medical services. Many firefighters are cross-trained
as certified first responders, emergency medical technicians, ambulance technicians, or paramedics.
Some services act only as "first responders" to medical emergencies, stabilizing the victim until an
ambulance can arrive. Many fire departments also operate ambulance services.

Fireman's pole
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The firepole in a fire station inToronto

A fireman's pole (also called a sliding pole, firepole, or tom) is a wooden pole or a metal tube or
pipe installed betweenfloors in fire stations, allowing firefighters responding to an alarm to quickly
descend to the ground floor faster than by using a standard staircase.
The device was invented in the 1870s by David Kenyon, in Chicago, Illinois, although it is often
incorrectly credited to theBoston Fire Department.
Contents
[hide]

1Overview

2History
2.1Safety issues

3Other uses

4References

Overview[edit]
Firefighters usually remain above the ground floor of fire stations until they receive a call for help,
after which they descend, don their firefighting gear, and board the fire engine as quickly as possible.
Until 1878, spiral staircases or sliding chutes were common, but not particularly fast. Fire houses
were also equipped with spiral staircases so the horses would not try to climb the stairs into the
living quarters.[1] The fireman's pole allows firefighters to move down much more quickly, although it
is not suitable for climbing up. The pole connects the ground floor to the ceiling of the floor above
through a hole in the ground floor ceiling. To use a pole, a firefighter puts his/her arms around it,
steps into the hole, and uses his/her legs to control the speed of the descent, somewhat similarly to
the technique used for fast-roping.

History[edit]

Lbeck, 1902. Part of the dormitory, behind the dayroom for the team. The crew is alerted, a man ascends the
sliding pole shaft

Vancouver firemen using firepoles to leave their dormitory, 1910

Capt. David B. Kenyon of Chicago's Engine Company No. 21 (an all-black engine company) worked
in a three-story fire station; the ground floor containing the firefighting equipment, the floor above
being the floor for recreation and sleeping, and the top floor being the hayloft which was used to
store the winter supply of hay for the fire engines' horses. During transport, the hay was secured to a
wagon using a wooden binding pole, which was stored in the hayloft when not in use. Firefighter
George Reid slid down the pole to respond to a call for help once, which inspired Captain David
Kenyon to create a permanent pole.
In 1878 he convinced the Chief of Department to make the necessary hole in the building and install
the pole, after agreeing to pay for any necessary maintenance. The Company crafted a pole out of a
Georgia pine beam by shaving and sanding it into a 3" diameter pole which they gave several coats
of varnish and a coat of paraffin.
After being the target of many jokes, people realized Company 21 was usually the first company to
arrive when called, especially at night, and the Chief of Department ordered the poles to be installed
in all Chicago fire stations. In 1880 the firstbrass pole was installed in the Boston Fire Department.

Safety issues[edit]

Firepoles in a fire station inMunich

Losing one's grip on the pole can result in falling from a great height; the firefighter may hit an object
such as a door extending from a truck; poor speed control can result in injured or even broken legs
upon impact with the floor; and burnscan occur due to friction against the pole.
Slide poles can be made safer. Cushions can be placed around the base of the pole to soften
landings. Other safety features include railings, baskets or closets that surround part of the opening,
weight-activated doors that open only when weight is applied to the pole to prevent accidental falls,
and exhaust control systems that prevent fumes from the apparatus bay from coming into the living
quarters.[2][3]
Despite the strong tradition and time advantage of slide poles, the National Fire Protection
Association has called for the removal of all poles from US fire stations due to safety hazards.
[4]
Many cities have removed poles from their stations, but some new multilevel fire stations include
slide poles with appropriate safety features.[5]
The policy of the New Zealand Fire Service is that existing fire poles not be used and that no newly
constructed stations shall have them.[citation needed] As a result, most new fire stations are designed and
built on a single level. In some older stations, particularly historic ones built on three levels,
firefighters on the top floor will still use the pole because of the significant delay associated with
taking the stairs.
Some American Fire Services are seeking to improve the safety of the fire pole system itself.
Products such as "A Better Fire Pole Mat" are claiming that injuries can be reduced if they use
commercial grade impact attenuation systems.

Other uses[edit]

Man sliding down a pole in a children's playground

Firepoles are seen in popular films, including Ghostbusters and Bridget Jones's Diary feature, and in
the Batman 1960s TV series, where they appear in Batman's Wayne Manor as access to
the Batcave below. In the Korean sitcom High Kick!, Lee Min Yong's room is connected with the rest
of the house by a fireman's pole.
In Season One of the Disney Channel television series JONAS, the Lucas family lives in a converted
fire station in New Jersey, complete with three firepoles that connect the studio space of Kevin, Joe,
and Nick Lucas (the fictional band JONAS) with the family space on a lower level of the house.
Some airbases in Germany were also equipped with firemen's poles to expedite travel from the
second-floor ready rooms to their aircraft in the event of a scramble. The military and law
enforcement tactical teams also use a similar sliding descent, known as fast-roping, to quickly
descend from helicopters on large-diameter ropes. Gloves must be worn to prevent friction burns.
Sliding poles are part of many children's playgrounds.
Firemen's poles are also major gameplay elements in such video games as Montezuma's
Revenge and the second Commander Keen trilogy.

ersonal protective equipment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Safety helmet" redirects here. It is not to be confused with hard hat.

Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) agents wearing Level B hazmat suits

Safety equipment and supervisor instructions at a construction site

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other
garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards
addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards,
and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-related occupational
safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. "Protective
clothing" is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and "protective gear" applies to items such as
pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others.
The purpose of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when
engineering and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to reduce these risks to
acceptable levels. PPE is needed when there are hazards present. PPE has the serious limitation
that it does not eliminate the hazard at source and may result in employees being exposed to the
hazard if the equipment fails.[1]
Any item of PPE imposes a barrier between the wearer/user and the working environment. This can
create additional strains on the wearer; impair their ability to carry out their work and create
significant levels of discomfort. Any of these can discourage wearers from using PPE correctly,
therefore placing them at risk of injury, ill-health or, under extreme circumstances, death. Good
ergonomic design can help to minimise these barriers and can therefore help to ensure safe and
healthy working conditions through the correct use of PPE.
Practices of occupational safety and health can use hazard controls and interventions to mitigate
workplace hazards, which pose a threat to the safety and quality of life of workers. The hierarchy of
hazard control hierarchy of control provides a policy framework which ranks the types of hazard
controls in terms of absolute risk reduction. At the top of the hierarchy are elimination and
substitution, which remove the hazard entirely or replace the hazard with a safer alternative. If
elimination or substitution measures cannot apply, engineering controls and administrative controls,
which seek to design safer mechanisms and coach safer human behavior, are implemented.
Personal protective equipment ranks last on the hierarchy of controls, as the workers are regularly
exposed to the hazard, with a barrier of protection. The hierarchy of controls is important in
acknowledging that, while personal protective equipment has tremendous utility, it is not the desired
mechanism of control in terms of worker safety.
Contents
[hide]

1Types
o

1.1Respirators

1.2Skin protection

1.3Eye protection

1.4Hearing protection

1.5Protective clothing and ensembles

1.5.1Ensembles

1.5.2In sports

2Limits of the definition

3Legislation in the European Union

4Gallery

5See also

6References

7External links

Types

A 1568 painting depicting beekeepers in protective clothing

Personal protective equipment can be categorized by the area of the body protected, by the types of
hazard, and by the type of garment or accessory. A single item, for example boots, may provide
multiple forms of protection: a steel toe cap and steel insoles for protection of the feet from crushing
or puncture injuries, impervious rubber and lining for protection from water and chemicals, high
reflectivity and heat resistance for protection from radiant heat, and high electrical resistivity for
protection from electric shock. The protective attributes of each piece of equipment must be
compared with the hazards expected to be found in the workplace. More breathable types of
personal protective equipment may not lead to more contamination but do result in greater user
satisfaction.[2]

Respirators
Main article: Respirator

Air-purifying respirator

Respirators serve to protect the user from breathing in contaminants in the air, thus preserving the
health of one's respiratory tract. There are two main types of respirators. One type functions by
filtering out chemicals and gases, or airborne particles, from the air breathed by the user.[3] The
filtration may be either passive or active (powered). Gas masks and particulate respirators are
examples of this type of respirator. A second type protects users by providing clean, respirable air
from another source. This type includes airline respirators and self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA).[3] In work environments, respirators are relied upon when adequate ventilation is
not available or other engineering control systems are not feasible or inadequate. [3]
In the United Kingdom, an organization that has extensive expertise in respiratory protective
equipment is the Institute of Occupational Medicine. This expertise has been built on a long-standing
and varied research programme that has included the setting of workplace protection factors to the
assessment of efficacy of masks available through high street retail outlets. [citation needed]
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), NHS Health Scotland and Healthy Working Lives (HWL)
have jointly developed the RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment) Selector Tool, which is webbased. This interactive tool provides descriptions of different types of respirators and breathing
apparatuses, as well as "dos and don'ts" for each type. [4]
In the United States, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides
recommendations on respirator use, in accordance to NIOSH federal respiratory regulations 42 CFR
Part 84.[3] The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) of NIOSH is tasked
towards actively conducting studies on respirators and providing recommendations. [5]

Skin protection

Locker containing personal protective equipment

Occupational skin diseases such as contact dermatitis, skin cancers, and other skin injuries and
infections are the second-most common type of occupational disease and can be very costly.[6] Skin
hazards, which lead to occupational skin disease, can be classified into four groups. Chemical
agents can come into contact with the skin through direct contact with contaminated surfaces,
deposition of aerosols, immersion or splashes.[6] Physical agents such as extreme temperatures and
ultraviolet or solar radiation can be damaging to the skin over prolonged exposure. [6] Mechanical
trauma occurs in the form of friction, pressure, abrasions, lacerations and contusions. [6] Biological
agents such as parasites, microorganisms, plants and animals can have varied effects when
exposed to the skin.[6]
Any form of PPE that acts as a barrier between the skin and the agent of exposure can be
considered skin protection. Because much work is done with the hands, gloves are an essential item
in providing skin protection. Some examples of gloves commonly used as PPE include rubber
gloves, cut-resistant gloves, chainsaw gloves and heat-resistant gloves. For sports and other
recreational activities, many different gloves are used for protection, generally against mechanical
trauma.
Other than gloves, any other article of clothing or protection worn for a purpose serve to protect the
skin. Lab coats for example, are worn to protect against potential splashes of chemicals. Face
shields serve to protect one's face from potential impact hazards, chemical splashes or possible
infectious fluid.

Eye protection
Main article: Eye protection

A paintball player wearing appropriate eye protection against impact.

Each day, about 2000 US workers have a job-related eye injury that requires medical attention. [7] Eye
injuries can happen through a variety of means. Most eye injuries occur when solid particles such as
metal slivers, wood chips, sand or cement chips get into the eye. [7] Smaller particles in smokes and
larger particles such as broken glass also account for particulate matter-causing eye injuries. Blunt
force trauma can occur to the eye when excessive force comes into contact with the eye. Chemical
burns, biological agents, and thermal agents, from sources such as welding torches and UV light,
also contribute to occupational eye injury.[8]
While the required eye protection varies by occupation, the safety provided can be generalized.
Safety glasses provide protection from external debris, and should provide side protection via a
wrap-around design or side shields.[8]

Goggles provide better protection than safety glasses, and are effective in preventing eye
injury from chemical splashes, impact, dusty environments and welding. [8] Goggles with high air
flow should be used to prevent fogging.[8]

Face shields provide additional protection and are worn over the standard eyewear; they
also provide protection from impact, chemical, and blood-borne hazards.[8]

Full-facepiece respirators are considered the best form of eye protection when respiratory
protection is needed as well, but may be less effective against potential impact hazards to the
eye.[8]

Eye protection for welding is shaded to different degrees, depending on the specific
operation.[8]

Hearing protection
Industrial noise is often overlooked as an occupational hazard, as it is not visible to the eye. Overall,
about 22 million workers in the United States are exposed to potentially damaging noise levels each
year.[9] Occupational hearing loss accounted for 14% of all occupational illnesses in 2007, with about
23,000 cases significant enough to cause permanent hearing impairment. [9] About 82% of
occupational hearing loss cases occurred to workers in the manufacturing sector.[9] TheOccupational
Safety and Health Administration establishes occupational noise exposure standards. [10] NIOSH
recommends that worker exposures to noise be reduced to a level equivalent to 85 dBA for eight
hours to reduce occupational noise-induced hearing loss.[11]

PPE for hearing protection consists of earplugs and earmuffs. Workers who are regularly exposed to
noise levels above the NIOSH recommendation should be furnished hearing protection by the
employers, as they are a low-cost intervention.

