Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia may want the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to field more firemen to the towns, but a local lawmaker is supporting the move to let policemen undergo firefighting training instead.

Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong drafted the resolution that will urge policemen to act as firefighters in the absence of firemen.

Policemen in Badian were forced to take matters into their own hands when fire struck the public market and there was no one to operate the town’s fire truck.

Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Vicente Loot, who was impressed by their action, has urged policemen in 20 other towns to be ready to play a dual role.

Loot intends to ask the provincial fire marshal to help in their training, including the proper handling of equipment and fire investigation.

Two of the Badian policemen who fought the fire got hurt when water pressure forced them off the truck.

“The move in urging the policemen to act as firefighters is intended to help the Provincial Government and the fire bureau in serving the public,” Maambong said in his proposed resolution, which will be among the items in tomorrow’s session.

Last week, the governor met with BFP officials and insisted that the bureau provide firemen to operate fire trucks in the towns.

BFP officials said it is their policy to wait for the turnover of the fire trucks to them before they provide manpower.

Garcia told them that it is the BFP’s mandate to provide fire trucks to all towns, which the bureau has not done. That’s why the Province was forced to step in and give some towns money to buy fire trucks, she said.

After the meeting, the BFP agreed to provide four personnel to every fire truck in the different towns.

Local government units, though, will be in charge of the maintenance of the fire trucks and of building a fire station.

The Province will soon be acquiring more fire trucks, which it will distribute to the towns.