CHRISTMAS season fast approaches and as the celebrations associated with it peaks, local health authorities and the Department of Health (DOH) have resounded the call for “Oplan: Iwas Paputok.”
The operation plan puts up a firecracker and pyrotechnic safety consciousness amid the frenzy of thunderous explosions Philippine Christmas and New Year celebrations have become.
The equation of Christmas, New Year and firecrackers and pyrotechnics has also left in its resonance scores of injuries.
Last year, in Metro Manila alone, where the most of celebrations come to a heated peak, after the smoke of the celebrations settled, some 733 injuries were recorded from December 21, 2008 to January 5, 2009.
The figure is 280 or 28% lower than the previous four-year average, and 136 (16%) cases lower than the 2007 report.
Over all these, the health department appeals to parents to keep their children away from all types of firecrackers, stressing that even the ones that are allowed for the Yuletide revelries could still cause injuries.
Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday that “legal” firecrackers are no guarantee against injuries, adding that two of the five most harmful fireworks used in the 2008 festivities were permitted by regulators.
“The seemingly harmless luces can burn up to 1093 Celsius (2000 Fahrenheit) or 10 times the boiling point of water,” Duque said in an article posted on the DOH Website.
DOH data showed that the five most harmful firecrackers in last year’s revelry were the piccolo, kwitis, five-star, luces and home-made or altered firecrackers.
According to Duque, kwitis and luces, are both allowed fireworks, but were no. 2 and no. 4 in the list of causes of injuries.
Piccolo, an illegal firecracker, remained the top cause of injury during the last holiday season.
In contrast, the DOH noted there was no injury from organized public fireworks display.
Duque also disclosed that the top 5 firecrackers causing “Blast Burn with Amputation” were home-made or altered firecrackers, 5-star, camara, rebentador, and whistle bomb.
Also, DOH records show that watusi (also known as dancing firecracker), long considered as illegal, continued to sneak in the market and caused two injuries last year.
But health authorities also noted a significant increase in the number of stray bullet incidents caused by indiscriminate firing of guns. These were reported in the two regions in Mindanao.
On the other hand, Duque said the DOH is aiming to further lower the number of fireworks-related injuries for this year.
In preparation for the celebrations, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has introduced the department’s Fourmula against the dangers of firecrackers.
Duque, who has been trying to come up with witty and easy to recall tips has discouraged the use of firecrackers with his Fourmula.
“Una, huwag magpaputok. Gumamit ng ibang pangpaingay (Do not use firecrackers. Use other items that produce noise instead)”.
Second in the Fourmula is “Huwag pupulutin ang paputok na hindi pumutok (Do not pick up firecrackers that did not set off).”
Third on the list is the washing of hands. If people can not avoid the use of firecrackers, they should always wash their hands after use, reminded Duque.
Last and the most important is to avoid indiscriminate gun firing.
“Huwag na huwag tayong magpaputok ng baril. Kung meron man sa kanila (PNP) na magpaputok, dapat ay meron tayong tinatawag na reponsible gun ownership,” said Duque. (PIA)
