MANILA — The Metro Manila Development Authority is set to build a Disaster Preparedness Training Facility in Carmona, Cavite this year.
The agency owns the 1-hectare lot where it plans to build structures for disaster simulation such as a rappel tower, confined space structure, wrecked building structure, and extrication facility, said MMDA Chairman Romando Artes.
“Ituturo paano mag-extricate ng tao na nasa confined space, basically may mga pipes kung saan susuot ang mga trained rescuers. Ituturo paano magbakbak ng mga concrete... paano mag angat ng pader,” said Artes.
(Responders will be taught how to extricate people from a confined space, there will be pipes where trained rescuers will go through. They will taught how to demolish concrete, how to lift a wall.)
The MMDA said the facility was in the pipeline even before a powerful Feb. 6 earthquake left nearly 40,000 dead in Turkey and neighboring Syria.
The agency will also offer Crashed Vehicle Extrication and Rescue Training or CVERT that would use unclaimed vehicles in its impounding area. A K9 Search and Rescue Unit will also be included in the training facility. Dog owners are welcome to have their pets trained.
The MMDA's earthquake simulators are being retrofitted for trainings in the agency and in schools.
The agency allocated a P25 million budget for the the structure, excluding equipment purchase. Materials will be procured in the second quarter of the year, while construction will take about 6 months.
“Within the year sana mabuksan ang training facility. Uunahin i-train ang mga LGU sa NCR... Ito po ay magiging inter-agency training na ang facility ang MMDA ang mag-provide. Magtutulong-tulong po kami sa pagsasaayos at pag-train sa ating mga kababayan sa search and rescue,” Artes added.
(We hope to open the facility within the year. We will first train personnel from Metro Manila. This will be an inter-agency training and the MMDA. will provide the facility. We will coordinate in training our compatriots in search and rescue.)
The facility can accommodate 50 people per training session and will enforce a system that would enable trainees to teach their respective local government units.
The MMDA will shoulder the expenses for Metro Manila local governments, while they are still finalizing "minimal" fees for LGUs outside the capital region.
“Goal maka-rescue at maka-respond ng maayos pag dumating yung 'The Big One.' Wag naman sana, pero kung handa tayo, mababawasan ang casualties at ma-save natin ang mahalaga,” said Artes.
(Our goal is to respond efficiently to The Big One. If we are prepared, we. can minimize casualties and save what is important.)
The MMDA has trained some 57,000 responders on basic search and rescue.