NOTES IN CDI6

BFP
-It is an agency of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)
-An agency that is responsible for implementing national policies related to Firefighting and
fire prevention
-Formerly known as the integrated National Police Fire Service
-In-charge of the administration and management of municipal and city fire and emergency
services
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUERE
The fire Bureau shall be headed by a CHIEF who shall be assisted by a deputy chief. It shall be
composed of provincial offices, district offices and city or municipal stations.

*PROVINCIAL LEVEL
-there shall be an office of the provincial fire marshal which shall implement the policies, plans
and programs of the Department; and monitor, evaluate and coordinate the operations and
activities of the fire service operating units at the city and municipal levels. In the case of large
provinces, district offices may be established, no be headed by a district fire marshal.
*CITY OR MUNICIPAL LEVEL

-there shall be a fire station, each headed by a city or municipal fire marshal: Provided, that, in
the case of large cities and municipalities, a district office with subordinate fire stations headed
by a district fire marshal may be organized as necessary.
*Directorial Units

-Directorate for investigation and Intelligence

-Directorate for Operations
-Directorate for Human Resource Development Department
-Directorate for Logistics
-Directorate for Information and Communications Technology Management
-Directorate for Fire Safety and Enforcement
-Directorate for Plans
-Directorate for Personnel and Records Management
-Directorate for Comptrollership

*Base Units
-National Headquarters
-Special Rescue/ HAZMAT Unit
-Emergency Medical Services
Special Operations Units
-Arson Investigation Unit
-Fire Law Enforcement Service
-Fire National Training Institute
*LINE UNITS
-BPF National Capital Region
-BFP Region I
-BFP Region II
-BFP Region III
-BFP Region IVA
-BFP Region IV B
-BFP Region V
-BFP Region VI
-BFP Region VII
-BFP Region VIII
-BFP Region IX
-BFP Region X
-BFP Region XI
-BFP Region XII
-BFP Region CARAGA
-BFP Region CAR
-BFP Region ARMM

COMMAND STRUCTURE
Men and Women of the BFP report of the following commanders:
-The president of the Republic of the Philippines
-The Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG) through:
*The Undersecretary for Operations, Department of Interior and Local Government (UO, DILG)
*The Undersecretary for Public Safety, Department of Interior and Local Government (UPS,
DILG)
*The Undersecretary for Peace and Order, Department of Interior and Local Government (UPO,
DILG)

COMMAND STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS

The Chief, Bureau of Fire Protection (C, BFP; with the rank of “Fire Director”) through:
*The Deputy Chief for Administration, Bureau of Fire Protection (DCA, BFP; with the rank of
“Fire Chief Superintendent”)
The Deputy Chief of Operations, Bureau of Fire Protection (DCO, BFP; with the rank of “Fire
Chief Superintendent”)
The Chief of Directorial Staff, Bureau of Fire Protection (CDS, BFP; with the rank of “Fire
Superintendent”)

POWERS AND FUNCTIONS

*Prevention and suppression of all destructive fires
*Enforcement of the Fire Code
*Investigate all causes of fire
*Assist the AFP in meeting the national emergency
*Establish at least one (1) fire station
RANK CLASSIFICATION
Fire Director (MAJOR GENERAL)
-2 Star
-Major General
-Rank for Chief of the Bureau
-BFP Highest Ranking Official
Fire CHIEF Superintendent (Brigadier General)
-1 star
-Brigadier general Rank for:
*Regional Director
*Directorial Staff
*Deputy Chief
Fire Senior Superintendent (COLONEL)
-Colonel
-3 Sampaguita Leaves
-RANK FOR:
* Provincial Director
*City Director
FIRE Superintendent (Lieutenant Colonel)
-Lieutenant Colonel
-2 Sampaguita Leaves
-Rank for Fire marshal
Fire Chief Inspector (Major)
-Major
-1 Sampaguita Leaf
Senior Inspector (CAPTAIN)
-Captain
-2 Anahaw Leaves
They are (DOCTOR, LAWYER, CHAPLAIN: Deputy Fire Marshal)
Inspector (Lieutenant)
-Lieutenant
-1 Anahaw Leaf
They are: (NURSE, SOCIAL WORKER, I.T OFFICER, TECHNICIAN, ENGINEER, THERAPHIST,
TEACHER, SCIENTIST, ACCOUNTANT, CRIMINOLOGIST
SENIOR FIRE OFFICER 1 (STAFF SERGEANT)
SENIOR FIRE OFFICER 2 (TECHNICAL SERGEANT)
SENIOR FIRE OFFICER 3 (MASTER SERGEANT)
SENIOR FIRE OFFICER 4 (SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT)
FIRE OFFICER 1 (PRIVATE FIRST CLASS)
FIRE OFFICER 2 (CORPORAL)
FIRE OFFICER 3 (SERGEANT)

