Results and Discussion

To be able to determine the results of the interview that was conducted in regard to the

improvements of Emergency Exits in Saint Louis School Center High School Department,

Thematic Analysis was used in order to pinpoint the result by gathering and analyzing the given

information by the respondents.

There is a different question for the teacher and for the Engineers and Architects. The question

for the teacher is for the information about the school Saint Louis School Center High School

Department. The questions for the engineers is for what they have experience in creating and

designing an emergency exits according to the specifications that they have followed.

The following questions if for the Engineers and Architects, to determine what are their

experience that is related in an emergency exits.

The first question that is asked to the respondents is what are the required specifications to

know where to designate an emergency exit?

Respondent 1: “Standard specification to this comes from the Bureau of Fire Protection, ang

minimum exit door is a 1 meter, now ang location dapat ng exit door is on a place where in hindi

siya mag o-obstruct sa traffic, normally at both ends of the building.”

Respondent 2 :” Yung pag designate nung ah ng place kung saan yung fire exit is too yung

kwan natin, dito sa likod siguro kasi doon yung open area.”

Respondent 3 : “Emergency exit dapat yun doon sa likod, sa side kung saan ahh hindi yung

hindi na blo-block yung daan pag may halimbawa may gipitan doon. Dapat yun lokasyon mga

emergency exit.”
Respondent 3: “Sa fire exit.. Kasi yung.. Yung sa fire exit naman is yung sa both ends siya tapos

dapat may mga, anong tawag doon, yu-ung comepletely siya na may direction kumbaga, kung

andito ako, ano bang tawag nila dun, fire exit, uhh escape plan parang ganon. Kada building diba

‘pag pumupunta kayo, ‘you are here’ tapos ituturo niya dapat may ganon sa [inaudible] ano niya.

Tapos hindi ko lang sure kung doon sa inyo ay may ganon na.”

Respondent 4: “I think the best location for an emergency exit is in the hallway, katulad nito

hallway yan dapat sa doon sa labas diyan at doon sa stairs yun sa pababa na iyon diyan dapat

nilalagay yung mga emergency exit, yung hallway, ito yung hallway dire-diretsyo papunta doon,

‘yun yung number one diba”

A common answer that the respondents were giving were about following the fire code of

the Philippines or referring to the standards set by the Bureau of Fire Protection. The respondents

were saying that there should at least be 2 emergency exits or more according to the population

and what kind of building it is. It was also said that there should be an evacuation plan that

contains directions on where to go for each floor so that evacuation will be easier. There should

also be a signage that indicates where the emergency exit is/are. Furthermore, the signage should

be clearly visible to all meaning, it should either be a big signage or a directional lighting

instead. Other concerns were putting the emergency exits in both ends of a building so that

evacuation can go easy and that it will be able to provide the population an option and a safety

measure wherever they are in the building or institution. It was also explained that emergency

exits should lead to an open area since open areas will be clear of obstructions and the population

will be able to run freely just in case the building will fall compared to a narrow area where

being toppled will be easier.

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 The Second question is: What do you advise to add to the current design or to the

current specification of an emergency exit?

Respondent 1: “International standards, although at present ah similar buildings were also

instructed without the design which is now currently being done so the advise there is, they

should follow the standards.”

Respondent 2: “Wala naman kasi ano ‘yan eh, this base on the fire code of the Philippines

standard pa rin yun si ibig sabihin that standard of International Law so wala naman akong

nakitang ano niya yun lang yung implementation lang ng government itong BFP kung na e-

enforce lang yung rules na yun, yung nasusunod yung na kung may fire exit ba or may dapat

hindi naka lock yung mga fire exit doors, mga ganyan, yung mga examples na ganyan”- “Wala

naming mababago, sunod… , Implementation lang ng ano ng government kumbaga na sitahin

yung di sumusunod doon.”

Respondent 3: “O-okay so sa specifications ganun pa rin, same tayo na susundin natin ung di

basta basta nasusunog pero uhh… kwan na lang uhh dun sa mga exits emergency exits natin uhh

kung as much as possible hindi natin siya nililimitahan sa kwan para lang masabing (pwede na).

Yung iba kasi nagdedesign, naglalagay sila ng fire exit.