Protective clothing and ensembles

See also: List of personal protective equipment by body area

A complete PPE ensemble worn during high pressure cleaning work

This form of PPE is all-encompassing and refers to the various suits and uniforms worn to protect
the user from harm. Lab coats worn by scientists and ballistic vests worn by law enforcement
officials, which are worn on a regular basis, would fall into this category. Entire sets of PPE, worn
together in a combined suit, are also in this category.
Ensembles
Below are some examples of ensembles of personal protective equipment, worn together for a
specific occupation or task, to provide maximum protection for the user.

Chainsaw protection (especially a helmet with face guard, hearing protection, kevlar chaps,
anti-vibration gloves, andchainsaw safety boots). Specific information about chainsaw protection
appears in the chainsaw safety clothing article.

Bee-keepers wear various levels of protection depending on the temperament of their bees
and the reaction of the bees to nectar availability. At minimum most bee keepers wear a
brimmed hat and a veil made of hardware cloth similar to window-screen material. The next level
of protection involves leather gloves with long gauntlets and some way of keeping bees from
crawling up one's trouser legs. In extreme cases, specially fabricated shirts and trousers can
serve as barriers to the bees' stingers.

Diving equipment, for underwater diving, constitute of equipment such as a diving mask,
an underwater breathing apparatus, a diving suit or wetsuit, andflippers.

Firefighters wear PPE designed to provide protection against fires and various fumes and
gases. PPE worn by firefighters include bunker gear, self-contained breathing apparatus,
a helmet, safety boots, and a PASS device.
In sports
Main article: Protective gear in sports

Participants in sports often wear protective equipment. Studies performed on the injuries of
professional athletes, such as that on NFL players,[12][13] question the effectiveness of existing
personal protective equipment.

Limits of the definition

Workers using personal protective equipment while painting poles. While basic head protection is present, no
engineering fall protection systems appear to be in place.

The definition of what constitutes as personal protective equipment varies by country. In the United
States, the laws regarding PPE also vary by state. In 2011, workplace safety complaints were
brought against Hustler and other adult film production companies by the AIDS Healthcare
Foundation, leading to several citations brought by Cal/OSHA.[14] The failure to usecondoms by adult
film stars was a violation of Cal/OSHA's Blood borne Pathogens Program, Personal Protective
Equipment.[14]This example shows that personal protective equipment can cover a variety of
occupations in the United States, and has a wide-ranging definition.

Legislation in the European Union

At the European Union level, personal protective equipment is governed by Directive 89/686/EEC on
personal protective equipment (PPE). The Directive is designed to ensure that PPE meets common
quality and safety standards by setting out basic safety requirements for personal protective
equipment, as well as conditions for its placement on the market and free movement within the EU
single market. It covers any device or appliance designed to be worn or held by an individual for

protection against one or more health and safety hazards.[15] The directive was adopted on 21
January 1989 and came into force on 1 July 1992. The European Commission additionally allowed
for a transition period until 30 June 1995 to give companies sufficient time to adapt to the legislation.
After this date, all PPE placed on the market in EU Member States was required to comply with the
requirements of Directive 89/686/EEC and carry the CE Marking.
Article 1 of Directive 89/686/EEC defines personal protective equipment as any device or appliance
designed to be worn or held by an individual for protection against one or more health and safety
hazards. PPE which falls under the scope of the Directive is divided into three categories:

Category I: simple design (e.g. gardening gloves, footwear, ski goggles)

Category II: PPE not falling into category I or III (e.g. personal flotation devices, dry and wet
suits)
Category III: complex design (e.g. respiratory equipment, harnesses)

Directive 89/686/EEC on personal protective equipment does not distinguish between PPE for
professional use and PPE for leisure purposes.
Personal protective equipment falling within the scope of the Directive must comply with the basic
health and safety requirements set out in Annex II of the Directive. To facilitate conformity with these
requirements, harmonized standards are developed at the European or international level by
the European Committee for Standardization (CEN, CENELEC) and the International Organization
for Standardization in relation to the design and manufacture of the product. Usage of the
harmonized standards is voluntary and provides presumption of conformity. However, manufacturers
may choose an alternative method of complying with the requirements of the Directive.
Personal protective equipment excluded from the scope of the Directive includes:

PPE designed for and used by the armed forces or in the maintenance of law and order;

PPE for self-defence (e.g. aerosol canisters, personal deterrent weapons);

PPE designed and manufactured for personal use against adverse atmospheric conditions
(e.g. seasonal clothing, umbrellas), damp and water (e.g. dish-washing gloves) and heat;

PPE used on vessels and aircraft but not worn at all times;

helmets and visors intended for users of two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles.

The European Commission is currently working to revise Directive 89/686/EEC. The revision will
look at the scope of the Directive, the conformity assessment procedures and technical requirements
regarding market surveillance. It will also align the Directive with the New Legalislative Framework.
The European Commission is likely to publish its proposal in 2013. It will then be discussed by
the European Parliament and Council of the European Union under the ordinary legislative
procedure before being published in the Official Journal of the European Union and becoming law.

Firefighting apparatus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Fire apparatus)

An example of a fire engine from the Fort Johnson Fire Company in the United States

A firefighting apparatus describes any vehicle that has been customized for use
during firefighting operations. These vehicles are highly customized depending on their needs and
the duty they will be performing. These duties can include firefighting, vehicle extrication, dangerous
goods investigations, urban search and rescue,medical emergency, swift water rescue and plane
crashes.
Contents
[hide]

1Color

2Types

3History

4Audible and visual warnings

5See also

6References

7External links

Color[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Fire
engines by color.

See also: fire engine red

While fire engine red remains the most common color for firefighting apparatus, it is not required.
[1]
For example, theChicago Fire Department has a long-standing tradition of painting their apparatus
black over red.[1] Neighboring departments will also often use different colors to distinguish their
apparatus. For example, the Santa Barbara Fire Department uses the traditional fire engine red
while the neighboring Santa Barbara County Fire Department elects to use blue over white.
A study by the American Psychological Association publish in February 2014 indicated that limeyellow is a significantly safer color for emergency vehicles because of its increased visibility.[2] The
study showed that lime-yellow fire apparatus were half as likely to be involved in accidents as red
vehicles.[2]

Types[edit]

A fire engine, capable of pumping water through a series of hose lines.

A ladder truck from the United States

A tanker from the United States, holding 2,000 gallons of water.

A rescue truck, used for EMS calls and in situations where mobility and speed are necessary.

Aerial fire apparatus

Airtanker - fixed-wing aircraft fitted with tanks for dropping water or Phos-Chek

Helitack - helicopters used in aerial firefighting

Airport crash tender - engine used at aerodromes for aircraft emergencies

Fireboat

Fire engine

Wildland-urban interface engine

Type 1 fire engine

Type 2 fire engine

Fire truck

Tiller truck

Platform truck - truck with a platform mounted on the aerial

Quint - a hybrid fire truck/fire engine

Hazardous materials apparatus - vehicle used for investigations of potentially dangerous
goods

Heavy rescue vehicle

Light and air unit

Rehab unit - a vehicle used to re-hydrate and provide medical monitoring to firefighters and
other emergency personnel. See Fire Department Rehab

Water tender - also known as a tanker, carries large quantities of water to the fire scene.

Wildland fire engine

Type 3 fire engine

Type 4 fire engine

Type 5 fire engine

Type 6 fire engine

Type 7 fire engine

Wildland water tender

History[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Historical
fire engines.

Manually drawn fire pump in service in Edinburgh in 1824.

An early device used to squirt water onto a fire is a squirt or fire syringe. Hand squirts and hand
pumps are noted beforeCtesibius of Alexandria invented the first fire pump around the 2nd century
B.C.,[3] and an example of a force-pump possibly used for a fire-engine is mentioned by Heron of
Alexandria. The fire pump was reinvented in Europe during the 16th century, reportedly used
in Augsburg in 1518 and Nuremberg in 1657. A book of 1655 inventions mentions a steam engine
(called afire engine) pump used to "raise a column of water 40 feet [12 m]", but there was no
mention of whether it was portable.
Colonial laws in America required each house to have a bucket of water on the front stoop during
fires at night. These buckets were intended for use by the initial bucket brigade that would supply the
water at fires. Philadelphia obtained a hand-pumped fire engine in 1719, years after Lynn's 1654
model appeared there, made by Joseph Jencks, but before New York's two engines arrived from
London.

Knox fire engine, one of the first modern fire engines, manufactured in 1905 in Springfield, Massachusetts by
the Knox Automobile Company.

By 1730, Richard Newsham, in London, had made successful fire engines; the first used in New
York City (in 1731) were of his make (six years before formation of the NYC volunteer fire
department). The amount of manpower and skill necessary for firefighting prompted the institution of
an organized fire company by Benjamin Franklin in 1737. Thomas Lote built the first fire engine
made in America in 1743. These earliest engines are called hand tubs because they are manually
(hand) powered and the water was supplied by bucket brigade dumped into a tub (cistern) where the

pump had a permanent intake pipe. An important advancement around 1822 was the invention of an
engine which could draft water from a water source doing away with the bucket brigade. Philadelphia
fire engine manufacturers Sellers and Pennock model the Hydraulion is said to be the first suction
engine produced in 1822.[4] Some models had the hard, suction hose fixed to the intake and curled
up over the apparatus known as a squirrel tail engine.
The earliest engines were small and were carried by four men or mounted on skids and dragged to a
fire. The earliest four-wheel carriage mounted engines were pulled to the fire by hand. As the
engines grew larger they became horse-drawn and later self-propelled by steam engines. John
Ericsson is credited with building the first American steam-powered fire engine. John
Braithwaite built the first steam fire-engine in Britain.
Until the mid-19th century, most fire engines were maneuvered by men, but the introduction of
horse-drawn fire engines considerably improved the response time to incidents. The first selfpropelled steam-driven fire engine was built in New York in 1841. It was the target of sabotage by
firefighters and its use was discontinued, and motorized fire engines did not become commonplace
until the early 20th century. By 1905, the idea of combining gas engine motor trucks into fire engines
was attracting great attention; according to a Popular Mechanics article in that year,[5] such trucks
were rapidly gaining popularity in England. That same year, the Knox Automobile
Company of Springfield, Massachusetts began selling what some[6] have described as the world's
first modern fire engine. A year later, the City of Springfield had an entire modern fire department
supplied with Knox fire engines.
For many years firefighters sat on the sides of the fire engines, or even stood on the rear of the
vehicles, exposed to the elements. This arrangement was uncomfortable and dangerous (some
firefighters were thrown to their deaths when their fire engines made sharp turns on the road), and
today nearly all fire engines have fully enclosed seating areas for their crews.

Audible and visual warnings[edit]

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article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and
removed. (March 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Active visual warnings of a North American-type fire appliance

Passive visual warnings involve the use of high contrast patterns to increase the noticeability of the
vehicle. These types of warnings are often seen on older vehicles and those in developing countries.
[7]
More modern designs make use ofretroreflectors to reflect light from other vehicles. Vehicles will
also often have these reflectors arranged in a chevron pattern along with the words fire or rescue.
[7]
European countries commonly use a pattern known as battenburg markings.[citation needed]
Along with the passive warnings, are active visual warnings which are usually in the form of flashing
coloured lights (also known as "beacons" or "lightbars"). These flash to attract the attention of other
road users as the fire appliance approaches, or to provide warning to motorists approaching a

stopped appliance in a dangerous position on the road. Additionally the lights are accompanied by
loud sirens.[7]
In addition to visual warnings, most appliances are also fitted with audible warnings, sometimes
known as sirens, which can alert people to the presence of an emergency vehicle before they can be
seen. The first audible warnings were mechanical bells, mounted on the front or roof of the truck.
Most vehicles are now fitted with electronic sirens, which can produce a range of different sounds.
Fire service driving training often includes the use of different sounds depending on traffic conditions
and maneuver being performed. For instance, on a clear road, approaching a junction, the "wail"
setting may be used, which gives a long up and down variation, with an unbroken tone, whereas, in
heavy slow traffic, a "yelp" setting may be preferred, which is like a wail, but faster.
The speakers for modern sirens can be located in several places on the vehicle, including being
integral to the lightbar, or hidden in the grille. Some vehicles may also be fitted with airhorn audible
warnings. The "acoustic" or "air" traditional sirens are still in wide use, most notably on North
American-type fire apparatus but other countries such as Japan have fitted their apparatus with
these types of warning systems as well, as its overtones help the public "locate" and avoid the fire
truckthe newer electronic signals disperse almost pure electronic sine wave tones, which are hard
to locate, especially in city "canyons" of buildings. Furthermore, "air" sirens are generally much,
much louder. In Chile, many vehicles are fitted with three types of audible warnings, which are
sounded all at once: the classic "air" siren, the electronic "yelp", and the European two-tone air horns
(sometimes newer vehicles are fitted with the electronic version of the latter, commonly called "HiLo").
A development is the use of the RDS system of car radios, whereby the vehicle can be fitted with a
short range FM transmitter, set to RDS code 31, which interrupts the radio of all cars within range, in
the manner of a traffic broadcast, but in such a way that the user of the receiving radio is unable to
opt out of the message (as with traffic broadcasts). This feature is built into all RDS radios for use in
national emergency broadcast systems, but short range units on emergency vehicles can prove an
effective means of alerting traffic to their presence, although is not able to alert pedestrians and nonRDS radio users.

Valenzuela, Metro Manila

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Valenzuela
Highly Urbanized City

City of Valenzuela

Montage of Valenzuela. Clockwise from top-left: Hall

of Justice; Po Valenzuela Residence;People's
Park; San Diego de Alcala Church; Valenzuela City
Hall

Flag
Seal

Nickname(s): "Vibrant City"

Anthem: "Himig Valenzuela" ("Valenzuela Hymn")

Location within Metro Manila

Valenzuela
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

1442N 12059ECoordinates:
N 12059E

Country

Philippines

Region

National Capital Region

(Third district)[1]

Province

None

1442

Legislative

1st and 2nd

districts
Established

November 12, 1623[2][3]

Cityhood

February 14, 1998[4]

Founded by

Juan Taranco and Juan Monsod

Barangays

33

Government
Type

Strong mayor-council
government (LGU)

Representa
tives

Congressmen[show]

Mayor

Rexlon T. Gatchalian(NPC)

Vice mayor

Lorena C. Natividad-Borja (NPC)

Area
City

45.75 km2 (17.66 sq mi)

Area rank

119th of 145 cities

Elevation[5]

38 m (125 ft)

Population (2015 census)[6]

City

620,422

Rank

13th of 145 cities

Density

14,000/km2(35,000/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Valenzuelano, Valenzuelao

Time zone

PHT (UTC+8)

ZIP code

144048; 1469; 0550; 0560

Area code

02

Spoken

Tagalog, English,Chinese, Spanish

languages

and other regional languages

Website

www.valenzuela.gov.ph

Valenzuela (/vlnzjul/; Tagalog pronunciation: [blenswel] or [blensuwel]), officially the City

of Valenzuela[7] (Filipino: Lungsod ng Valenzuela) (ISO: PH-00; PSGC: 137504000[8]) or
simply Valenzuela City, is the 119th largest city in the Philippines and one of the 16 cities that
comprised the National Capital Region, located about 14 km (7.9 miles) north of the country's capital
city, Manila. Valenzuela is categorized by virtue of Republic Act Nos. 7160 and 8526 as a highly
urbanized, first-class city based on income classification and number of population. [9][10][11] A
landlocked chartered city located on the island of Luzon, it is bordered by the province
ofBulacan, Quezon City, Caloocan and Malabon. Valenzuela shares border and access
to Tenejeros-Tullahan Riverwith Malabon. With total area of 45.75 square kilometers and a
population of 620,422 in August 2015, Valenzuela is the 13th most populous city in the Philippines.
[6]
The city is composed of about 72% Tagalog people followed by 5%Bicolanos with a small
percentage of foreign nationals.
Valenzuela was named after Po Valenzuela, a doctor and a member of the Katipunan. The town
preceding Valenzuela that was originally called Polo was formed initially in 1621, and later formalized
in 1623, due to religious separation movements in Meycauayan. The infamous Battle of Malinta of
the PhilippineAmerican War was fought in Polo in 1899. In 1960, President Carlos P.
Garcia ordered the separation of Polo's southern barangays to form Valenzuela, which was
immediately revoked in 1963. The modern-day Valenzuela with its borders was chartered in 1998.
Owing to the cross migration of people across the country and its location as the northernmost point
of Metro Manila, Valenzuela has developed into a multicultural metropolis. A former agricultural rural
area, Valenzuela has grown into a major economic and industrial center of the Philippines when a
large number of industries relocated to the central parts of the city.[12]
Contents
[hide]

1Toponymy

2History
o

2.1Spanish era

2.2American era and Japanese occupation

2.3Modern history
3Geography

3.1Climate

3.2Ecology

4Government and politics

o

4.1City officials

4.2Administrative division

4.3Court system and police

5Demographics

6Culture
o

6.1"Himig Valenzuela"

6.2Landmarks and attractions

6.3Feasts and holidays

7Services
o

7.1Education

7.2Healthcare

7.3Shopping centers and utilities

7.4Waste management

7.5Justice management

8Transportation

9External relations
o

9.1Friendship links

10Notable people

11See also

12References
o

12.1Books
13External links

Toponymy[edit]
In Spanish, Valenzuela is a diminutive form of Valencia which means "little Valencia".[13] The
name Valenzuela is also the surname of Po Valenzuela, a Tagalog physician who was one of the
leaders of Katipunan. He was regarded as a member of the Katipunan triumvirate that started
the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial authorities in 1896. He also served as the
provisional chairman for the Katipunan.[14][15]
Valenzuela was originally called Polo.[16] The name Polo was derived from the Tagalog term pul,
which means island, even though the area was not an island. The original town of Polo was
surrounded by the rivers from the north and Tullahan River on the south. [17]

History[edit]
Spanish era[edit]
For hundreds of years, present-day Valenzuela, Obando and Novaliches (now in Quezon City) were
parts ofBulacan. Areas now covered by Valenzuela included a Spanish friar's hacienda, small
political settlements and a Spanish garrison.[18] These areas were known as Polo. The region was
bounded by the Tullahan River on the south and streams of branching Ro Grande de Pampanga on
some areas.
When Manila became an archdiocese in 1595, regular friars who had already established permanent
churches in Catanghalan, Bulacan decided that the sitio of Polo be separated from the town and
have its own church to cater its increasing spiritual needs. Through successive efforts
of Franciscan Fray Juan Taranco and Don Juan Monsod, sitioPolo was successfully separated from
Catanghalan on November 7, 1621, the feast day of the town's new patron,San Diego de Alcala (as
appeared on the historical records in Errecciones de los Pueblos of the Philippine National
Archives).[19] Thus, the first cabeza de barangay of the new town of Polo was Monsod while Taranco
run the parish which would become the present-day San Diego de Alcal parish on a small tavern.
[20]
The separation was made legal upon the orders of Governor-General Alonso Fajardo de
Entenza on November 12, 1623. Later, the date of November 12 is adopted as the foundation day of
the city.[2][3]
From 1627-1629, construction of a parochial church dedicated to San Diego de Alcala started, under
the supervision of Fr. Jos Valencia, aided by Juan Tibay. In 1852, the church was repaired and
remodeled under the direction of Fr. Vicente. The church was later rededicated to another patron,
the Nuestra Senora de la Inmaculada Concepcion. A convent was also built, followed by a common
house (casa tribunal) that had a rectangular prison cell and a school house made of stone. [21] Later

on, the small sitio of Obando was separated from Polo and incorporated to Bulacan by the Marquis
of Brindisi.[21]
After the British successfully occupied Manila and surrounding suburbs in 17621764 during
the Seven Years' War, the colonial government led by Simn de Anda y Salazar fled to Bacolor,
Pampanga through Polo. The British followed Anda, and at one point staying in sitio Mabolo while
waiting for orders from Governor Dawsonne Drake. They explored the nearby communities of
Malanday, Wakas, Dalandanan, Pasolo, Rincon and Malinta. The terrified local population fled and
sought refuge in the forests of Viente Reales where many of them died of malaria.[22] The British
proceeded to Malolos, Bulacan where they were ambushed by the stationed Spanish soldiers. After
the war, the local population of Polo returned to their homes by May 12, 1763 after days of
reconstruction. Today, May 12 every year is celebrated as the feast of San Roque and memorial to
those who died in the Seven Years' War.[22]
In 1856, sitio Novaliches was split from Polo to become an independent town. On June 3, 1865, a
strong earthquake destroyed the belfry of San Diego, followed by an epidemic that killed thousands
of people.[23]
In 1869, Filipino physician and patriot Po Valenzuela was born in Polo. He would be later known as
one of the key leaders of the Katipunan, which he joined in 1892 at the age of 23. His admission to
the society led to the more recruits from Polo, including Ulpiano Fernndez, Gregorio Flamenco,
Crispiniano Agustines, and Faustino Duque. Fernndez held a special role in the Katipunan as
printer of Ang Kalayaan newspaper when Valenzuela was the chief editor.[24]
A constituted branch of the Katipunan was established in Polo on February 1, 1896. [25] The town
joined other revolutionaries when the Philippine Revolution broke. One of the notable battles in Polo
occurred in sitios Bitik and Pasong Balite in Pugad-Baboy, where the locals won under the command
of General Tiburcio de Len y Gregorio.[26] During the revolution, the Spanish massacred many
residents, most of them in Malinta. Suspected revolutionaries were hanged and tortured to death.
Many were forced to admit guilt or shout innocent names; others were shot without trial. [27]

American era and Japanese occupation[edit]

Valenzuela was named after Po Valenzuela, a Filipino revolutionary who was born in Polo in 1869.

The Americans imposed military government when they acquire Philippines from Spain as part of
the peace treaty of the SpanishAmerican War. They appointed Dr. Po Valenzuela as the first
president (presidente municipal) of Polo on September 6, 1899. He resigned in February 1901, and
an election was held. Later that year, the government proclaimed Rufino Valenzuela, a relative of Po
as the second president and first elected president of the town.[28]
When the PhilippineAmerican War broke out in 1899, the Americans were directed to
capture Emilio Aguinaldo who was escaping to Malolos, Bulacan. Polo was one of the towns where
Aguinaldo retreated, thus it received heavy casualties on the first stages of the war.[29] On February
22, 1899, General Antonio Luna camped at Polo after an unsuccessful engagement with the
American forces in Caloocan.[29][30][31]
The entrance of the Japanese in Polo during the Second World War was met with no resistance. The
people during the Japanese time enjoyed prosperity for Polo became a market town. There were
more signs of cooperation and social contact among the inhabitants but on the contrary, fear of
reprisals from the Japanese predominated. There were too many murders committed. The place
became a center of Makapili and spies who troubled the peaceful civilians. The sudden appearance
of the Japanese added terror to the place.
The reign of terror climaxed on December 10, 1944. It was a day of mourning for the people of Polo
and Obando when the Japanese massacred more than hundred males in both towns. About 1:00 am
on this day up to the setting of the sun cries could be heard from the municipal building when males
were tortured to death. Mayor Feliciano Ponciano met the same fate when he died on cruel death
together with other municipal officials.[32]
When liberation came, the town was partly burned by the approaching the military forces of
combined Filipino and American regiments who used flamethrowers. They bombed and shelled big
houses in the town not exempting even the more than 300 years old church of San Diego. [32]
The historical old bridge connecting northern and southern areas of the town was destroyed by the
Japanese thus separating Polo in two parts. The northern part was at once liberated by joint Filipino
and American troops while the southern part, which includes the municipal center poblacion was still
under the Japanese banner. The Japanese abandoned the town on February 11, 1945 when the
combined troops were able to cross the river and took the town.

