Angeles City holds first rescue olympics

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Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2017/11/13/angeles-city-holds-first-rescue-olympics-574422
Monday, November 13, 2017

(PR)

ANGELES CITY -- The Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ACDRRMO) spearheaded this city’s first rescue olympics held last Friday, November 10, at the City College of Angeles covered court.

ACDRRMO Chief Francis Pangilinan said that the olympics is a convergence of all barangay-based DRRMCs in line with the Executive Order No. 35 signed by Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.

“We are envisioning a safer, liveable, adaptive, and resilient community for every Angeleño especially in the face of untoward emergencies and natural disasters,” said Mayor Pamintuan.

“The EO signed by our city mayor has tasked the ACDRRMO to enjoin all villages in the city in forming and activating their own Barangay Rescue and Action Brigade,” said Pangilinan.

The ACDRRMO chief added that a total of 16 barangays that underwent the city’s preliminary series of trainings on basic life support (BLS) are expected to participate in the said Olympics. This is to instill the importance of BLS especially in responding to real-life emergencies and related scenarios.

In his special message, Regional Director Marlou Salazar of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said that the olympics is a clear manifestation of the city’s commitment towards building a disaster-responsive community.

“Skills that are not put into practice will remain theories forever. This [activity] will help the city promote a culture of preparedness in the community,” said Salazar who is also a retired member of the Philippine Army.

“I am encouraging all cities and towns to do the same for preparedness is the only way that we can save and protect more lives,” Salazar added.

The skills-set and abilities of each barangay DRRM teams were judged in three categories which include the conduct of [1] cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for adults and infants, [2] bandaging, lifting and moving, and [3] situational analysis.

The rescue brigade from Barangay Ninoy Aquino emerged as the champion in the said olympics. The group, along with other winning barangays, will receive their cash incentives, trophies and medals during the DRRM Summit which is set on December 11 to 13 in Baguio City.

Aside from the BLS training, the ACDRRMO has been active in capacitating the community through the implementation of Disaster Preparedness Trainings, Earthquake and Fire Drills, Contingency Planning Workshops and workshops on how barangays can come up with their own respective DRRM plans.

Meanwhile, the ACDRRMO is set to forge Memorandum of Agreement with various primary to tertiary private and public schools this November as the city enjoins educational institutions to be emergency-responsive through the conduct of various DRRM symposia.

The said disaster preparedness and emergency response competition was held in partnership with the Department of National Defense and the Philippine Heart Association Incorporated.