ILOILO City – There are lessons to be learned from the “rescue accident” in Barangay Baldoza, La Paz district that left two persons dead and more than a dozen others injured – ensuring crowd control and following standard operating procedures (SOP) are vital.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas yesterday discussed with officials of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) the incident to come up with measures to avoid a repeat of what happened.
They agreed to come up with an SOP for rescue and emergency situation operations such as road and fire accidents, according to Fire Chief Supt. Jerry Candido, BFP-6 director.
Among others, the role of the ground or incident commander must be clearly defined.
“Para mabal-an naton ang responsibility and accountability. We discussed what happened in Barangay Baldoza purposely to guide us in drafting the SOP that will govern all responses,” said Candido.
They aim to complete the draft SOP next week.
“Amo ni ang general guidelines on what to do, how to respond, what will happen in the scene. After that, we will draft specific guidelines applicable sa isa ka accident like road accidents, bomb threats, suicide incidents, among others,” added Candido.
The BFP official noted that, for the meantime as interim rule while they are drafting the SOP, the BFP will serve as ground commander in all incidents involving public safety.
In the event that other responders show up ahead of the BFP, their officer will serve as ground commander until the BFP response team arrives.
“Any senior officer will automatically assume as ground commander and will direct the operation,” said Candido.
They also proposed an ordinance prescribing penalties to people who breach yellow or police lines.
“Kon linyahan na da siya, we don’t need more people nga mag-cordon. And ina nga linya connotes authority so dapat respetuhon ina,” he said.
Securing the scene is the first thing that responders should do, stressed Candido.
“We have to control the crowd. We should not allow the crowd nga magpinagusto lang da palapit sa scene,” he said.
Candido added: “Maski ano pa ka damu sang responders, no matter how equipped the responders are, kon wala sang unity of command and command in control, waay ti matabu sa scene.”
Meantime, the BFP-6 director refrained from commenting on the rescue accident as to who will be held accountable or at fault.
He said there is an ongoing investigation.
On Sunday, June 11, two people died and 17 others were injured in a freak accident involving a water tanker in Barangay Baldoza.
Oliver Embang Parreñas, 22, of Zone III, Barangay Baldoza, and a 14-year-old girl from Zone I, Barangay Baldoza were both declared “dead upon arrival” in a hospital around 6 p.m.
The water tanker lost its brakes and plowed a lechon stand, a bakeshop, a pharmacy, and a parked tricycle, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Ethan Estaya, chief of the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Unit (TIEU) of the Iloilo City Police Office.
The tanker was driven by Danilo Mayo Dayon, 61, of Barangay Cagamutan Norte, Leganes, Iloilo. He is currently detained at the La Paz police station.
The initial accident injured lechon vendor Bonie De Los Reyes Parreño, 22, of Pototan, Iloilo, police said.
To clear the road around 6:04 p.m., rescue personnel Darryl Darwyin Thulasidas, 26, of Barangay South Fundidor, Molo district took over the water tanker’s steering wheel while it was being towed by a fire truck.
Suddenly surging forward and disengaging with the fire truck, it hit two tricycles, two motorcycles and 16 more individuals.
The 16 others who sustained injuries were:
* Charito Marie Sumagpao, 24, of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, a DYFM Bombo Radyo Iloilo reporter
* alias “Mark”, 10, of Barangay Baldoza
* alias “Faith”, 11, of Barangay Baldoza
* alias “Michelle”, 13, of Barangay Baldoza
* alias “Nicole”, 13, of Barangay Baldoza
* alias “Princess”, 13
* alias “Joy”, 15, of Barangay Baldoza
* alias “Ana Mae”, 15
* Jun Mark De La Cruz, 37, of Barangay Baldoza
* Loreto Clamor Jr., 30, of Barangay Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental
* Helen Galvez, 63, of Barangay Baldoza
* Police Staff Sergeant Ricky Denila Ardamoy, 39, of Barangay Caingin, La Paz, traffic investigator
* Emely Anacan, 51
* Delia Ungsod, 46
* Miguel Jazmine, 65, of Barangay Baldoza
* Rica Jane Ungsod, 19, of Barangay Baldoza
The TIEU chief said some of the victims were already discharged from the hospital./PN