Modern history[edit]

Barangay hall of Balangkas.

Welcome (boundary) arch view from Obando, Bulacan.

On July 21, 1960, President Carlos P. Garcia signed Executive Order No. 401 which divided Polo
into two: Polo and Valenzuela. Polo comprised the northern barangays of Wawang Pulo, Poblacion,
Palasan, Arkong Bato, Pariancillo Villa, Balangkas, Mabolo, Coloong, Malanday, Bisig, Tagalag,
Rincon, Pasolo, Punturin, Bignay, Viente Reales, and Dalandanan. Valenzuela, on the other hand,
comprised the southern barangays of Karuhatan, Marulas, Malinta, Ugong, Mapulang Lupa,
Canumay, Maysan, Parada, Paso de Blas, Bagbaguin and Torres Bugalln (now Gen. T. de Leon).
The division soon proved to be detrimental to economic growth in each town, so Bulacan Second
district Representative to theFifth Congress Rogaciano Mercado and Senator Francisco Soc
Rodrigo filed a bill which sought the reunification of the two towns. On September 11, 1963,
President Diosdado Macapagal signed Executive Order No. 46 which reunified Valenzuela and Polo,
adapting Valenzuela as the name of the resulting town.[33]
In 1967, mayor Ignacio Santiago, Sr. bought lots in Karuhatan in which the new municipal hall would
be built. Misinterpretation of property surveys and tax appropriation issues sparked the debate on
which barangay should the municipal hall be belonged to: Karuhatan or Maysan. To resolve the
issue, Santiago ordered the creation of a new barangay which was called Poblacion II, a reference
to the old Poblacion barangay.[34]
On November 7, 1975, jurisdiction over Valenzuela was moved from the province of Bulacan to
Metro Manila. Metro Manila was then headed by First Lady Imelda Marcos as its governor.[35]

In 1968, M.H. del Pilar St. was renovated and converted into the M.H. del Pilar Superhighway. In the
same year, MacArthur Highway a segment of MacArthur Highway was constructed in Valenzuela.
MacArthur Highway connects Manila to northern provinces of the Philippines. [36]
The passage of the Local Government Code in 1991 provided local governments autonomy which
has allowed them develop into self-reliant communities. On February 14, 1998, President Fidel V.
Ramos signed Republic Act No. 8526, which converted the municipality of Valenzuela into a highly
urbanized chartered city. The law also ordered the division of the newly created city into
two legislative districts.[9] When the law was ratified on December 30, 1998, Valenzuela became the
12th city to be admitted in Metro Manila and the 83rd in the Philippines.[37][38]
In 2002, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo proclaimed July 11 every year as Valenzuela Day,
which was an official holiday in the city that commemorates the birth date of Po Valenzuela.
[19]
However, in 2008, the date of the city's charter day was transferred to February 14. Today,
Valenzuela City celebrates Valenzuela Dayand Valenzuela Foundation Day on February 14 and
November. 12 respectively[3][39]
On May 13, 2015, a fire broke out in Kentex Manufacturing factory in barangay Ugong, killing 74
people in the incident. In 2016, the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal of mayor Rex Gatchalian and
other city officials due to grave misconduct and negligence of duty during the incident. [40] This is
dubbed as the third worst fire incident in the country.[41]

Geography[edit]
Meycauayan (Bulacan)

Obando (Bulacan)

Valenzuel
a

Malabon (Metro Manila)

(Tullahan River)

North Caloocan (Metro Ma

Quezon City (Metro Man

South Caloocan (Metro Ma

Satellite image of Valenzuela.

Valenzuela is located at 144058N 120581E and is about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north of country's
capital, Manila. Manila Bay, the country's top port for trade and industry is located about 16.3
kilometres (10.1 mi) west of the city. Valenzuela is bordered in the north by the town of Obando and
the city of Meycauayan in Bulacan, the city of Navotas in the west, Malabon in the south and
Quezon City and northern portion of Caloocan in the east.
The highest elevation point is 38 metres (125 ft) above sea level. Having a surface gradient of 0.55%
and a gentle slope, hilly landscape is located in the industrial section of the city in Canumay. The
average elevation point is 2 metres (6.6 ft) above sea level.[5]
Apart from the political borders set by the law, Valenzuela and Malabon is also separated by the 15kilometer Tenejeros-Tullahan River or simply Tullahan River.[42] The river obtained its name
from tulya or clam due to the abundance of such shellfish in the area.[43] Tullahan is a part of the
Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando river system of central Luzon.[44] It is now considered biologically
dead[45] and one of the dirtiest river system in the world,[44] though the city government believes the
river is not dead.[46] Tullahan riverbanks used to be lined with mangrove trees and rich with
freshwater fish and crabs. Children used to play in the river before it was polluted by developing
industries near it.[44]
In an effort to save the river, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Metropolitan
Manila Development Authority and the local governments of Valenzuela and Malabon signed
partnerships with private and non-government organizations to dredge the area.[42][45][46]
Increased climate variability, that is associated with global warming, has brought with it periods of
heavy rainfall and high tides which in turn results in stagnant water which can stay in the area for up
to 4 weeks due to insufficient drainage and improper solid waste disposal. People are often stranded
inside their homes and are exposed to water-borne diseases such as dengue and leptospirosis.
Better early warning systems are needed to manage the risk associated with increased rainfall. [47]

Climate[edit]
Valenzuela

Climate chart (explanation)

M A M

18

10

13

30 159 318 477 503 369 194 140

30 31

32 34

34

32

31

31

31

31

31

21 21

23 24

25

25

24

24

24

24

23

Average max. and min. temperatures in C

Precipitation totals in mm
Source: BBC Weather (Manila)

[show]Imperial conversion

Due to its location in Metro Manila, rainfall and climate in Valenzuela is almost similar to the
country's capital Manila. The location of Valenzuela in the western side of the Philippines
made Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) to
classify its weather scheme as Type I. Wind coming from the Pacific Ocean is generally blocked by
the Sierra Madre mountain range, several kilometers east of the city.[48]
Its proximity to the equator tends to make its temperature to rise and fall into very small range: from
as low as 20 C (68 F) to as high as 35 C (95 F), although humidity makes these warm to hot
temperatures feel much hotter. TheKppen climate system classifies Valenzuela climate as a
borderline tropical monsoon (Am) and tropical savanna (Aw)due to its location and precipitation
characteristics. This means that the city has two pronounced seasons: dry and wet seasons.
Humidity levels are usually high in the morning especially during JuneNovember which makes it
feel warmer.[citation needed] Lowest humidity levels are recorded in the evening during wet season.
Discomfort from heat and humidity is extreme during May and June, otherwise it is higher compared
to other places in the country. Average sunlight is maximum at 254.25 hours during April and
minimum at 113 hours during July, August and September.[49]

[hide]Climate data for Valenzuela, Philippines

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Average high C (F)

Daily mean C (F)

Average low C (F)

29.8

30.7

32.4

33.9

33.8

32.2

31.1

30.6

30.7

(85.6)

(87.3)

(90.3)

(93)

(92.8)

(90)

(88)

(87.1)

(87.3)

25.6

26.0

27.4

28.9

29.2

28.3

27.5

27.3

27.3

(78.1)

(78.8)

(81.3)

(84)

(84.6)

(82.9)

(81.5)

(81.1)

(81.1)

21.4

21.4

22.5

23.9

24.7

24.5

24.0

24.0

23.9

(70.5)

(70.5)

(72.5)

(75)

(76.5)

(76.1)

(75.2)

(75.2)

(75)

Average precipitation mm

18

10

13

30

159

318

477

503

369

(inches)

(0.71)

(0.39)

(0.51)

(1.18)

(6.26)

(12.52)

(18.78)

(19.8)

(14.53)

Source: en.climate-data.org[50]

Ecology[edit]
The vegetation in Valenzuela was originally covered with grasslands suitable for agriculture.
Because of rapid development of industries and economy, land use converts grass covers into
cemented roads. However, the government put into efforts of preserving vegetation such as
constructing community vegetable gardens and techno-demo farms all over the city. In 2003, these
gardens numbered up to two functioning farms.[51]
Flora and fauna in Valenzuela includes the common plants and animals found in Luzon, such as
domesticated mammals. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas
and Wildlife Bureau declared a two-hectare mangrove/swampy area in Villa
Encarnacion, barangay Malanday as an ecotourism site.[52] Every year, about 100 species of
migratory birds such as black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and other native birds
such as moorhen(Gallinula sp.), swamphen (Porphyrio sp.) and Philippine duck (Anas luzonica) flock
the area. Wooden view decks are built to facilitate spectators, enthusiasts and visitors while
having bird watching and counting activities.[53]
In 2007, ordinary fishing ponds in Tagalag and Coloong were transformed into fishing spots which
attracts anglers every year for a prize catch. Fish tournaments are held every year to increase
tourism and livelihood in the area.[54]
In 2008, the Supreme Court of the Philippines mandated Regional Trial Court branch 171 as an
environmental court handling all environment cases in Valenzuela.[55]

Thomas Hodge-Smith noted in 1939 that Valenzuela is rich of black tektites occurring in spheroidal
and cylindrical shapes and are free of bubbles.[56]

Government and politics[edit]

First (left) and second(right) legislative districts of Valenzuela.

The Valenzuela City Hall Complex in barangay Malinta.

See also: Mayors of Valenzuela

Like other cities in the Philippines, Valenzuela is governed by a mayor and vice mayor who are
elected to three-year terms. The mayor is the executive head who leads the city's departments in the
execution of city ordinances and in the delivery of public services. The vice mayor heads a

legislative council that is composed of 13 members: six councilors from the first district, six
councilors from the second district and one ex officiooffice held by the Association of Barangay
Chairmen President as the barangay sector representative. The council is in charge of creating the
city's policies in the form of ordinances and resolutions.[9]
The city is geographically part of, but not politically related to, the third district of Metro Manila.

City officials[edit]
The incumbent mayor and vice mayor of the city are Rexlon T. Gatchalian and Lorena C. NatividadBorja respectively.

Representatives, officials and members of the city council

Designation

First district

Second district

Representative
s

Weslie T. Gatchalian (NPC)

Eric M. Martinez (PDP-Laban)

Mayor

Rexlon T. Gatchalian (NPC)

Vice Mayor

Lorena C. Natividad-Borja (NPC)

Councilors

Marlon Paulo D. Alejandrino (NPC)

Rosalie D. Esteban (Liberal)

Ramon L. Encarnacion (NPC)

Kimberly Ann D. Galang (NPC)

Ricardo Ricarr C. Enriquez (NPC)

Ma. Cecilia V. Mayo (Liberal)

Antonio R. Espiritu (NPC)

Lailanie P. Nolasco (NPC)

Rovin Andrew M. Feliciano (PDPLaban)

Crissha Charee M.
Pineda (NPC)

Jennifer P. Pingree-Esplana (NPC)

ABC President

TBA

SK President

TBA

Kristian Rome T. Sy (UNA)

Administrative division[edit]
Main article: List of barangays in Valenzuela

Political map of Valenzuela

Valenzuela is composed of 33 barangays, the smallest administrative unit in the city. A barangay is
equivalent to an American village and a British ward. The barangay is headed by the barangay
captain or punong barangay and his council or mga kagawad duly elected by the residents. In the
legislative level, Valenzuela is divided into two congressional districts: first district contains 24
barangays of the northern half of the city, while the second district contains the remaining 9
barangays of the southern portion of the city.
Unlike barangays, legislative districts has no political leader, but are represented by congressional
representatives in the House of Representatives.

