ERUF eyes new base, first paramedic school

CEBU – Other than its plan to put up a new base in Mandaue City within a year to improve its response time during emergencies, the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation also dreams of establishing the first-ever paramedic institute in the country.

This to strengthen services, like the conduct of first aid or basic life support and disaster preparedness training, to the community as in the case of the 500 selected Cebu City Hall personnel who availed of first aid training last year. Also, 29 barangays received training on disaster preparedness.

To make this possible, ERUF chairman Pek Eng Lim said that they appeal for support from the city and other benefactors for rescue vehicles and equipment. Some new equipment and two ambulances donated by certain groups are arriving from abroad, this was learned from Lim.

As ERUF turned a 22nd leaf yesterday, it envisions of sustaining operations in the next 100 years. Since its foundation on September 13 of 1986, ERUF has been in existence as a paramedic organization that provides competent emergency medical, rescue, and pre-hospital care and training programs, among others, in response to the needs of the community.

Over the years, ERUF has responded to 80,088 patients with its ambulance service. Some 2,380 events have received medical back-up assistance.

It has accommodated 7,177 incidents of alarms and emergency calls such as fire alarms, cardiac emergencies, poisonings, electrocution, drowning, vehicular emergencies, cave-ins, gas leaks, shooting or stabbing incidents, and suicides.

Last year, ERUF served as a medical back-up during the 12th Association of South East Asian Nation Summit. It also received the 2007 Excellent Service award from the Emergency Management and Rescue Unit in India.

On February 1 this year, ERUF was granted an accreditation by the US-based National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians to conduct the Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support course in Southeast Asia.

Lim said that with the rapidly changed and ever-growing number of rescue and medical needs, the team was able to respond to these with its hardworking, committed members and the support of its generous benefactors.

Lim added that compared to the average number of incidents and patients ERUF served over the past 20 years, alarms and emergency incidents have tripled while the number of patients needing ambulance service has almost doubled.

The anniversary celebration began with a Holy Mass. A motorcade was held afterwards to thank and let the people know that ERUF exists with doors open in times of emergencies. — Jessica Ann Pareja/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)