“Ngayon di sana natin lang ikkwan ang emergency exit na kung anong nasa book sana kung

dalawa lang, kung maaari para mas maging feel safe yung occupant niya maglagay tayo ng,

dagdagan natin yun yung one of the best naman na kwan is yung magdadagdag ka kesa yung

kulang ka”

Respondent 4: “Actually ang number of fire extinguisher, depende kung may fire cabinet, pero

normally yung fire extinguisher sa mga rooms, like kunyare dito meron dapat siyang isa, pero

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sabi di pa nalalagyan that is supposed to be there, meron siyang emergency lights kasi kung gabi

yan mag-oopen na ganun, automatic yan pa nag shut off, kita nyo yung mga yun yung mga yun

oh, yung nakalagay siya doon sa mga ways na puwedeng puntahan, para makikita mo yung fire

extinguisher, kasi pag gabi yan at madilim yung an, wala siyang ilaw, di mo siya makikita diba?”

“Kasi kaya nga fire extinguisher at emergency, kung sino yung nandoon puwede nilang gamitin

ganoon, and the number of units eh depende na kung ano yung ah actually yung map, oh di kaya

ahh layout of plan ng office ganoon.”

“Ahh sprinklers normally hindi natin ginagamit sa offices, ah nakalagay is fire cabinet or fire

bell, ang sprinkler system ginagamit lang yan sa mga industrial kasi fire suppressor yan kasi dito

naman hindi naman basta basta oh atsaka mahal , kunyare sa water district meron na siya ngayon

kasi isa ako sa mga nag design doon , ahhm yun meron siyang talagang sprinkler system pero di

basta basta dahil meron siyang air pump may jack pump siya at separate yung power niya, kasi

sa oras na nasunog ito, kailangan na aandar yun eh paano pag walang kuryenteng nakakabit,

kaya separate siya, yung may mga system yan na ano sa design yun yung sa sprinkler system

pero dipende rin kung siya ay dry or wet, kasi pag wet yung ano , yung naka suppress siya talaga

na ano may tubig siya doon sa loob, doon sa nozzle niya meron siyang parang may ball na maliit

, kasi pag nasusunog , yun mag aano siya mag susupress, pero merong ding way ma kahit di siya

nasususnog, dahil meron tayong fire alarm control system , o fire alarm systems , yung sinasabi

nating heat detector , smoke detector yan, siya yung mag aano na merong sounder na magkaiba

doon sa wiring ng sounder ngay , di naman siya bell, parang siren.”

“Oh tapos yung ibaga kasi yung pinu pull natin iba yun, kunyare pag nakita mo yun yung pinu

pull mo, yun hindi, dine detect niya kunyare smoke sasaihin niya na merong ano doon, tapos

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huhuni na siya and that’s the time itri trigger niya yung sprinkler , ayon ganoon yung pero

dipende, oh siguro napanood niyo yung sa Resort Manila na ganon na di siya ngay, di siya

kalilangan pag design dito lang at dito yung nangyare, puno dapt dito lang siya mag buga ng

tubig, ganon yun pero pag lahat edi patay wala na lahat yung ano diba ganoon dapat, kaya nga

meroon yung sinasabing conventional na parang control panels atsaka adressable , yung

adressable kasi makikita mo kung , minsan sa america, very sophisticated ahh nakaconect siya

doon sa fire department dito saatin di natin kaya yun, pa, di natin kaya yung kasi masyadong

mahal tuloy yung fire suppresors na yun ,pero meron kung gusto talaga, yun ang alam mo na

pinoy tipid.”

Additional Follow-up Question:

Interviewer: Kung sa schools po advisable po ba siyang i-apply? (Sprinklers)

Respondent 4: “Actually hindi, kasi ang fire protection naman, yun mga nag ooperate ng 24

hours, yun kaya nga industrial, pag school kasi wala na eh, wala ka nang kuwan, atsaka sino mag

ooperate nun, sino mag aano atsaka mahal, kaya lang ang dapat meron doon sa school is fire

cabinets, makita nio merong ano doon, tapos may hose nandoon yug tabi niya rin yung ano, yung

ano ba yun yung fire extinguisher kaya ayun, break glass incase of fire tapos doon sa tabi niya

merong bell , dito ginagawa namin yan, kaya yung mga new schools, yung mga bago ngayon

may mga bells atsaka meron siya fire cabinets meron din sinasabi nating may fire cabinet doon

doon sa labas , nakikita niyo doon sa mga bangko parang mga naka ganoon, doon naka connect

yung ano yung ahh fire department, yung ano nila yung truck nila doon kinakabit kaya pagdating

sa taas puwede mong ibreak yun, may tubig ka, hindi yung, that’s the ano kaya masmaganda

kung sa school merong fire cabinet, magkabilaan, kasi di naman 24 hours actually yung ano 8

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hours lang, not 24, kasi pag 24 talaga kailangan dahil ughh, siguro next ano na kasi meron nang

ibang site dito sa schools na bago ngayon may mga electrical na ano na, electrical power outlet

generator, meron na sla ngayong mga bago like ahmm, Irisan National High School, yan meron

yan dito meron na yan may mga ano na sila, sari sarili baka soon gusto nila, marami na pera ng

Dep Ed yun soon ganoon, Ok?”

