Police, OCD prepare for La Niña

CEBU, Philippines – Several policemen and members of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) underwent a three-day search and rescue operation drill in preparation for the feared La Niña and other natural calamities.

Senior Supt. Anthony Obenza, chief of the Police Community Relations (PCR) 7, said the training's rationale is that the police will not be caught off guard during natural calamities like what happened during typhoons Ondoy and Peping last year.

The training, the two days of which were held at the Police Regional Office 7 headquarters, will end today with the remaining drills such as water and high angle rescue to be held at the Maritime Area in Pier 1.

Those who attended the training were policemen from the police offices of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City, the Regional Mobile Group-7 and the PRO 7.

Obenza said the training was replicated from Camp Crame considering that the police have a major role in the Disaster Mitigation Team of the government.

The police used to have a minor role but Obenza said they are now a major partner of the team.

"Aron mahimo nang skilled in all forms of calamities ang atong kapulisan example in conducting first aid, how to carry a victim to a vehicle, or how to extract the victim from a collapsed structure among others," Obenza said.

Obenza admitted that it is the OCD that currently supplies them with the needed equipment when they respond to calamities in the region.

But this will soon be addressed as the national headquarters asked them to submit a "wish list" of their needed equipment. (FREEMAN)