18% DROP IN INJURIES

WHILE efforts to achieve zero-injuries during the New Year revelry failed, the

94 persons in Pangasinan injured due to firecracker explosion from Dec. 31, 2017 to January 4, 2018, still represented an 18% drop in the number of cases compared to last year.

P/Chief Inspector Norman Florentino, spokesman of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) and Dr. Cielo Almoite, assistant provincial health officer, told the KBP Forum that the firecracker injuries were at least reduced by 18 percent, from 114 in 2016 to 94 this year.

The PHO and PPPO continued monitoring firecracker injuries in the province till January 6.

Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman, provincial health officer, said most affected age group was 5-19 years old, mostly male, with 65 cases.

There were 50 active cases and 44 were passive. (The active users were those who exploded firecrackers while the passive users were spectators and were hurt when the firecrackers exploded near them, thrown to them or accidentally flew to them).

The number of injured cases were reported by Region 1 Medical Center (40), Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (10), Lingayen District Hospital (15), Western Pangasinan District Hospital and Bolinao Community Hospital with three each, Mapandan Community Hospital, Asingan Community Hospital and Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital with two each, Bayambang District Hospital (9), Manaoag Community Hospital (6), Umingan Community Hospital (1) and Dasol Community Hospital (1).

The firecrackers that injured most victims were kwitis and piccolo.

To stress the improvement, Florentino said 203 firecracker injuries were reported in 2015.

According to PHO, Dagupan registered the most number of firecrackers victims at 36; 25 were hurt in Barangay Calmay when baby rockets called “kwitis” misfired during a community fireworks display and hit the spectators In the area.

Almoite said of the 48 towns and cities in Pangasinan, 23 local government units did not register any firecracker injuries. Among these are Agno, Dasiol, Infanta, Mabini, San Jacinto, Mangaldan, Malasiqui, Rosales Urdaneta, and Villasis.

He said the police tried to prevent the sale of banned firecrackers but still some managed to sell these in the black market. (Leonardo Micua/Eva Visperas)

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