Over 4K Students Join Quake Drill

More than 4,000 students of Abellana National School (ANS) recently joined in the earthquake drill done in Cebu, a simultaneous activity set nationwide by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC).

Representatives from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Central Command (CENTCOM), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), and Philippine National Police (PNP) were all over the area to evaluate the event.

At the strike of nine’o clock in the morning, the alarm was sounded, prompting the start of the earthquake drill.

Students and teachers then slowly went out of their classroom in an orderly manner and proceeded outside towards the sidewalk along Osmeña Boulevard.

In about 20 minutes, the students and teachers went back to their classrooms.

Major Ronnie Ebarita of Task Force-7 of Central Command, one of the evaluators, said they observed certain lapses which the school officials need to take note of.

He said that according to his building specialist, the students and teachers were already ordered back to their classrooms despite the absence of inspection and clearance from a building engineer or maintenance supervisor.

It was also observed that upon the sound of the alarm, some students were seen not performing the “Duck, Cover and Hold,” a safety procedure during earthquakes.

“There were also some who were closing windows, arranging stuffs, when a real earthquake happens you are supposed to drop everything,” Ebarita said.

There was also one student who was left behind in the classroom because she was suffering from dysmenorrhoea or painful menstrual period.

“Good thing the school’s designated rescue personnel was there to take her out”, he said. However, the rescue brought the student to the school clinic.

“In an actual earthquake, no place inside the building is considered safe, so siguro nalilito lang ang nag rescue (maybe the rescuer got confused),” Ebarita said.

On the positive side, ANS rated fair in the set up of medical station, uniforms, and safety gear of the rescue personnel.

Ebarita said the purpose of the drill is mainly to test the preparedness and school’s capability to respond and react when an actual earthquake occurs.

He said the lapses discovered during the drill are acceptable.

“However, even if this is just a drill, everyone’s cooperation and participation are still encouraged and much more to treat this as a real earthquake scene,” Ebarita said.

Meanwhile, the University of San Carlos Main also conducted its own quake drill.

Image Credit: r07.pia.gov.ph