APPOINTING AUTHORITY
Fire officer 1 to Senior Fire officer IV- Appointed by the RESPECTIVE REGIONAL DIRECTOR for
Fire Safety Protection for the regional office uniformed personnel or by the respective Chief of
the Fire Bureau for the National Headquarters office uniformed personnel, and attested by the
Civil Service Commission (CSC);
Fire Inspector to Fire Superintendent – Appointed by the respective CHIEF OF THE FIRE
BUREAU, as recommended by their IMMEDIATE SUPERIORS, and attested by the CSC;
Fire Senior Superintendent – Appointed by the SECRETARY OF THE DILG upon
recommendation of the respective CHIEF OF FIRE BUREAU, with the proper attestation of the
CSC; and
Fire Chief Superintendent to Fire Director – Appointed by the President upon, any
recommendation of the SECRETARY OF THE DILG, with the proper endorsement by the
CHAIRMAN OF THE CSC
INITIAL RANK QUALIFICATION AND WAIVERS
 A citizen of the Republic of the Philippines;
 A person of good moral character;
 Must have passed the psychiatric/ psychological, drug and physical test for the
purpose of the determining his/ her physical and mental health;
 Must possess a baccalaureate degree from a recognize institution of learning;
 Must possess the appropriate civil service eligibility;
 Must have not been dishonorably discharged or dismissed for cause from previous
employment:
 Must not have been convicted by the final judgement of an offense or crime involving
moral turpitude;
 (1.62 m.) in height for male, and (1.57m.) for female: Provided, that a waiver for height
and age requirements shall be automatically granted to applicants belonging to the
cultural communities; and
 Must weigh not more or less than five kilograms (5 kgs.) from the standard weight
corresponding to his/her height, age and sex;
 Provided, That a new applicant must not be less than twenty-one (21) nor more than
thirty (30) years of age: except for this particular provision, the above-enumerated
qualifications shall be continuing in character and an absence of any one of them at any
given time shall be a ground for separation or retirement from the service: Provided,
further, That the uniformed personnel who are already in the service upon the
effectivity of this Act shall be given five (5) years to obtain the minimum educational
qualifications and one (1) year to satisfy/ the weight requirement.
 After the lapse of the time period for the satisfaction of a specific requirement current
unformed personnel of the BFP and the BJMP who will fail to satisfy any of the
requirements enumerated under this Section shall be separated from the service if they
are below fifty (50) years of age and have served in the government for less than (20)
years, or retired if they are from age fifty (50) and above have served in the government
for at least twenty (20) years without prejudice in either case to the payment of benefits
they may be entitled to under existing laws.
Fire Fighting Operations

Fire suppression- slowing down the rate of burning,

*The way on how to suppress is the way on applying on isolating or removing of one of the
elements of fire

Fire Control means keeping the fire from spreading or holding the fire from one area, while fire
suppression is more on how can be able to lessen at what that might damage that might occur.

Pre-Fire Planning
*Developing and defining systematic course of actions
Establishing of SOP (STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE)
Determine what could be the proper way on how to deal with fire

EVALUATION OR SIZE-UP
*Determine the appropriate course of action that provides the highest probability of success.
Knowing the emergency situation, need to know the intensity of the problem, after you figure it
out and identified already the problem then you can come out of what appropriate action that
might consider, so it needs to learn, understand and determine

EVACUATION
*This is the activity of transferring people, livestock and property away from the burning area
to minimize damage or destruction
*This is to minimize the damage and cause of fire.

ENTRY
*This is the process of accessing the burning structure.
*They can make entrance on how to get inside in the building which will put their lives safe and
away from danger, it does not necessary mean that when we do entry is we use the main
entrance, what if the main entrance is burning? Would you go in there? Of course not, so you
will be going by means of FORCE ENTRY, it can be done in forcible manner in such a way that it
is safe for the firefighter personnel to move in the building and to move out from the building.

RESCUE
*This is the operation of removing (extricating)
*Rescue is a way of saving other people who are being stuck for example in the building or
house that it must be saved either people or animals.
DETERMINE THE PLAN OF ACTION
L- Locate the Victim
A- Access means going to the victim
S- Stabilized for first aid application by triage- like threatening cases are already given for
necessary care
T- Transfer the victim to the hospital

EXPOSURE OR COVER EXPOSURE

*Prevent the fire from extending to another building
TYPES OF EXPOSURES:
FIRE EXPOSURES- Property exposed to fire.
LIFE EXPOSURES- Danger to the living occupants of any building

CONFINEMENT
*Restricting the fire at the place (room) where it started

VENTILATION
*Displacing the heated atmosphere
*This is to displace the toxic gases especially the monoxide because it is very dangerous

TYPES OF VENTILATION
VERTICAL VENTILATION – Heated gases and smoke rise to the highest point and if confined, will
tend to mushroom. (After the smoke go up to the ceiling and hit it will form mushroom)
CROSS/HORIZONTAL VENTILATION- If the smoke and gases have not reached the higher levels.
(Ventilation in the windows)
MECHANICAL OR FOCED VENTILATION- smoke ejector, it’s a system that detects a smoke and it
will automatically activate then removed the smoke inside the house or room or building.

SALVAGE
*It is the activity of protecting the properties from preventable damage other than the fire.
STEPS:
-remove the materials
-protect or cover the materials

EXTINGUISHMENT
The process of putting out the main body of fire, if one element does not exist, we can get rid of
fire.
*Method of fire extinguishment:
-cooling (removing of heat) it’s a process using an extinguishing agent cause primary
characteristic is heat absorption. The firefighting operations usually use WATER, because water
to lower down the temperature the material that being burn
-smothering (removing oxygen) it’s a process of excluding oxygen from the fuel so that gases
cannot ignite and continue combustion, it can use blanket effect (or any material that may help
the penetration of the oxygen going to the burning materials)
-separation (the removal of the fuel) for example there are 3 wood, wood 1 is burning and 2
and 3 are not, so removed wood 2 and 3 until wood 1 depleted, it will automatically extinguish
the fire.
-chemical interruption or inhibition -sequence of events and suppressing or extinguishing a fire
by interrupting the chemical reaction. To interrupt chemical reaction before the elements of
fuel, oxygen and heat to merge together you can make some interruption before it will totally
create fire.

OVERHAUL
*It involves complete extinguishments of sparks or smoldering (glowing) substances (embers).
*It eliminates possibilities of reignition or re-kindling

FIRE AND ARSON INVESTIGATION

*This is an inquiry conducted to know or determine the origin and cause of fire
*It investigates where the fire occurs and why it produces fire.

FIRE INVESTIGATION
*The process of determining the origin, cause and development of a fire or explosion

FIRE INVESTIGATION VS ARSON INVESTIGATION

*Arson investigation is more focused on motive of the person who created the fire, while the
fire investigation will only determine the origin, cause, and the development of fire, while
arson investigation will know the motive the person why he created the fire determine also the
liability of the person responsible.

WHY FIRE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED?

This is determined cause origin and development of fire. The purpose is to prevent similar
occurrences that the determination of the origin in cause of fire arrived only after thorough
investigation.

WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO INVESTIGATE?

A fire Investigator should have following traits:
1. Possession of knowledge of investigational techniques.
2. He should have an insight of human behavior.
3. He should have a first-hand knowledge of the chemistry of fire and its behavior.
4. He should be resourceful
IS FIRE INVESTIGATION COMPLEX AND UNIQUE?
Yes, fire investigation is considered complex and unique for the following reasons:
-Fire destroy evidence
-If it is Arson, it is planned, motivated and committed is discreet.
-Rarely can there be an eyewitness in Arson. (UNIQUE)

WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF THE FIREMEN IN FIRE INVESTIGATION?

*They are so-called “EYES AND EARS” of the police before, during and after the fire has been
placed under control
-Information attainable or developed prior to the arrival at the scene
-Information available to the firemen at the scene
-Information available during overhaul and thereafter.

WHEN NOT TO FIGHT FIRE?

