CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Rescue teams from 21 municipalities and cities in Pampanga together with their mayors and representatives assembled to showcase their life-saving skills at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here Wednesday in the first ever First Aid and Basic Life Support Olympics.
Commenced with the lighting of the “Olympic torch,” municipal and city disaster
risk reduction and management officers engaged in various life-saving exercises
such as adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation with automated external
defibrillator, bandaging relay, lifting and moving relay, situational analysis and
application.
The magnitude 7.3 earthquake in Lagangilang, Abra which was felt in the
province, served even as an impetus for the rescuers to strive harder in their life-
saving efforts. From the BZG convention center, PDRRM officer Angelina Blanco
managed to coordinate with the DRRM officers in assessing the situation in their
localities.
“It is a good thing that we have well-trained employees and we are ready to keep
our community safe in the event of actual disasters,” Blanco said, underscoring
the value of focusing on preparedness to lessen the impact of forthcoming
disasters to quickly respond in any given situation.
Roberto Manalo of the Office of Civil Defense-Region 3 noted that preparedness
should start at home and within every individual: “We should also train our
families to avoid further harm and upkeep their safety even when we are not
together.”
Gov. Dennis ‘Delta’ Pineda thanked all disaster risk reduction personnel for their
heroism and assured them his full support in their endeavors.
“They are giving their lives for the safety of the citizens so, I am encouraging our
local chief executives to promote our rescuers to permanent positions,” the
governor said.
Masantol Mayor Jose Antonio “Ton Ton” Bustos III shared that one of their main
advocacies is public safety which is linked to disaster preparedness since their
municipality has been experiencing perennial flooding.
“We are now focusing on purchasing the additional right equipment and proper
training of our local responders,” said Bustos.
The first ever PDRRM Olympics served as the culminating activity for the
celebration of the National Disaster Resilience Month. Pampanga PIO
