‘Readiness needs improvement’

Employees and visitors at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center took part in the nationwide earthquake drill. (CDN Photos/Ferdinand Edralin)

With sirens blaring at 9 a.m., hospital and local government employees in Cebu took part in the nationwide earthquake emergency drill yesterday.

At the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), doctors, nurses and even visitors rushed out of the hospital compound with hands over their heads to simulate taking cover from rubble and other debris in the event of an earthquake.

VSMMC chief Dr. Gerardo Aquino told reporters that participants weren’t serious about the drill.

“People are not really that serious; this drill should intensify the importance of preparedness,” he said.

Dr. Mari Leo Pataray of VSMMC said they have protocol to follow in the event of an earthquake.

“We first evacuate ambulatory patients, those we can evacuate and those needing mechanical ventilation and masks,” she said.

Pataray said hospitals “should be the last to collapse” since they are frontliners in any natural calamity.

Dennis Ato, training officer of the Office of Civil Defense, said yesterday’s drill at the VSMMC showed there’s room for improvement.

He said medical kits were missing during the drill as well as a suitable evacuation area.

Ato said there wasn’t room to allow responders such as fire trucks from entering the compound.

Inadequate participation was also noted in yesterday’s earthquake drill at Mandaue City Hall.

Felix Suico, head of the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MCDRRMO), said only a few employees joined the drill.

“Not because they performed the drill that it’s already okay. They kept taking selfies, walking around as if nothing happened. They will not  take it seriously,” he said in Cebuano.

Employees and visitors at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center took part in the nationwide earthquake drill. (CDN PHOTO/FERDINAND EDRALIN)

Suico said department heads didn’t perform the head count after exiting Mandaue City Hall.

FO3 Henry Lagumbay, Mandaue City Fire Department (MCFD) chief of training operations, said a head count is important to know if everyone is safe.

“We won’t know that we  have co-workers that are trapped inside the building because we didn’t do head counting. We assume that everybody is already outside,” Lagumbay said.

At the Capitol, Baltazar Tribunalo, chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), said he is happy with the swift response of the participants who were outside the building two minutes after the alarm sounded.

He said there were persons assigned to guide the people out of the building and others to make sure no one is left behind.

Tribunalo said there were 20 persons with disabilities (PWDs) assigned in every area to make the drill inclusive.

Tribunalo said it’s important to build ramps and alarms to help PWDs leave the buildings immediately during the quake.

“When you say earthquake drill, you should not only think of yourself or the people within your immediate circle or vicinity,” he said.

At Lapu-Lapu City Hall, Andy Berame, the city’s risk reduction management officer, said employees were told to take the drill seriously.

“As far as we can tell, none even took selfies during the drill,” he said.

Berame said rescue teams evacuated people as police did crowd control.

He said the city government needs to improve on its public address system especially in coastal areas.