THE Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), in a bid to cater to emergency response services for residents in far-flung areas, is seeking more satellite offices including in Paquibato District.
Currently, there are five CDRRMO satellite offices.
“We have five, ang tulo ana Marilog, Cabantian, and Panacan, we have an ongoing construction sa Toril and we are also looking for an additional office pa sa Paquibato district (We have five, three of them are in Marilog, Cabantian, and Panacan, and we have an ongoing construction in Toril and we are also looking at putting up an additional office in Paquibato District),” CDRRMO head Alfredo Baloran said in a media forum.
Central 911 is a division under the CDRRMO.
Baloran said that having a satellite office is very important, especially in emergencies. It is the Marilog Satellite office of Central 911 that first responded to the rescue and retrieval operations for the victims of the recently collapsed Malamba Bailey Bridge. The satellite office is stationed in Marahan, which is near the area.
He said that before establishing a satellite office, they check the needs of the population of the area.
“Our purpose is kinahanglan gyud nato madala ang atoang services nearer to the community (Our purpose is to bring our services nearer to the community),” Baloran said, adding that immediate response is their commitment.
He added that the establishment of a satellite office helps them achieve the five-minute emergency response time upon the receipt of a call, which would not be possible if all of the response teams come from the city center.
“The 911 transports immediately patients to the hospitals and caters to emergencies, it can also cater to medical services for vehicular accidents/crashes involving multiple injuries,” Baloran said.
To enhance communication during emergencies, especially in far-flung areas where signal is scarce, the CDRRMO purchased satellite phones that will be distributed to the response teams and the response cluster.
“Ongoing ang among enhancement of our radio communication and almost done na ang among installation of additional Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio communications in all areas in Davao City that are prone to hazards. (The enhancement of our radio communications is ongoing and the installation of additional UHF radios in all areas in Davao City that are prone to hazards is ongoing),” Baloran said, adding that the UHF communication system is two-way communication that can be important in times of weather disturbances and to relay important matters to all barangays.
Apart from communications, Baloran said the enhancement of equipment for response is also ongoing.(PR)