F/Supt. Comar back at BFP-7

CEBU, Philippines – Former provincial fire marshal, Supt. Aderson Comar, is back in Cebu not as head of the Cebu City Fire Department but as chief of the Financial Management Division of Bureau of Fire Protection-7.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has earlier endorsed Comar for the post of the city fire marshal to replace Supt. Ishmael Codilla, who is said to be "overstaying" in his post.

Last September 1, Comar assumed as the chief of the Financial Management Division of BFP-7.

Now that he is back in Cebu, Comar is keen on reactivating the Central Visayas Search and Rescue Group (CEVSAR), which he founded sometime in 1997 during his stint as the deputy regional director of the fire department.

CEVSAR offers free training on search and rescue to different organizations including local government units and the media.

With the onset of La Niña, it is feared that landslide may occur in areas identified as hazardous and geologically threatened.

Comar motivated out of school youth loitering around when he first conducted trainings on mountain rescue and water survival training.

After his long stay in Cebu, he was sent to BFP national headquarters after his active participation in the security preparation of the Association of South East Asian (ASEAN Summit) in 2007 for schooling.

He was then the chief of the Special Operations Division but on August 6 this year, he was reassigned to BFP Central Visayas.

Comar was not able to assume his work immediately because he was sent to South Korea for one month training on International Urban Search and Rescue, the second after the same training he attended in Japan.

Comar committed to share his expertise on search and rescue operations.

He took part in the search and rescue operations on major landslides and mining explosions Cebu and other parts of the region.

One of which happened in Dalaguete, Cebu on December 2005 when they rescued trapped miners after a coal mine operated by Ibalon Resources and Development Corp. collapsed.

During that time, he said rescuers ahead of them backed out after they have failed to rescue trapped miners due to difficult situation for several days.

Comar's group was able to rescue survivors and recovered dead bodies within 72 hours only.

He also took part in the search and rescue operations in a tragedy happened in Guinsaugon, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte in February 2006. (FREEMAN)