OCD, CDRRMO urge proactive stance in disaster management
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Dir. Albert Mogol, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDMMC) chair, stressed the importance of taking a proactive stance in managing disaster consequences and reducing disaster risks by institutionalizing various mechanisms like the Incident Command System (ICS).
He gave the remarks during the Basic ICS training course, June 6 to 8, conducted by the city government thru the City DRRM Office in partnership with the OCD, and participated by 27 representatives of various local government offices.
Mogol explained that ICS is one of the OCD’s flagship programs that has been institutionalized as an on-scene disaster response tool of the Philippine DRRM System that coordinates the actions of all response groups.
ICS has been proven effective in managing potential and actual disaster consequences and enhanced mechanisms for resource management, reporting and documentation, promotion of responder safety, and optimum achievement of response objectives, he said.
CDRRMO head Antonette Anaban said the training aims to impart knowledge, skills and attitude that are essential for the application of basic concepts and principles of ICS in any disaster situation.
Topics tackled in the three-day course include introduction to ICS; ICS organization and staffing; ICS facilities; managing planned events and incidents; event assessment and management by objectives; organizing and managing resources; incident and event planning; transfer or command, demobilization and closeout.
Resource persons were Tsgt. Jake Belino of the Philippine Air Force; Community Action for Disaster Response (CADRE) instructor Mike Kenneth Piluden; and Local DRRM Officer 1 Kenneth Khayog of the CDRRMO.
The training utilized interactive lecture discussions, audio-visual presentations, workshops and structured learning exercises.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong chairs the City DRRM Council and one of the city government’s 16-point core agenda is efficient disaster management. – Gaby B. Keith
