ASSESSING THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO RESPONSE TIME OF THE BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION IN DAVAO CITY
Abstract
Rapid emergency response is critical in mitigating fire-related disasters, reducing property damage, and saving lives. Factors influencing the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 's response time concerning Davao City were studied. More specifically, training and preparedness were analyzed with respect to improving emergency response efficiency. The study employed a quantitative correlational research design, where data from the 239 BFP officers were gathered using validated questionnaires to assess their levels of disaster knowledge, skills, and response efficiency. The statistical analyses of Pearson correlation and multiple regression showed a strong positive relation between training, preparedness, and response time. Firefighters with higher levels of disaster knowledge and skills were found to respond faster. Besides, the study identified some external factors contributing to delayed responses, including road conditions, equipment reliability, and public cooperation. Results further revealed that disaster knowledge and disaster skills correlated strongly with response efficiency, while training and preparedness had a moderate yet significant correlation. The regression model explained 43.5% of the variance in response time, suggesting that improving firefighters' technical and contextual knowledge could improve emergency response performance. Consequently, the study recommends periodic simulation-based training, upgrading firefighting equipment, and enhancing the public awareness campaign to improve response efficiency and reduce damage caused by fires in Davao City.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i11.6300
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