PRO9 HOSTS DISASTER DRILL COMPETITION ON SAR

By JONG CADION 

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Police Regional Office 9 hosted today a whole day activity on Simulated Disaster Drill Competition on Search and Rescue Operation held at Camp Abendan, Mercedes, with this year theme: “Ligtas na Bayan, Maunlad na Pamayanan”.

                       

Police Regional Office 9 Public Information Officer P/Chief Inspector Ariel Tolorio Huesca said, the participating units are coming from the Bureau of Fire Protection, PNP Special Action Force, 3^rd Air Division, Philippine Airforce, Naval Forces Western Mindanao, and PNP Contingents all from PRO9.

Western Mindanao Police Director Chief Supt Juanito Vano Jr. explained during his message that they are conducting this activity for anticipating a natural and manmade disaster. “For few days we have experienced heavy downpour with cloudy skies and strong winds and the latest of that was Typhoon Maring which struck the country that left a devastated effect which reached as far as Metro Manila,” He said.

“So we are taking up advance steps, measures and appropriate training with our Search and Rescue Team to address this problem once it happens. We are fortunate that we are less affected by these typhoons and we are here to anticipate as part of our expectations to level up our state of preparedness as far as disaster management is concern,” The PNP Regional Director further explained.

The competitions were categorized into Five (5) stages which include the following:  For Stage 1- Simulated Search and Rescue Deployment, Stage 2- Rubber boat handling, Stage 3- scenarios (Structural Collapse rescue), stage 4- First Aid/Basic Life Support, stage 5- Basic Rescue Knot-tying and lines and stage 6- Rappelling.

“We have seen how our country struggled every time a calamity hit us, destroying lives and properties which inflicted great losses to our economy. We come to realize that such events cannot be prevented, however, we initiate activities as such we have now in order to prevent or minimize the loss of lives and properties,” Chief Supt Vano said.

The program commenced with an invocation by Police Chief Inspector Julius B Cruz, Regional Chaplain, welcome remarks by Police Chief Supt Mario B Yanga, DRDA, Inspirational message from the regional director and briefings and orientation from Senior Supt Nelson Eucogco, Chief regional Police Community Relation Division and lastly the drill competition proper.