If it has already spread beyond where originally started. (If you don’t have enough equipment,
you must save your life from danger, and call BFP to extinguish the fire)
-If you are in situation where, while fighting the fire, you have no avenue to escape
-If you do not have any adequate firefighting equipment

STAGES OF SPREADS OF FIRE

INITIAL GROWTH
*Experience shows that the smoke, fumes, heats and flames generated by a fire can, if
uncontrolled spread to every part of a building in a very short time
(*Can be regarded as a cycle of process requiring sufficient heat to make the fuel give off
flammable vapor which ignite and consume oxygen releasing more heat and sufficient heat, and
when some of this heat become the initial heat for adjacent fuel and the cycle is repeated.)
SPREAD OF HEAT
*This actual mechanics of fire- spread will follow one or more of the physical processes of heat
transmission
SPREAD OF FLAME
*Readily combustible surface coverings over walls and ceilings are of particular danger in
buildings. Should one part catches fire; the adjacent areas will be easily ignited and will allow
flames to spread rapidly
FLASH-OVER
*This is a term used to describe a translator which occurs in the development of a fire.
COLLAPSE
*Collapse of doors and partitions will allow a fire to pass
SPREADY BETWEEN BUILDING
*This happen when a radiation from a burning building may raise the temperature of another
building at a distance from it.
PATTERN OF GROWTH
*A fire will normally grow by a combination of several methods. The growth of most fires,
however, shows a typical pattern of behavior.
*The speed at which deadly hot gases and smoke can spread through-out a building, and the
speed with which flame can spread along combustible surfaces are often unappreciated except
by the relatively few people who have experienced a fire.

1. When a fire starts at floor level, it can laterally in different directions, either by flame spread
or conduction to adjacent combustible materials.
2. The upward movement and growth of a fire in a building takes places mainly through
“convection” aided by “radiation” and flame spread.
3. From the initial out-break, a column of smoke and hot gases will rise until it meets an
obstruction, usually the ceiling. Prevented from going upward continuously, it will then
mushrooms-out, still seeking to rise.
4. If during its lateral travel, it reaches any shaft or aperture such as an open staircase, it will
immediately enter it, always seeking an outlet in an upward direction.
5. If the staircase or shaft leads to an open window, it immediately acts as a fuel or passage for
the fire, discharging smoke and hot gases into the outside air – and at the same time drawing
more oxygen over the original fire which will increase its intensity and ignites further adjacent
combustible materials.
6. The continued flow of hot gases to the ceiling, increasing in volume as they grow, will rapidly
heat the ceiling itself. If the ceiling is combustible, it will soon be heated above its ignition
temperatures and will begin to burn, - spreading fire laterally above the original floor-level
outbreak.
7. Flying sparks will also help to spread to the roof or ceiling once it is heated. It is often in
dingle-storey buildings with combustible roof linings, that the fire at roof level spread by means
of heat radiated downwards and burning brands/piece of wood.
8. The natural laws of ignition, spread of heat and spread of flames are such that fires in
building need no encouragement to grow. UNLESS CHECKED, any fire can spread with
considerable speed until the whole building is destroyed.

FIRE CLUES CHAR PATTERNS

*Point of origin
*Door
*Floor (accelerant and its path)
*V. Patterns starts at an out against a wall leaves a char pattern that points to the origin
*A Very Narrow V Shape might indicate that was hotter than normal -> accelerant
*A Wide V Shape might indicate a fire that was slow burning
*A U Shape could indicate that there was a “pool of origin” rather than a point of origin, such as
might be caused by, say, a puddle of gasoline.

