Bacolod City – The Office of Civil Defense – Negros Island Region reported that the simulation exercises for a Kanlaon Volcano eruption at Alert Level 4 recently, which was spearheaded by the Negros Occidental provincial government, went “smoothly.”
Various agencies and departments participated in the activity, including the Bureau of Fire Protection, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, Philippine Coast Guard, 303rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Red Cross, Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, Health, and Education, aside from the different offices of the Provincial Government, as well as Office of Civil Defense.
The Office of Civil Defense – Negros Island Region (OCD NIR) observed and evaluated the conduct of the full-scale exercise, with personnel were deployed in different areas while the simulation was ongoing.
Some personnel remained at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and monitored Kanlaon Volcano’s activity, while others joined the logistics in transporting welfare goods from the warehouse to the camp, and the others joined in fetching evacuees from their respective areas.
The simulation exercise commenced and concluded at Panaad Park and Stadium, Bacolod City. When the internally displaced persons (IDPs) arrived at Panaad Park, they were
placed in a holding area and were given snacks to eat while waiting for their turn at the screening and registration area.
Several medical personnel were present at the screening area to assess the condition of the IDPs and even gave prescriptions and medications/vitamins as needed.
Overall, all participating agencies, departments, and offices performed their respective duties efficiently and the entire simulation went smoothly, the OCD noted. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds)