THE Tagbilaran City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) has recently acquired a vibraphone and a vibrascope. The new equipment is used for locating victims trapped or buried under collapsed structures and landslides.
The vibraphone locates victims with the use of sound vibrations, while the vibrascope get visuals in dark and tight spaces for easy victim extrication. The CDRRM office has been in continuous pursuit to enhance its disaster response through the acquisition of top-notch disaster equipment.
A few months ago, a sea ambulance was acquired by the office. The sea ambulance is pegged at Php3 million equipped with an ambulance stretcher, automatic external defibrillator, portal suction machine, nebulizer, aneroid sphygmomanometer, stethoscope, oxygen cylinder and examining light, among other equipment.
The ambulance measures 8.8 meters by 2.3 meters and is powered by a Suzuki DF115A outboard motor. The sea ambulance can quickly take patients who got ill on-board a sea vessel to the mainland as quickly as possible, medical emergencies at sea will be immediately remedied. This is indeed a significant reinforcement to the office’s mitigation and response unit.
The CDRRM which used to be a unit under the City Mayor’s Office was made into a department thru an ordinance sponsored by then city councilor Dulce Amelia Glovasa. The ordinance stated that in order to effectively and efficiently carry out the disaster risk reduction and management programs and projects of the city, and in compliance with the policies set forth by the national government, there is a need to create a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in the City of Tagbilaran which shall, in coordination with the CDRRMC Council, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the CDRRM Plan and regularly review and test the plan consistent with other national and local planning programs.
With this status, CDRRM Action Officer Gerard Lavadia said the office will be able to hire more staff since a department entitles them to have a separate budget for personnel services, office supplies, and utility bills. (Jeanette Busano)
