When Safety Becomes Something Students Can Practice
OZAMIZ CITY - Around 600 participants gathered at the Arts Center of La Salle University Ozamiz for the Unified 911 Fire Square Roadshow, turning an ordinary school day into an opportunity for practical safety learning. Most of those who joined were students, putting young people at the center of an activity designed around emergency awareness. Rather than treating fire safety as information that belongs only in manuals, the Fire Square format uses interactive demonstrations and activities to make preparedness more approachable. The approach is consistent with other 2026 Fire Square roadshows around the country, where participants have been introduced to activities such as simulation exercises, first aid, CPR demonstrations, evacuation learning, and other life-safety lessons.
Learning What to Do Before an Emergency Happens
The Ozamiz roadshow also arrives as the government continues its nationwide effort to make Unified 911 more familiar to the public. In July 2026, the Department of the Interior and Local Government launched a national campaign specifically aimed at increasing awareness and promoting the responsible use of the single emergency number for police, fire, medical, and other emergency assistance. That makes youth education especially useful: students can learn not only about fire hazards but also about the importance of knowing when and how to seek help. The Fire Square concept gives those ideas a more memorable setting, allowing participants to connect emergency information with demonstrations and activities rather than leaving it as something they only encounter on paper.
A School Activity With a Lesson Beyond the Classroom
For La Salle University Ozamiz students, the value of the roadshow goes beyond the event itself. Knowing basic emergency procedures can become useful at school, at home, or while traveling, particularly when young people understand how to stay calm, recognize danger, communicate clearly, and seek appropriate assistance. DILG reports in 2026 have likewise emphasized that Unified 911 works by connecting callers with the appropriate emergency responders, including fire, police, medical, and rescue services. Bringing that message into a student-centered activity gives Ozamiz youth another opportunity to understand the emergency system before they may ever need it. In that sense, the roadshow offers something practical: knowledge students can carry with them long after the demonstrations end.
