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[av_heading heading=’EDITORIAL | Reducing the risks’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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Saturday, April 1, 2017
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THERE was a nationwide earthquake drill yesterday. Too bad the school year is about to end; the drill should have been done early this year so that schoolchildren could participate. Regular earthquake and fire drills – and other disaster preparedness measures – is important most especially in educational and healthcare institutions.
When an earthquake occurs and a fire ensues, would our kids know what to do and where to go? Would the teachers and school staff know how to keep the children calm and guide them to safety? They would not know unless they undergo safety drills. These drills should be done regularly – every month, perhaps? – in educational and medical establishments, such as hospitals and schools.
The regular conduct of fire and earthquake drills would effectively instill disaster preparedness in our citizens. Schools and health facilities, aside from being shelter for the vulnerable — children, sick and elderly – are critical public infrastructures, especially in times of disaster when victims need emergency refuge, services and medical care. Schools and hospitals should be disaster-resilient.
Regular safety drills should be done in schools and other educational establishments, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, orphanages and other buildings or structures used for the care of or occupied by the sick, infirm, or disabled. These drills should include practice and instruction concerning the location, use and operation of emergency exits, fire escapes, doors and fire extinguishers and other facilities provided for such purpose in buildings as well as the proper evacuation of buildings by persons in the event of fires, earthquakes and other hazardous phenomena.
We must enhance our resiliency to disasters by preparing the citizenry on the proper response and actions to take in cases of fires, earthquakes and other hazardous phenomena. We have to do this to reduce the risks on life, limb and properties.
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