Respondent 1: “Actually required yun, sa mga bagong design ng DepEd ngayon na lahat ng

mga classrooms nagkaroon sila ng sprinkler, kaya lang you have to have a system tank, ahm para

may ready supply ng tubig just in case na fire will occur, mediyo mahal rin ito eh ang minimum

ng ahh, halimbawa two stories na kagaya ng school niyo diyan siguro minimum mga three

million gagastusin doon.”

We can see here that there was a disagreement between two of the respondents and

considering the structure of the school, the researchers have best thought of adding sprinklers to

the school for added safety. Common answers would still comprise of following the standards set

by the bureau of fire protection but some additional recommendations not set by the bureau has

been added. A respondent says that there should be more emergency exits as possible and there

is also the idea of the additional fire cabinets to house more fire extinguishers though a fire hose

could also be recommended.

Regarding the second question however, most of the answers would still be about

following the standards set by the Bureau of Fire Protection. The respondents wanted this to be

absolute since there were actually many standards that differed from each other making it very

confusing for designers. It was also mentioned that whatever that there is in the book such as

putting two emergency exits in a building it should still be overlooked and put more just to

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assure the safety of the population in that building. Fire extinguishers are also still recommended

but in numbers so that in case of fires then there would not be any panic in finding a fire

extinguisher.

Interview Highlights:

 Opening of the  Doors are pushed

new escape outward the room
route at the  LED lighting
Interview 1 dead end near Interview 5 directional signs
the classrooms
of 11 STEM 4

 stairway style  Leading to open

fire exits space
Interview 2  sprinklers are Interview 6  Sprinklers are not
required for required
each classroom
 Following the  Every 30 feet
fire code of the there should be a
Philippines fire extinguisher
Interview 3 Interview 7 or per room there
is a fire
extinguisher

 Evacuation plan  Following the

per classroom Fire code of the
Interview 4  Following the Interview 8 Philippines
fire code of the
Philippines

This is a table representing the highlights of the interviews that has been recorded by the

researchers. It shows what the interviewees have emphasized and what the researchers would

believe to be of help in their research. Each interview was listened to carefully and the answers

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of the interviewees will be chosen carefully and observed to see if Saint Louis School Center

does indeed need the improvements for their fire exits. As seen on the table above, the common

answer there would be following the fire code of the Philippines. This is a standard measure that

never seemed to be absent in almost every interview. There was a given summary as well in the

results and discussion that would refer to the answers of some interviewees in the first and

second questions.

During the Ocular Visit,

Additionally with the interview, there was also the invitation of the BFP members to

Saint Louis School Center High School Department. The researchers have requested to invite the

members of the BFP to inspect the school and suggest possible improvements and other routes

that could be utilized by the school as its emergency exit in case of fire. As soon as the BFP

arrived, Ms. Bambao toured them around the school and identified the emergency exits around

the school campus. They also pointed out some points regarding the other tools needed for an

emergency such as the lights, signs, and the fire cabinets. The BFP has pointed out many

improvements that could be done in the fire exits and other safety measures of the school that it

will truly benefit from. The whole tour took around 30 minutes until an hour and it was very

thorough. All of the facilities in the school have been explored including even the third basement

that eventually leads out the gate near the water tank at the back of the canteen. The specific

concerns that the BFP has pointed out were the need to put an exit sign and emergency lights in

gates 4 & 5 of the school which are located beside the garbage disposal, the hallway of grade 8

classrooms need fire extinguishers from one end to another, fire hose should be rolled since the

hose may crack if it is folded, every evacuation plan should be bigger, has green dashed arrows

that gives the directions where to go. A question was raised by the researchers that ask how

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evacuation plans should look like and the said suggestions were about the arrows and the legends

that show the position of where is person would be situated at as well as the dimensions that

should be followed according to the fire code of the Philippines. Other concerns were that the

third basement would also need emergency lights, the bell should be different from normal

"break bell" from "emergency bell" so that it would be distinguishable easily by anyone, and that

the defective emergency lights on hallway must be fixed and plugged in. Lastly, the BFP said

that the garden is not safe for an evacuation site because of the shards of glass that may fall on to

the students therefore causing more injuries if there is a disaster that will be occurring. It was

said afterwards that the back gate would be safer than the garden and thus answers the second

problem of opening a new route that can help evacuate and promote better safety in Saint Louis

School Center High School Department. There will then be a new route for those students who

usually evacuate to the garden that will be leading to the back gate instead.

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