Pque gets equipment to boost disaster preparedness in the city

The Parañaque Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office’s response capabilities got a welcome boost this month following approval of project grants for a Tsunami Early Warning System and a Compact Automated Weather Station for the city.

The former will be provided by DOST-Philvolcs and the Advance Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) while the latter will come from the Aboitiz Group of Companies.

Selected as pilot site for Manila Bay, four (4) early warning sirens will be installed in Parañaque’s coastal Barangays of La Huerta, Don Galo, Tambo and San Dionisio. Using real-time information in measuring seawater levels, the tsunami forecast and transmitter station in Corregidor Island will send alarm signals to Parañaque receiver if a tsunami is imminent. From the time DRRMO activates the sirens, citizens who are at sea and in coastal areas and the city’s river network have approximately 30 minutes to move to higher ground.

Meanwhile, the Compact Automated Weather Station will gauge rainfall, temperature, pressure, humidity, solar radiation, wind direction and wind speed. Real-time information for Parañaque will be available atwww.weather.com.ph.

Both monitoring equipment will be operated by the Parañaque Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office headed by Dr. Ted Gonzalez. Calibration, maintenance and servicing of said apparatus will be made by sponsor corporate group and partner government agencies.

Meanwhile, a Volunteer Management System is being set-up within the Parañaque DRMMO. Volunteer desk is aimed at coordinating and pooling the efforts of volunteer groups and civil society organizations active in DRRM work to make emergency response and disaster management more effective by preventing duplications and resource wastage. This is a project of Australian Aid (AusAid), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO Bahagian).

Earlier, the city government acquired for DRRMO a command vehicle/rescue pick-up, a rescue truck and new equipment capable for water and collapsed structure rescue. Also, it received a donation of three bicycles and a motorcycle from the Rotary Club of Parañaque Metro and RCC Metro EMS. These vehicles are intended for quick response to emergencies in planned events like marathons and in locales which can only be accessed via narrow alleys.

“As we commend our Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for doing a great job in mitigating hazards and enhancing the awareness and preparedness of all the sectors in the community on natural calamities and man-made disasters, we also thank well-meaning corporations, partner government agencies, international organizations and volunteer groups which are helping out in building the resources and capabilities of our DRRMO for greater safety in our community.”, P’que Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Jr. said.

Parañaque Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is housed at 3/F Dominic Savio cor. La Naval St. Remanville Subdivision, Brgy. Don Bosco, this city. Apart from responding to medical and other emergencies, it conducts free disaster awareness orientations and preparedness drills; first aid and basic life support seminars in schools, communities and companies on request.