Population
Barangay

District

Area (ha)

Density
(per ha)

(2015)[6]

Arkong Bato

1st

34.40

10,004

290.814

Bagbaguin

2nd

159.10

13,770

86.55

Balangkas

1st

73.30

11,892

162.24

Bignay

1st

268.80

27,059

100.67

Bisig

1st

45.60

1,333

45.6

Canumay East

1st

217.30

28,213

57.35

Canumay West

1st

141.30

22,215

157.22

Coloong

1st

223.80

11,154

49.84

Dalandanan

1st

93.90

18,733

199.50

Gen. T. de Leon

2nd

366.90

89,441

243.77

Isla

1st

39.60

4,793

121.04

Karuhatan

2nd

190.60

40,996

215.09

Lawang Bato

1st

287.50

19,301

67.13

Lingunan

1st

115.90

21,217

183.06

Mabolo

1st

115.00

1,217

10.58

Malanday

1st

295.60

17,948

60.72

Malinta

1st

174.10

48,397

277.98

Mapulang Lupa

2nd

140.80

27,354

194.28

Marulas

2nd

224.70

53,978

240.22

Maysan

2nd

253.30

24,293

95.91

Palasan

1st

15.60

6,089

390.32

Parada

2nd

34.40

14,894

432.97

Density

Population
Barangay

District

Area (ha)

(per ha)

(2015)[6]

Pariancillo Villa

1st

5.00

1,634

326.80

Paso de Blas

2nd

155.00

13,350

86.13

Pasolo

1st

79.50

6,395

80.44

Poblacion

1st

3.40

372

109.41

Polo

1st

5.20

1,103

212.12

Punturin

1st

162.20

20,930

129.04

Rincon

1st

24.40

6,603

270.61

Tagalag

1st

101.00

3,209

31.77

Ugong

2nd

307.20

41,821

136.14

Veinte Reales

1st

192.90

22,949

118.97

Wawang Pulo

1st

27.80

3,516

126.47

4,575.10

620,422

135.61

Valenzuela

Court system and police[edit]

The Supreme Court of the Philippines recognizes five regional trial courts and two metropolitan trial
courts within Valenzuela that have an over-all jurisdiction in the populace of the city.
The Valenzuela City Police Station (VCPS) is one of the four city police stations in the Northern
Police District under the jurisdiction of the Nation Capital Region Police office. [57] Today, there are
more than 500 police officers working for the VCPS, which puts the police-residents ratio in the city
at 1:16,000.[58]
In 2007, the Valenzuela City Peace and Order Council, of which the VCPS is a member, was hailed
2nd placer for the Best Peace and Order Council award that was conferred by the Department of
Interior and Local Government, the NCRPO, and the Manila Peace and Order Council. [58] In 2012,
the VCPS was cited by the NCRPO for having the best Women and Children Protection Desk in the
metro.[58]

Demographics[edit]
The demonym of Valenzuela is Valenzuelano for males and Valenzuelana for females; it is
sometimes spelled as Valenzuelao.
Based on the 2015 census, Valenzuela City has a total population of 620,422, the 7th most populous
in the NCR and 13th in the Philippines. This is an increase of 7.8 percent from 575,356 people in
2010, at an annual growth rate of a 1.45%.[6][59]
The five most populous barangays are: Gen. T. de Leon (89,441), Marulas (53,978), Malinta
(48,397), Ugong (41,821) and Karuhatan (40,996). [6]
Valenzuela City household population in 2010, on the other hand, is at 574,840. [60] Almost half, 50.2
per cent, are males. Females comprise 49.8 per cent of the population, with a total number of 286,
548. The city has a sex ratio of 101 males for every 100 females, the second highest ratio in the
region, after Navotas, which has a sex ratio of 102 males per 100 females. [59] Seven out of ten
Valenzuela City residents, 66.7 per cent, belong to the working-age group, or those aged 15 to 64.
The remaining 33.3 are aged 0 to below 15 and 65 and above, which are classified as the
dependent age group.[60]

City population is expected to reach the 700,000-mark by mid-2022.[61]

Culture[edit]
"Himig Valenzuela"[edit]
"Himig Valenzuela",[62] or "Valenzuela Hymn", is the official song of the city.[63] It is sung during flag
ceremonies of private and public schools as well as government institutions along with
the Philippine national anthem, "Lupang Hinirang". The hymn was composed by Edwin Ortega which
has the primary objective to promote unity, progress and patriotism among the city's citizens. [64]
City ordinance number 18 mandated all citizens of Valenzuela to sing the hymn in all meetings and
public occasions.[64]

Landmarks and attractions[edit]

Stone arch, Arkong Bato, in barangay Arkong Bato which serves as an entry marker to Valenzuela.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima houses the replica of theVirgin of Ftima, Portugal for the
Philippines which was distributed in 1967.

The belfry of San Diego de Alcala Church.

Faade of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish Church in Malanday.

Entrance to Museo Valenzuelashowing Po Valenzuela's bust.

The Valenzuela City People's Park (VCPP) or simply People's Park is an urban park located in a
1.3-hectare lot beside the city hall in barangay Karuhatan.[65]
In English, Arkong Bato means "arch of stone" which was constructed and built by the Americans in
1910 to serve as borders between the provinces of Bulacan (where Valenzuela or Polo, as it was
known before, belonged to) and Rizal. (where Malabonused to be part of) The arch is located along
M.H. del Pilar Street, which was once the main gateway to North Luzon before the construction
of MacArthur Highway and North Luzon Expressway. After Malabon seceded from Rizal and
Valenzuela from Bulacan to become part of Metropolitan Manila in 1975, the arch now marked as
the boundary between the two towns and their respective barangays, Barangay Santulan in Malabon
and Barangay Arkong Bato in Valenzuela.[66][67]
The Harry C. Egbert Memorial is located in Sitio Tangke Street in Malinta that serves as monument
and memorial to Brigadier general Harry Clay Egbert, commanding officer of the 22nd Infantry
Regiment of the United States who was mortally wounded here in 1899 during the PhilippineAmerican War. Additionally, Egbert also served the US Army during American Civil War andSpanish
American War.[68]
The Museo Valenzuela (English: Valenzuela Museum) was the house where Dr. Po Valenzuela, in
whose memory the old town of Polo was renamed, was born and saw the best years of his life. This
same house was burned recently. Valenzuela's historical and cultural landmark, Museo Valenzuela
features collections of artifacts depicting the city's past and continuing development.
The Libingan ng mga Hapon (English: Japanese Cemetery) was built in a 500-square meter lot of
the Bureau of Telecommunications compound. The cemetery served thousands of fallen Japanese
soldiers during the Philippines Campaignof 194445.[66][67]
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (Tagalog: Pambansang Dambana ng Birhen ng
Fatima) is the center of the Fatima apostolate in the country was declared a tourist site in 1982 by

the Department of Tourism and a pilgrimage shrine in 2009 by the Diocese of Malolos. It is near
the Our Lady of Fatima University.[69] The shrine houses the wooden statue of Our Lady of Fatima,
one of the fifty images blessed by Pope Paul VI in 1967 as part of golden celebration of the Marian
apparition to three children in Ftima, Portugal.[70] The images were later distributed to churches
worldwide, where one of them is intended for the Philippines, however, unclaimed ending up in New
Jersey. In 1984, Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal Sin finally claimed the statue and was then
transferred under the custody Bahay Maria Foundation, a Philippine-based Marian organization.
During People Power Revolution in 1986, it was one of the iconic figures held by revolutionaries to
oust the dictator Ferdinand Marcos.[71] On October 17, 1999, the statue was then transferred to the
shrine. The feast of Our Lady of Fatima is celebrated every March 7 and May 13. [70][72][73]
Dr. Po Valenzuela, who became part of the triumvirate of revolutionary society Katipunan and
founder of the organ Ang Kalayaan, lived and died in 1956 at the old Residence of Po
Valenzuela along Velilla Street in Barangay Pariancillo Villa, where a marker by the Valenzuela city
government was placed in his honor. The present house was built after the war on the site of the old
house which once served as venue for secret meetings and gatherings of the Katipunan. The old
house was burned during World War II.[66][67]
The San Diego de Alcala Church and its belfry was built in 1632 by the people of Polo. Residents
were taken to forced laborto complete the church after the town gained its independence through
Father Juan Taranco and Don Juan Monsod. The belfry and entrance arch, which are over four
centuries old, are the only parts of the edifice that remain to this day. The main structure was
destroyed by bombs during the Japanese occupation. Residents of barangays Polo and Poblacion
celebrate the feast day of San Diego de Alcala on November 12 every year, together with the putong
polo festival.[74]
Located at Malanday, the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish Church, was erected on October 17,
1994 to replace the Sto. Cristo Chapel, and solemnly declared on June 24, 2001. The Church
belongs to the Vicariate of St. Didacus of Alcala Valenzuela City, Roman Catholic Diocese of
Malolos.
The Valenzuela Astrodome is a large multi-purpose, domed sports stadium located in
barangay Dalandanan that hosts several sports events, concerts, promotional events, seminars, job
fairs, etc.
The Valenzuela City Convention Center is the center of culture of performing arts of Valenzuela.
The facility caters various events such as plays, concerts, shows, exhibits and seminars and houses
several interest groups among others that help promote the history and culture of the city and then
Philippines-at large.[75]

Feasts and holidays[edit]

In 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act number 9428 which sets February
14 every year as a special non-working holiday to commemorate cityhood of Valenzuela in 1998.
[76]
On the same hand, November 12 each year is declared by the city government as the city's
foundation day, looking back the establishment of then-Polo in 1623. There are misunderstandings

before regarding the date of the actual foundation of the town, however, this date was decided by
theNational Historical Commission of the Philippines to be the town's creation, since Spanish
colonizers adopted a town's patron saint feast day as its date of creation. [2][3]
Each barangay in Valenzuela have their own feast. Most of them launch celebrations during May
and April to honor patron saints and bounty harvest. Every April 26, a santacruzan is performed
along with Sta. Cruz Festival in barangay Isla. A santacruzan is a novena procession
commemorating St. Helena's mythical finding of the cross. St. Helena was the mother of Constantine
the Great. According to legends, 300 years after the death ofChrist, at the age of 75, she went to
Calvary to conduct a search for the Cross. After some archeological diggings at the site of the
Crucifixion, she unearthed three crosses. She tested each one by making a sick servant lie on all
three. The cross where the servant recovered was identified as Christ's. St. Helena's feast day falls
on August 8 but the anniversary of the finding of the Cross is on May 3, in the Philippines, this
celebration took the form of the Mexican Santa Cruz de Mayo.[77]
Mano Po, San Roque Festival is celebrated every May 12 in Mabolo. In Valenzuela, San Roque is
also known as the patron saint of the unmarried. There are countless tales of single girls who
danced and prayed in the procession and who claim to have found their husband during the fiesta.
The festival is almost similar toObando Fertility Rites where romantic hopefuls dance to San Roque
requesting to find their true love.[78] Street dancing and procession along the citys major
thoroughfares in commemoration of the feast of San Roque, highlighting the customs and traditional
celebration of the festival.[79] This also commemorates townsfolk victory after the British departed the
country following the end of Seven Years' War with Spain.[80]
The Feast of San Diego de Alcala is commemorated every November 12 in Poblacion. This is a
celebration of the feast of the oldest church in Valenzuela which includes annual boat racing, street
dancing and different fabulous activities of the festival. [81] As part of the San Diego de Alcala Feast
Day, a unique food festival in the country is celebrated which features the famous putong Polo, the
small but classy kakanin which was originally created in the town of Polo. [74] This rice cake was a
recipient of Manuel Quezon Presidential Award in 1931 which was cited having its exotic taste and
amazingly long shelf-life.[82] The celebration, known as PutongPolo Festival includes a parade
featuring artistic creations from the rice cake which showcases creativity among the residents. [83]

Services[edit]

Education[edit]

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuelamain building in Malinta.

Valenzuela City Polytechnic College entry marker in Parada.

The Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science in 2014.

