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RDCC-7 prepares for mass casualty situation
By Minerva BC Newman
Cebu City (31 August 2005) -- The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC-7) in region VII prepares its disaster management capability in cases of mass casualty situations. This was the major discussion during the 2nd council meeting held recently at the Police Regional Office here in Cebu.

P/CSupt. Eduardo Gador, PRO-7 Director and Chairman, RDCC-7 said, the council must re-direct its efforts or make a paradigm shift from disaster awareness to the best practices in disaster management especially on mass casualty situation. "With all the preparations we have done, we are prepared to address and respond to any disaster that may come to our region, although, we are also thankful that we have been spared from any damaging disaster," Gador added.

During the various committee reports and updates, emphasis was given on the council's capability to manage a disaster with a mass casualty of about 60 to a hundred.

SFO4 Bernardo del Mar of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-7) reported that its personnel are highly trained to respond to any emergency, first aid medical services and fire suppression. In terms of equipment, Del Mar said, the BFP can only suppress fire up to the 7th floor of any building because that is how high their ladders can go. Communications, transportations and response capability are high although, "we still need more equipment and some state of the art facilities to suppress huge fires," Del Mar said.

The committee on disaster preparedness led by the Dept. of Interior & Local Government (DILG) through its representative Ma. Luisa Ong reported that all LGUs in region 7 have already activated their respective LDCCs or local disaster coordinating councils. But based on the committee's 2004 assessment, Ong bared that only 89% of the LDCCs are functional; only 61% have disaster management, preparedness, relied & rehabilitation plans and only 25% of the barangays have functional BDCCs or Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils.

In similar developments, the Dept. of Health (DOH-7) through Dr. Joseph Alesna also reported that the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) and DOH-7 personnel are prepared to respond to any mass casualty situation that may occur in Cebu.

Alesna said, their disaster management preparedness plans have long been in place and all medical units, departments and personnel have been briefed on the matter. The hospital services and capabilities plans are color coded to ensure safer and efficient flow of patients, people, victims and medical responses to any disaster of mass casualty. Dr. Alesna further said that by October, these plans would be put to a "drill" for readiness and general evaluation.

In conclusion, the RDCC-7 Chairman also called on the Office of Civil defense (OCD) here to prepare a working paper on a "mass disaster management and preparedness drill" that would be conducted in November this year to test the readiness of the RDCC and the public to respond and manage a disaster of mass casualty situation. (PIA-Cebu) [top]

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