HEAT SHADOWS – Occur when heavy furniture shields part of a wall; can help determine the
origin point (in the back of furniture there are no char pattern, so we expect that it is not the
origin of fire)
GLASS – Glass fragments, windows, and light bulbs can provide clues to a fire.
LIGHT BULBS tend to melt toward the heat source, so the “direction of melt” can indicate the
direction of fire
*The shattered or cracked glass of windows can provide indications as to how a fire burned
*A dark soot layer on the glass could indicate a slow, smoldering fire.
*Clear glass with an abnormal pattern of cracking could imply a very hot fire, possibly due to an
accelerant.
-CHIMNEY EFFECT – Since fire burns upwards, there can be “chimney effect” where the fire
ignites at a point, the superheated gases rise upward and form a fireball, which continues
straight up to burn a hole in the ceiling
-COLOR OF SMOKE – Determine what type of material was burning Color of flames- Indicates
at what temperature the fire was burning
BURN PATTERNS CLASSIC V- ORDINARY BURN PATTERN
INVERTED CONE – accident or accelerant pour along floor
ALLIGATORING (scales) – possible accelerant use
SPALLING (breaking away layers) – possible accelerant use
STREAMERS (trail) – accelerant used to spread
ARC DAMAGE – Electrical fire pool or plant (puddle-- poured accelerant
*A fire pattern also called a burn pattern, is the visible or measurable physical changes or
identifiable shapes formed by a fire effect or group of fire effects. Fire effects are the changes in
or on a material as a result of exposure to the fire.
*FIRE EFFECTS – describes the artifacts left behind by many different processes, including
dehydration, melting, color changes, oxidation, charring, loss of material, alloying, spalling,
expansion and deformation, annealing, soot and smoke deposition, and clean burn
INCIDENCE OF FIRE
*For a fire to break-out there has to be both a source of ignition and combustible materials.
Once initiated, the possibility of a fire developing into a serious incident depends very largely
upon the availability of combustible materials.

Causes and Behavior of Fire

NATURAL CAUSES OF FIRE:
1. SPONTANEOUS HEATING-automatic chemical reaction that result to spontaneous
combustion due to auto-ignition of organic materials.
-the gradual rising of heat in a confined space until ignition temperature is reached.
Includes the process of self-heating of coal or carbonaceous material resulting eventually to
ignition which term to auto oxidation.
-also known as auto oxidation.

2. LIGHTNING-
A form of static electricity; a natural electric current with great magnitude, producing
tremendous amperage and voltage.
-Form of lightning
-HOT BOLT, can produce fire because it has a high current lightning.
-COLD BOLT, cannot produce fire because it has a low current lightning.
3. RADIATION OF SUNLIGHT-When a light hits a concave mirror, concentrating the light on a
combustible material thereby ignites it.

ACCIDENTAL CAUSE OF FIRE:

It is a manmade cause without intention to set fire because of negligence, lack of foresight or
lack of skill.

EXAMPLES OF ACCIDENTAL FIRE:

Electrical Accidents
Short-circuit-unusual or accidental connection between points at different potentials (charge)
in an electrical circuit of relatively low resistance.
ARCING- Crosses the gap between 2 electrical conductors
SPARKING- Production of incandescent particles when two different potentials; come in contact
INDUCED CURRENT- Sudden increase of electrical current
OVERHEATING OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES- increase or rising of amperage
ACCIDENTAL CAUSES OF FIRE:
*PURELY ACCIDENTAL CAUSES - Negligence and other forms of human error

C. Incendiary Causes of Fire (Intention to set fire by man-made)

-Plant- gathering of combustible materials needed to start a fire.
- Accelerant- highly flammable chemicals that are used to facilitate are used to facilitate flame
propagation.
Trailer- preparation of flammable substances in order to spread the fire.

D. COMMON CAUSES OF FIRE

1. electrical short circuit
2. Electrical grounded circuit
3. Electrical overloading
4. Loose connection of improper splicing
5. LPG
6. Spontaneous ignition
7. Incendiary fire
8. Natural fire
9. Others

E. FIRE BEHAVIOUR
Thermal Balance - Rising movement or pattern of the fire
Thermal Imbalance - Interference of foreign matter

F. DANGEROUS/FATAL BEHAVIOUR OF FIRE

Backdraft- Sudden and rapid explosion
Flashover- Sudden burning
Biteback- Fatal condition when fire continue to burns and not perished
Flash Fire- Dust explosion
Rollover- Produced by pyrolysis ignites

G. CLASSIFICATION OF FIRES
BASED ON BURNING FUEL:
Class A Fires - Combustible material burn and ash is left behind (SOLID)
Class B Fires - Water not to be used as oil is lighter and will float (LIQUID)
Class C Fires - Electricity itself does not burn it provides the ignition to start a fire (ELECTRIC)
Class D Fires - Metals.
Class E Fires – COMBINATIO OF THE ABOVE
Class K Fires - Fire involving combustible vegetable or animal non saturated cooking fats in
commercial cooking equipment. (Kitchen fires)