Further information: Division of City SchoolsValenzuela

The city collaborates with other institutions, government or private, to bring quality education among
its citizens under the "WIN ang Edukasyon Program" (roughly means Education WIN sic Program,
WIN is the nickname of the current mayor Sherwin Gatchalian). In 2010, the government, in
partnership with the local school board, funded the purchase and construction of computer
laboratories in 10 secondary schools all having a net worth of Php 17.7M (or about US$410,000 as
of April 2011). This also includes the distribution of Php 1.46M (or about US$34,000 as of April 2011)

computers in Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela and Valenzuela City Polytechnic College, as

part of Department of Education's ICT4E Strategic Plan. In this project, information and
communication technology education is extended and expanded among all students. [84] In 2009, the
City Engineering Office repaired sidewalks and drainage to assist students especially during the wet
season; they also repaired and constructed new buildings and classrooms to some schools in the
city.[85] Under the same program, elementary school students received free mathematics
and Englishworkbooks published by the government especially designed for Valenzuelanos. [85] The
steady increase of 3.4% enrollment rate each year forces the government to construct new buildings
and classrooms to meet the target 1:45 teacher-to-student ratio, contrary to the current count of 1:50
ratio alternating in three shifts.[86] WIN ang Edukasyon Program was done in partnership with the
Synergeia Foundation, a non-government organization that aims to improve education in local
governments in the Philippines.[87]
At the same time, WIN ang Edukasyon Program also spearheads the yearly training of some
mathematics and English language teachers assigned to Grades 1 and 2 pupils. [88] The seminar
focuses on how to enhance reading skills, language proficiency and mathematics of the students
they are teaching through re-acquaintance with various drills and activities. This was done with the
efforts of lecturers from Ateneo de Manila University and Bulacan State Universityusing the
approach developed by the UP Diliman's College of Education.[89][90]
The government owns Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela and Valenzuela City Polytechnic
College that serve as the city's state university and technical school for residents and non-residents
respectively. The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela (PLV) or University of the City of
Valenzuela, was established in 2002 and is located within the perimeters of the old city hall
in barangay Poblacion. In 2009, the city council passed Resolution No. 194 series of 2008 which
authorized the government to purchase lots costing PhP 33M (or about US$750,000 as of April
2011) in nearby Children of Mary Immaculate College as part of the university's expansion.
[91]
Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian assisted the development, which has an over-all cost of PhP 75M (or
about US$1.7M as of April 2011) loaned from Development Bank of the Philippines.[92] The newly
purchased lots are used to construct an annex building which will house the departments of
business administration and accountancy. The Board of Regents expected an increase of enrollment
from 800 to 3,000 students in the next few years.[93]
Valenzuela City Polytechnic College (VCPC) was allotted with additional Php 18M (or about
US$420,000 as of April 2011) budget in 2009 from the city fund which will be used for expansion and
upgrade of the college.[85][94]
There are also privately owned academic institutions including the Our Lady of Fatima
University (OLFU). OLFU was previously granted by Commission on Higher Education an autonomy,
which includes independence from monitoring and evaluation services by the Commission though
still entitled by subsidies and other financial grants from the national government whenever possible.
The autonomous status of the university was approved on March 11, 2009 and expired last March
30, 2014.[95]

Healthcare[edit]

Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital in Dalandanan.

There are numerous hospitals in Valenzuela like the city-run Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital
and the Valenzuela City General Hospital. There are also privately owned hospitals like Calalang
General Hospital, Sanctissimo Rosario General Hospital and Fatima University Medical Center, a
tertiary private hospital under the administration of Our Lady of Fatima University.[96][97][98] The soon-torise Valenzuela City West Emergency Hospital and Dialysis Center is located in
barangay Dalandanan, adjacent to Valenzuela City Astrodome and Dalandanan National High
School. It will render adequate healthcare services to underprivileged residents at a minimal fee. [99]
The city implements VC Cares Program which is designed for individuals who are unable to provide
healthcare and basic necessities for themselves or meet special emergency situations of need.
[100]
While health care service and financial assistance are generally the forms of assistance given,
these may be supplemented by other forms of assistance, as well as problem-solving and referral
services. Appropriate referrals may be made to other agencies or institutions where complementary
services may be obtained.[101]
According to the 2002 Commission on Audit, the city reported accomplishment per health center
ranging from as low as 42.26% to as high as 206% and vaccine utilization of 33% to 90% compared
to normal 46% to 377% per basic requirements.[102]
There are swampy areas on Valenzuela and there is a stagnant water in Tullahan River on the
south, which make citizens vulnerable to mosquito-linked diseases such as dengue and malaria.
Though malaria is not a common case in Valenzuelathe city ranks consistently among top five
dengue-infected regions in the Philippines with around 560% chance of recurrence every year.[103]
[104]
In the second quarter of 2008, however, only 500% increase was reported compared to the same
period in 2007.[105]
In September 2009, the Department of Health distributed free Olyset anti-dengue nets
treated permethrin insecticide to Gen. T. de Leon High School. Over 150 rolls of the nets were given
and installed to the windows of the said school, as part of DOH's "Dalaw sa Barangay: Aksyon
Kontra Dengue" (Visit Barangay: Action against Dengue) campaign.[106]

Shopping centers and utilities[edit]

On October 28, 2005 SM Supercenter Valenzuela was inaugurated.[107] Other shopping sites such as
Puregold Valenzuela, the newly renovated South Supermarket and the newly opened Puregold Paso
de Blas is also located in the city.[108][109] All these stores compete against each other since most have
the same product offerings as diversified groceries. People from the city with more major shopping
needs normally head south to cities such as Quezon City and Manila, since they have bigger malls
and commercial centers with more diverse trade goods.
Water supply for the city is supplied by the Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage System
(MWSS)' west concessionaire Maynilad Water Services, Inc (MWSI). [110][111] As of 2006, the city has at
least 68% water service coverage as determined by the Regulatory Office of the MWSS. [112][113] Each
customer receives at least 7 psi water pressure, which means supply can reach for up to two floors
for residential use.[114] Maynilad is owned and currently operated by DMCI Holdings, Inc.Metro
Pacific Investments Corporation (DMCI-MPIC).[115]
On June 2, 2010, the Sitero Francisco Memorial National High School in barangay Ugong unveiled
its first solar generators, the first time for a school in the Philippines. The six 1-kW photovoltaic solar
arrays installed to light nine-classrooms are bought from Wanxiang America Corporation through the
Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and are part of the solar energy initiative of the city.
The arrays were shipped from Illinois, installation were paid by the city government. First district
representative Rex Gatchalian and former second district councilor Shalani Soledad headed the
switching ceremony, that made it the first-ever solar-powered school in the country.[116][117] The solar
panels can generate 1 kW to 5 kW of electricity per hour depending on the intensity of sunlight.
Unused solar energy is stored in eight deep-cycle batteries which can be used after sunset. The
panels also continue to absorb light from the night sky.[118]

Waste management[edit]
According to the 2002 Metro Manila Solid Waste Management Report of the Asian Development
Bank (ADB), Valenzuela has the highest number of identified recycling companies in the region.[119] It
was also said that recycling centers related to plastic materials are relatively higher than other
recyclable objects like metals, paper, glass among others.[119] Accordingly, the city government
allocates an amount of about 785.70 Philippine pesos (approx. US$18 as of April 2011) for every
transportation and collection costs of a ton of waste material. In 2003, the city generated about
307.70 tons of waste every day.[120] In 2001, it was reported by ADB that the city has as high as 25%
solid waste management cost recovery rate through service charges on households and other
enterprises for operational activities associated with waste collection, treatment and disposal. [121] That
same year, the city's proposal to implement a community-based solid waste management project in
barangay Mapulang Lupa, was approved by the national government, which involves social
mobilization, training of personnel, implementation of segregated collection and establishment
of materials recovery facility and windows composting operation among others. The city government
was granted a maximum of US$25,000 from Asian Development Bank for the operation of the
project.[122]

In 1988, the city opened its first waste disposal facility, the Lingunan Controlled Dumpsite. Every
year, the facility collects and processed only about 60% of the entire city's waste with landfilling and
recycling services. The dumpsite uses rice hull ash as daily cover and odor control material for the
waste collected in the area.[123] Lingunan Controlled Dumpsite also conducted some limited waste
segregation and resource recovery operations prior to burial of residual waste. [123] In 2006, the
controlled dumpsite was closed per MMDA order in 2003 and was subsequently converted into a
sanitary landfill as directed by RA 9003.[120]
In statistics, 60% of the wastes collected in the city are collected, hauled and dumped in controlled
dumpsites while 5% are retrieved and recycled and 35% are thrown everywhere in the city. Half of all
these wastes are non-biodegradable wastes which include plastics, Styrofoams and rubbers alike,
while the remaining are biodegradable wastes which is 70% food and kitchen wastes, 20% plant
wastes and 10% animal wastes.[124] In 2002, there are about 30 small and big junkshops that collect
recyclable materials and 20 schools that require their students to bring recyclable stuff as school
project.[124]
The city spearheaded Metro Manila's implementation of full-pledged waste management program in
1999 when it became the first area in the region to allocate 2.8-hectare land in barangay Marulas, to
serve an ecology center and location for the city's waste management program's operation center.
Biodegradable wastes in this area are converted to fertilizers.[125] In 2004, the city government funded
the repair of 29 garbage trucks and purchase of another 20 trucks that may increase the capacity of
Waste Management Office to do full rounds of garbage every week.[126]

Justice management[edit]
In a joint study conducted by the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the United Nations
Development Programme in July 2003 assessing inmate and institutional management among
selected municipal and city jails in the National Capital Region, it was found that Valenzuela City Jail
has a congestion rate of 170%. According to the study, the excess number of inmates in Metro
Manila jails resulted into outbreak of various ailments such as psychiatric disorders, pulmonary
tubercolosis and skin diseases. The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology recommends the
implementation of release programs under applicable laws.[127]
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of Valenzuela is located along Valenzuela
Hall of Justice in barangay Karuhatan.[128] It was formerly located at the old city hall in barangay
Maysan which was transferred by mayor Sherwin Gatchalian in 2010 along with other trial courts,
the police headquarters and prosecutor's office of the city.[129] That same year, the BJMP launched
the Alternative Learning System program, in partnership with the local government andDepartment
of Education (DepEd), as part of the rehabilitation programs to city jail inmates. Successful passers
of the program received certification of DepEd as proof of completion of secondary education. [130]

Transportation[edit]

North Luzon Expressway with views going southbound (up), northbound (middle) and from Malinta Exit (down).

The KM 30 Mac Arthur Highway Intersection of Circumferential Road 5, or C5, a fork of NLEx, is
located in barangay Karuhatan, Valenzuela. The northern side of the exit leads to Central
Luzon while the southern will take users to Bonifacio Shrine in Balintawak, Quezon City. On the
same hand, KM 28 NLEx Interchange of C5 in barangay Paso de Blas connects the Smart Connect
Interchange of NLEx to C5 that goes to Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Region and Cordillera
Administrative Region. The cloverleaf is also connected to Mindanao Avenue in Quezon
City through Segment 8.1 of NLEx, which also links Manila to NLEx. km 28 NLEx Interchange is also
known as Malinta Exit due to its proximity to barangay Malinta, as well as Tollgate to
residents. NLEX Segment 9 is a four lane, 2.42 kilometer expressway that runs from the SMART
Connect Interchange to MacArthur Highway in Karuhatan. This segment opened to traffic on March
18, 2015 and a part of C-5 Road North Extension.[131][132]
Valenzuela is also connected to Bulacan through MacArthur Highway which ends at Bonifacio
Monument in Grace Park,Caloocan.

