Bulacan prepares for “the big one”
CITY OF MALOLOS – Three municipalities in Bulacan were chosen as the pilot areas for the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill spearheaded by the Office of the Civil Defense Region 3 (OCD 3) and the Provincial Government of Bulacan held this morning.
According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the drill simulated the aftermath of a 7.2 magnitude tremor with a one minute ground shaking scenario in the barangay of San Isidro (Sitio Karahume) in City of San Jose Del Monte, barangays of San Mateo and San Lorenzo in Norzagaray and barangay Bayabas in Doña Remedios Trinidad which traverses the West Valley Fault System.
The simultaneous drill started at 9:00 in the morning with a one minute alarm wherein “duck, cover and hold” was practiced until the ground shaking stopped, followed by trooping to a designated evacuation area, activation of Emergency Operation Center (EOC), inspection of Respective Area of Responsibility or conduct of a Rapid Damage Assessment & Needs Analysis, establishment of an Incident Command Post (ICP), Communication Flow compliance and submission of Incident Report and other information to ICP, as well as to the City/Municipal EOC and consolidation of information going to the Provincial DRRMO – EOC up to OCD 3 Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council 3.
Also, several response teams responded to the scenario where re-inspection, demobilization, drill termination, post evaluation and debriefing were conducted.
Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said the earthquake drill aims to prepare and increase Bulakenyos’ awareness on what to do in case a 7.2 magnitude earthquake happened in the province.
“Sa pamamagitan ng mga ganitong drill, higit nating nasusukat ang kaalaman ng ating mga kalalawigan gayundin ay naihahanda sila sa mga maaaring mangyari kung sakaling dumating ang kinatatakutan nating napakalakas na lindol. Mas malilimitahan ang mga mapipinsala at mabibiktima kung maipapabatid sa lahat ng Bulakenyo ang mga dapat gawin sa oras ng ganitong sakuna,” Alvarado said.
Meanwhile, PDRRMC Bulacan served as the command area wherein rescue teams from the local government units in the province and groups from the Cities of San Fernando, Cabanatuan, and Olongapo, Bulacan Rescue and Philippine Red Cross did its respective roles and responsibilities.
Regional Director Josefina Timoteo of OCD 3 graced the event together with the key players from Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils/LDRRMOs, selected RDRRMC members that include DSWD, DILG, DOH, DPWH, NTC, PNP, 7 ID, OCD, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Information Agency, media, and other volunteers who served as evaluators, documenters, and observers.
The said drill coincided with the Second Metro-wide Shake Drill of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.