All SM Supermalls including SM City Tarlac conducted a “shake drill” activity in line to the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill to heighten the level of preparedness of employees when disaster strikes with the cooperation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), local Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Arm Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) on August 16, 2018 at 2 p.m.
PDRRMC chose SM Tarlac as the ‘pilot establishment’ for the NSED which means that full attendance and participation of the Local Government Units and Non-Government Organization were observed. PDDRRMC had their own documentation on the said drill.
Before the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED), all drill signages and paraphernalia were in place, all marshals were in their command posts, the mall PA system started announcing a reminder to tenants and employees regarding the earthquake drill at 12 p.m. and announcement were repeated every 30 minutes. At exactly 2 p.m., ringing of fire alarms was played in the PA system signaling the start of the drill and lasted for 45 minutes. All employees and tenant/affiliates and even customers performed “drop, cover and hold” position under payment counters, sturdy tables/seats and the like.
The ringing of fire alarms stopped to signal that the shaking had already stopped and that evacuation had to start. Marshalls led the evacuation of the premises and the assembly at the evacuation areas. Clearing operations were also conducted to ensure nobody was left in the building.
The following are the different mock scenarios during the earthquake drill: rescuing customer or employees who are unconscious, have head injury, broken bones, and also evacuating elderly, PWDs and pregnant women.
The shake drill was well participated by a total number of 1,852 in SM City Tarlac; 746 in SM City Rosales; 442 in SM City Urdaneta; 692 in SM City Cabanatuan; 535 in SM Megacenter; 445 in SM City Cauayan; and 239 in SM Center Tuguegarao Downtown including employees, affiliates, tenants, customers, and agencies or contractors.
The shake drill highlighted the capability of all SM Supermalls to execute procedures that will address the safety needs of people should a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, occur within its grounds. The shake drills also offer an opportunity to institutionalize the activity to further raise earthquake safety consciousness among the public and develop disaster-resiliency.