One of the well-known bridge in Valenzuela is the Tullahan bridge in barangay Marulas that connects
the city to barangay Potrero in Malabon.[45] Tullahan bridge is part of MacArthur Highway that was
built during the Spanish era as a way of transporting vehicles over Tullahan River. In the span of
years, it was renovated repeatedly, most recent was in 2008, though defects on the bridge began to
appear barely six months after it opened for public use.[133][134][135]
The city is webbed by hundreds of roads where 99.622% of them has a surface
type of concrete while the remaining 0.378% were made of dirt.[136] The Department of Public Works
and Highways recognizes nine national bridges in Valenzuela, listed below.[137] Other bridges are just
minors that connect small cliffs and former landfill areas, like Malinta Bridge in barangay Malinta.
City roads has an average road density of 1.155 kilometer of road per 100 square-kilometer of land
area. Each road has an average road section of 155 sections and spans 54.267 km.[136]
Bus companies founded terminals in barangay Malanday, northernmost locality of Valenzuela along
the border with Bulacan, though there are terminals situated in barangays Dalandanan and
Karuhatan as well. This includes Laguna Star Bus, PAMANA Transport Service, Inc., CEM Trans
Services and Philippine Corinthian Liner, Inc. among others. These buses are lined with Metro
Manila destinations only, usually in Alabang or Baclaran with routes along EDSA. Bus traffic is also
dense at barangays Paso de Blas and Bagbaguin due to its proximity to KM 28 NLEx Interchange
and bus terminals in Novaliches,Quezon City. Other modes of transportation includes jeepneys (with
routes usually from Malanday to Recto, Santa Cruz, Divisoria, Pier 15 South Harbor & T. M. Kalaw in
Manila and Grace Park & Monumento in Caloocan and Malinta to Malolos City, Baliuag and Sta.
Maria along MacArthur Highway) for general mass transportation, tricycles (or trikes) for small-scale
transportation and taxicabs for upper middle classes.
There are no airports and ports in Valenzuela.

Republic of the Philippines

MALACAANG
Manila
Presidential Decree No. 1185
Repealed by RA 9514

August 26, 1977

FIRE CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS, death and injury to persons and loss and damage to property by fire have reached
alarming proportion that the economic and social gains of the society are being continually
undermined;
WHEREAS, in order to effect a meaningful reduction of the alarming fire losses, there is a need to
develop national consciousness and involvement of all persons in the prevention and suppression of
fires;

WHEREAS, fire prevention and suppression require the adoption of uniform fire safety standards,
the incorporation of fire safety construction and provision of protective and safety devices in
buildings and structures;
WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for an agency primarily responsible for the implementation and
coordination of the activities of all sectors of society on fire safety, prevention and suppression;
WHEREAS, in order to effectively implement all efforts to minimize the occurrence of fires and their
destructive effects, full financial, equipment and personnel support by the government and the
private sector is necessary;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the
powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree as part of the law of the land
the following:
Section 1. Title. This Decree and the Rules and Regulations for its implementation shall be known
as the "Fire Code of the Philippines" and shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Fire Code".
Section 2. Declaration Of Policies. The following are declared policies of the State:
(a) The government, with the cooperation of the private sector, shall develop and promulgate
sets of standards and regulations taking into consideration the latest development in fire
technology suitable to Philippine conditions;
(b) Fire prevention and fire safety shall be given equal, if not greater emphasis as the
suppression or extinguishment of fires. Fire prevention education shall be undertaken
continuously involving all sectors of the community;
(c) The Fire Service of the Integrated National Police shall endeavor to respond to all fires
before they reach critical and conflagration stages. Towards this end, the organization,
administration and operation of the Fire Service shall be improved and developed, its
personnel and equipment augmented and effective fire alarm systems set up; and
(d) The Fire Service shall be professionalized. For this purpose, educational institutions shall
endeavor to include in their curricula, courses on fire technology and fire protection
engineering.
Section 3. Definition Of Terms. As used in this Fire Code, the following words and phrases shall
mean and be construed as indicated:
ABATEMENT Any act that would remove or neutralize a fire hazard.
ADMINISTRATOR Any person who acts as agent of the owner and manages the use of a
building for him.

BLASTING AGENT Any material or mixture consisting of a fuel and oxidizer used to set off
explosives.
CELLULOSE NITRATE OR NITRO CELLULOSE A highly combustible and explosive
compound produced by the reaction of nitric acid with a cellulose material.
CELLULOSE NITRATE PLASTIC (PYROXYLIN) Any plastic substance, materials or
compound having cellulose nitrate (nitro cellulose) as base.
COMBUSTIBLE, FLAMMABLE OR INFLAMMABLE Descriptive of materials that are easily
set on fire.
COMBUSTIBLE FIBER Any readily ignitable and free burning fiber such as cotton, oakum,
rags, waste cloth, waste paper, kapok, hay, straw, Spanish moss, excelsior and other similar
materials commonly used in commerce.
COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID Any liquid having a flash point at or above 37.8_C (100_F).
CORROSIVE LIQUID Any liquid which causes fire when in contact with organic matter or
with certain chemicals.
CURTAIN BOARD A vertical panel of non-combustible or fire resistive materials attached to
and extending below the bottom chord of the roof trusses, to divide the underside of the roof
into separate compartments so that heat and smoke will be directed upwards to a roof vent.
CRYOGENIC Descriptive of any material which by its nature or as a result of its reaction with
other elements produces a rapid drop in temperature of the immediate surroundings.
DAMPER A normally open device installed inside an air duct system which automatically
closes to restrict the passage of smoke or fire.
DISTILLATION The process of first raising the temperature in separate the more volatile from
the less volatile parts and then cooling and condensing the resulting vapor so as to produce
a nearly purified substance.
DUCT SYSTEM A continuous passageway for the transmission of air.
DUST A finely powdered substance which, when mixed with air in the proper proportion and
ignited will cause an explosion.
ELECTRICAL ARC An extremely hot luminous bridge formed by passage of an electric
current across a space between two conductors or terminals due to the incandescence of
the conducting vapor.
EMBER A hot piece or lump that remains after a material has partially burned, and is still
oxidizing without the manifestation of flames.

FINISHES Materials used as final coating of a surface for ornamental or protective purposes.
FIRE The active principle of burning, characterized by the heat and light of combustion.
FIRE TRAP A building unsafe in case of fire because it will burn easily or because it lacks
adequate exits or fire escapes.
FIRE ALARM Any visual or audible signal produced by a device or system to warm the
occupants of the building or fire fighting elements of the presence or danger of fire to enable
them to undertake immediate action to save life and property and to suppress the fire.
FIRE DOOR A fire resistive door prescribed for openings in fire separation walls or partitions.
FIRE HAZARD Any condition or act which increases or may cause an increase in the
probability of the occurrence of fire, or which may obstruct, delay, hinder or interfere with fire
fighting operations and the safeguarding of life and property.
FIRE LANE The portion of a roadway or publicway that should be kept opened and
unobstructed at all times for the expedient operation of fire fighting units.
FIRE PROTECTIVE AND FIRE SAFETY DEVICE Any device intended for the protection of
buildings or persons to include but not limited to built-in protection system such as sprinklers
and other automatic extinguishing system, detectors for heat, smoke and combustion
products and other warning system components, personal protective equipment such as fire
blankets, helmets, fire suits, gloves and other garments that may be put on or worn by
persons to protect themselves during fire.
FIRE SAFETY CONSTRUCTIONS Refers to design and installation of walls, barriers, doors,
windows, vents, means of egress, etc. integral to and incorporated into a building or
structure in order to minimize danger to life from fire, smoke, fumes or panic before the
building is evacuated. These features are also designed to achieve, among others, safe and
rapid evacuation of people through means of egress sealed from smoke or fire, the
confinement of fire or smoke in the room or floor of origin and delay their spread to other
parts of the building by means of smoke sealed and fire resistant doors, walls and floors. It
shall also mean to include the treatment of buildings components or contents with flame
retardant chemicals.
FLASH POINT The minimum temperature at which any material gives off vapor in sufficient
concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air.
FORCING A process where a piece of metal is heated prior to changing its shape or
dimensions.
FULMINATE A kind of stable explosive compound which explodes by percussion.

HAZARDOUS OPERATION/PROCESS Any act of manufacturing, fabrication, conversion,

etc., that uses or produces materials which are likely to cause fires or explosions.
HORIZONTAL EXIT Passageway from one building to another or through or around a wall in
approximately the same floor level.
HOSE BOX A box or cabinet where fire hoses, valves and other equipment are stored and
arranged for fire fighting.
HOSE REEL A cylindrical device turning on an axis around which a fire hose is wound and
connected.
HYPERGOLIC FUEL A rocket or liquid propellant which consist of combinations of fuels and
oxidizers which ignite spontaneously on contact with each other.
INDUSTRIAL BAKING AND DRYING The industrial process of subjecting materials to heat
for the purpose of removing solvents or moisture from the same, and/or to fuse certain
chemical salts to form a uniform glazing the surface of materials being treated.
JUMPER A piece of metal or an electrical conductor used to bypass a safety device in an
electrical system.
OCCUPANCY The purpose for which a building or portion thereof is used or intended to be
used.
OCCUPANT Any person actually occupying and using a building or portions thereof by virtue
of a lease contract with the owner or administrator or by permission or sufferance of the
latter.
ORGANIC PEROXIDE A strong oxidizing organic compound which releases oxygen readily.
It causes fire when in contact with combustible materials especially under conditions of high
temperature.
OVERLOADING The use of one or more electrical appliances or devices which draw or
consume electrical current beyond the designed capacity of the existing electrical system.
OWNER The person who holds the legal right of possession or title to a building or real
property.
OXIDIZING MATERIAL A material that readily yields oxygen in quantities sufficient to
stimulate or support combustion.
PRESSURIZED OR FORCED DRAFT BURNING EQUIPMENT Type or burner where the
fuel is subjected to pressure prior to discharge into the combustion chamber and/or which
includes fans or other provisions for the introduction of air at above normal atmosphere
pressure into the same combustion chamber.

PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BUILDING Any building or structure where fifty (50) or more people
congregate, gather, or assemble for any purpose.
PUBLIC WAY Any street, alley or other strip of land unobstructed from the ground to the sky,
deeded, dedicated or otherwise permanently appropriated for public use.
PYROPHORIC Descriptive of any substance that ignites spontaneously when exposed to air.
REFINING A process where impurities and/or deleterious materials are removed from a
mixture in order to produce a pure element of compound. It shall also refer to partial
distillation and electrolysis.
SELF-CLOSING DOORS Automatic closing doors that are designed to confine smoke and
heat and delay the spread of fire.
SMELTING Melting or fusing of metallic ores or compounds so as to separate impurities from
pure metals.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM An integrated network of hydraulically designed piping installed in a
building, structure or area with outlets arranged in a systematic pattern which automatically
discharges water when activated by heat or combustion products from a fire.
STANDPIPE SYSTEM A system of vertical pipes in a building to which fire hoses can be
attached on each floor, including a system by which water is made available to the outlets as
needed.
VESTIBULE A passage hall or antechamber between the outer doors and the interior parts
of a house or building.
VERTICAL SHAFT An enclosed vertical space of passage that extends from floor to floor, as
well as from the base to the top of the building.
Section 4. Applicability Of The Code. The provisions of the Fire Code shall apply to all persons
and all private and public buildings, facilities or structures erected or constructed before and after its
effectivity.
Section 5. Grace Period. The owner, administrator or occupant of buildings or structures existing at
the time of the effectivity of the Fire Code is given two (2) years to comply with the provisions thereof
on fire safety constructions and on protective and warning systems. However, the Director General
of the Integrated National Police may prescribe a shorter period depending upon the degree of
hazard to be recorded and the cost and extent of the work to be done.
Section 6. Responsibility for the Enforcement of this Code. The Fire Service, under the direct
supervision and control of the Director General of the Integrated National Police, hereinafter referred
to as the "Director General" shall be responsible for the enforcement of this Code, as well as

pertinent provisions of other laws pertaining to fire protection or fire safety. With the approval of the
Secretary of National Defense, the Director General is hereby authorized to:
(a) Issue implementing rules and regulations, and prescribe administrative penalties
therefore;
(b) Reorganize the Fire Service of the Integrated National Police as may be necessary and
appropriate;
(c) Enter into long term agreement, either through public biddings or negotiations to include
advance payments therefor, for the acquisition of fire prevention, fire protection and fire
fighting equipment, supplies and materials and related technical services necessary for the
Fire Service; and
(d) Enter into Memoranda of Agreement with other departments, bureaus, agencies, offices
and corporations of the government, as well as private institutions, in order to define areas of
corporation and coordination and delineate responsibility on fire prevention education, fire
safety, fire prevention, fire suppression and other matters of common concern.
Section 7. Technical Staff. The Director General shall constitute a technical staff of highly qualified
persons who are knowledgeable on fire prevention, fire safety, and fire suppression. They may be
drawn not only from the organic members of the Integrated National Police and other government
offices and agencies, but also from other sources. In the latter case, they will either be appointed
into the service or hired as consultants in accordance with law. The technical staff shall study, review
and evaluate latest developments and standards on fire technology; prepare plans/programs on fire
safety, prevention and suppression and evaluate implementation thereof; develop programs on the
professionalization of the fire service; coordinate with appropriate government and private
institutions for the offering of college courses on fire technology and fire protection engineering;
propose amendments to the Fire Code; advise the Director General on any matter brought to his
attention; and perform such other functions as directed on any matter brought to his attention and
perform such other functions as directed by higher authorities.
Section 8. Inspections, Safety Measures, Fire Safety, Constructions, and Protective and/or
Warning Systems. As may be defined and provided in the Rules and Regulations, owners,
administrators or occupants of buildings, structures and their premises or facilities and other
responsible persons shall be required to comply with the following, as may be appropriate:
a. Inspection Requirement A fire safety inspection shall be conducted by the Director
General or his duly authorized representative as prerequisite to the grants of permits and/or
licenses by local governments and other government agencies concerned, for the:
(1) Use or occupancy of buildings, structures, facilities or their premises including the
installation or fire protection and fire safety equipment, and electrical system in any
building structure or facility;

