The Provncial Government of Negros Oriental has further strengthened the Search and Rescue capabilities in the Province by sponsoring a 10-day intensive SAR training which concluded recently.
Governor Roel Ragay Degamo earlier ordered the executive officers of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) to enhance the disaster management preparation in consideration of the climate change mitigation and adaptation.
In response, the PDRRMC tapped the expertise of a team of trainers for the conduct of the 10-day intensive SAR training. The team or pool of trainers is composed of the personnel of the Bureau of Fire (BFP), the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the relatively newly-organized ONE Rescue.
A total of 50 new rescuers have completed the 10-day SAR training 20 of whom came from the Philippine Army 11th Infantry Battalion based in Guihulngan City. Another 20 came from the Philippine National Police and 10 from the Bureau of Fire.
These newly-trained personnel from the AFP, the PNP and the BFP will compose the team of responders or rescuers who will cover the areas of the First Congressional District during calamities or emergency situations.
With this new development, Governor Roel Ragay Degamo thanked the respective leaderships of the AFP, the PNP and the BFP in the Province for responding positively to his invitation for their men to form the team of responders in the first district.
This will definitely enhance the SAR capabilities of the entire Province considering that there are already available rescue teams both in the second and third districts.
Gov. Degamo however clarified the SAR is just one of the components in the larger scale of the disaster management plan of the Provincial Government in the next five years.
It compliments all the other activities and programs identified by the different agencies of government which are members of the PDRRMC making it a more comprehensive plan for disaster management in Negros Oriental.
With all these preparations, Gov. Degamo vowed to continue to be on the pro-active mode in order to minimize the effects of calamities both man-made and natural. Before the year ends, the PDRRMC is again scheduled to conduct another round of SAR training. This will be composed of members of the PNP, some provincial government employees and rescue volunteers and the BFP.