(2) Storage, handling and/or use of explosives or of combustible, flammable, toxic

and other hazardous materials;
b. Safety Measures for Hazardous Materials Fire safety measures shall be required for the
manufacture, storage, handling and/or use of hazardous materials involving:
(1) Cellulose nitrate plastic of any kind;
(2) Combustible fibers;
(3) Cellular materials such as foam, rubber, sponge rubber and plastic foam;
(4) Flammable and combustible liquids or gases of any classification;
(5) Flammable paints, varnishes, stains and organic coatings;
(6) High-piled or widely spread combustible stock;
(7) Metallic magnesium in any form;
(8) Corrosive liquids, oxidizing materials, organic peroxide, nitromethane, ammonium
nitrate, or any amount of highly toxic, pyrophoric, hypergolic, or cryogenic materials
or poisonous gases as well as material compounds which when exposed to heat or
flame become a fire conductor, or generate excessive smoke or toxic gases;
(9) Blasting agents, explosives and special industrial explosive materials, blasting
caps, black powder, liquid nitro-glycerine, dynamite, nitro cellulose, fulminates of any
kind, and plastic explosives containing ammonium salt or chlorate;
(10) Fireworks materials of any kind or form;
(11) Matches in commercial quantities;
(12) Hot ashes, live coals and embers;
(13) Mineral, vegetable or animal oils and other derivatives/by products;
(14) Combustible waste materials for recycling or resale;
(15) Explosive dusts and vapors; and
(16) Agriculture, forest, marine or mineral products which may undergo spontaneous
combustion.
c. Safety measures for hazardous operation/processes Fire Safety measures shall be
required for the following hazardous operation/processes:

(1) Welding or soldering;

(2) Industrial baking and drying;
(3) Waste disposal;
(4) Pressurized/forced-draft burning equipment;
(5) Smelting and forging;
(6) Motion picture projection using electrical arc lamps;
(7) Refining, distillation and solvent extraction; and
(8) Such other operations or processes as may hereafter be prescribed in the Rules
and Regulations.
d. Provision on Fire Safety Construction, Protective and Warning System Owners, occupants
or administrator or buildings, structures and their premises or facilities, except such other
buildings or structures as may be exempted in the rules and regulations to be promulgated
under Section 6 hereof, shall incorporate and provide therein fire safety construction,
protective and warning system, and shall develop and implement fire safety programs, to wit:
(1) Fire protection features such as sprinkler systems, hose boxes, hose reels or
standpipe systems and other fire fighting equipment;
(2) Fire Alarm systems;
(3) Fire walls to separate adjoining buildings, or warehouses and storage areas from
other occupancies in the same building;
(4) Provisions for confining the fire at its source such as fire resistive floors and walls
extending up to the next floor slab or roof, curtain boards and other fire containing or
stopping components;
(5) Termination of all exits in an area affording safe passage to a public way or safe
dispersal area;
(6) Stairway, vertical shafts, horizontal exits and other meals of egress sealed from
smoke and heat;
(7) A fire exit plan for each floor of the building showing the routes from each other
room to appropriate exits, displayed prominently on the door of such room;
(8) Self-closing fire resistive doors leading to corridors;

(9) Fire dampers in centralized air-conditioning ducts;

(10) Roof vents for use by fire fighters; and
(11) Properly marked and lighted exits with provision for emergency lights to
adequately illuminate exit ways in case of power failure.
Section 9. Prohibited Acts. The following are declared as prohibited act and omission.
(a) Obstructing or blocking the exit ways or across to buildings clearly marked for fire safety
purposes, such as but not limited to aisles in interior rooms, any part of stairways, hallways,
corridors, vestibules, balconies or bridges leading to a stairway or exit of any kind, or
tolerating or allowing said violations;
(b) Constructing gates, entrances and walkways to buildings components and yards which
obstruct the orderly and easy passage of fire fighting vehicles and equipment;
(c) Prevention, interference or obstruction of any operation of the Fire Service, or of duly
organized and authorized fire brigades;
(d) Obstructing designated fire lanes or access to fire hydrants;
(e) Overcrowding or admission of persons beyond the authorized capacity in movie houses,
theaters, coliseums, auditoriums or other public assembly buildings, except in other
assembly areas on the ground floor with open sides or open doors sufficient to provide safe
exits;
(f) Locking fire exits during period when people are inside the building;
(g) Prevention or obstruction of the automatic closure of fire doors or smoke partitions or
dampers;
(h) Use of fire protective of fire fighting equipment of the Fire Service other than for fire
fighting except in other emergencies where their use are justified;
(i) Giving false or malicious fire alarms;
(j) Smoking in prohibited areas as may be determined by Fire Service, or throwing of cigars,
cigarettes, burning objects in places which may start or cause fire;
(k) Abandoning or leaving a building or structure by the occupant or owner without
appropriate safety measures;
(l) Removing. destroying, tampering or obliterating any authorized mark, seal, sign or tag
posted or required by the Fire Service for fire safety in any building, structure or processing
equipment; and

(m) Use of jumpers or tampering with electrical wiring or overloading the electrical system
beyond its designated capacity or such other practices that would tend to undermine the fire
safety features of the electrical system.
Section 10. Abatement of Fire Hazard. Fire hazards shall be abated immediately. For this purpose,
the Director General or his duly authorized representative may issue order for such abatement. If the
owner, administrator or occupant of buildings, structure and their premises or facilities does not
abate the same within the period fixed in said order, the occupancy permit or permit to operate shall
be canceled. Any building or structure declared as a firetrap or is causing clear and present fire
danger to adjoining establishments and habitations shall be declared a public nuisance, as defined
in the Civil Code of the Philippines. If the assessed value of the building or structure is not more than
twenty thousand (P20,000.00) pesos, the owner, administrator or occupant thereof shall abate the
hazard within thirty (30 days or if the assessed value is more than twenty thousand (P20,000.00)
pesos, within sixty (60) days from receipt of the order declaring said building or structure a public
nuisance; otherwise, the Director General or his duly authorized representative shall forthwith cause
its summary abatement. Summary abatement as used herein shall mean all corrective measures
undertaken to abate hazards which shall include but not limited to remodeling, repairing,
strengthening, reconstructing, removal and demolition, either partial or total, of the building or
structure. The expenses incurred by the government for such summary abatement shall be borne by
the owner, administrator or occupant. These expenses shall constitute a prior lien upon such
property.
Section 11. Enforcement of The Lien. If the owner, administrator or occupant fails to reimburse the
government of the expenses incurred in the summary abatement within ninety (90) days from the
completion of such abatement, the building or structure shall be sold at public auction in accordance
with existing laws and rules. No property subject of lien under Section 10 hereof, may be sold at a
price lower than the abatement expenses incurred by the government. The property shall be
forfeited in favor of the government if the highest bid is not at least equal to the abatement
expenses.
Section 12. Penalties.
(a) ADMINISTRATIVE FINE Any person who violates any provision of the Fire Code or any
of the rules and regulations promulgated under Section 6 hereof shall be penalized by an
administrative fine of not exceeding twelve thousand (P12,000.00) pesos or in the proper
case, by stoppage of operations or by closure of such buildings, structures and their
premises or facilities which do not comply with the requirements or by both such
administrative fine and closure/stoppage of operation to be imposed by the Director General,
Provided, That the payment of the fine, stoppage of operations and/or closure of such
buildings, structures, and their premises or facilities shall not absolve the violator from
correcting the deficiency or abating the fire hazard. The decision of the Director General,
under this subsection, may be appealed to the Secretary of National Defense, within fifteen
(15) days from the date of receipt of the order imposing the administrative fine, stopping the
operations and/or closure. The decision of the Secretary of National Defense shall be final
and executory.

(b) PUNITIVE In case of willful failure to correct the deficiency or abate the fire hazard as
provided in the preceding subsection, the violator shall, upon conviction, be punished by
imprisonment of not less than six (6) months nor more than six (6) years, or by a fine of not
more than twenty thousand (P20,000.00) pesos or both such fine and imprisonment;
Provided, however, that in case of a corporation, firm, partnership or association, the fine
and/or imprisonment shall be imposed upon its officials responsible for such violation, and in
case the guilty party is an alien, in addition to the penalties herein prescribed, he shall
immediately be deported; Provided, finally, that were the violation is attended by loss of life
and/or damage to property, the violator shall be proceeded against under the applicable
provisions of the Revised Penal Code.
Section 13. Appropriation and Sources of Income.
(a) To support the manpower, infrastructure and equipment needs of the Fire Service of the
Integrated National Police, the sum of one hundred million (P100,000,000.00) pesos is
hereby appropriated. Thereafter, the same of such amount as may be necessary to attain the
objectives of the Fire Code shall be appropriated and included in the annual appropriation of
the Integrated National Police for the next ten (10) years.
(b) To partially provide for the funding of the Fire Service the following taxes and fees which
shall accrue to the General Fund of the National Government, are hereby imposed:
(1) Fees to be charged for the issuance of certificates, permits and licenses as
provided for in Section 8 (a) hereof;
(2) One-tenth of one per centum (0.1%) of the verified estimated value of buildings or
structures to be erected, from the owner thereof, but not to exceed fifty thousand
(P50,000.00) pesos, one half to be paid prior to the issuance of the building permit,
and the balance, after final inspection and prior to the issuance of the use and
occupancy permit;
(3) One-hundredth of one per centum (0.10%) of the assessed value of buildings or
structures annually payable upon payment of the real estate tax, except on structures
used as single family dwellings;
(4) Two per centum (2%) of all premiums, excluding re-insurance premiums for the
sale of fire, earthquake and explosion hazard insurance collected by companies,
persons or agents licensed to sell such insurances in the Philippines;
(5) Two per centum (2%) of gross sales of companies, persons or agents selling fire
fighting equipment, appliances or devices, including hazard detection and warning
systems; and
(6) Two per centum (2%) of the service fees received from fire, earthquake, and
explosion hazard preinsurance surveys and post loss service of insurance
adjustment companies doing business in the Philippines directly through agents.

Section 14. Collection of Taxes, Fees and Fines. All taxes, fees and fines provided in Section 13
hereof, shall be collected by the City or Municipal Treasurer concerned for remittance to the National
Treasury.
Section 15. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Code or the application of such provisions
to any person or circumstance is declared unconstitutional, the remainder of the Code or the
application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected by such
declaration.
Section 16. Repealing Clause. Provisions of Presidential Decree No. 442, otherwise known as the
Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended and Presidential Decree No. 1096, otherwise known as
the National Building Code and other laws, decrees, orders or regulations in conflict or inconsistent
with the provisions of this Fire Code are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 17. Effectivity. This Fire Code and its Rules and Regulations shall take effect thirty (30)
days after their publication in newspapers of general circulation.
Done in the City of Manila, this 26th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
seventy-seven.