By Fides Anna Notes, SILAK Media in collaboration with PAMCO
Highlighting fire emergency preparedness at the beginning of the “dry season” (December to May) in the Philippines, the West Visayas State University (WVSU) faculty members, staff, and students participated in the University-Wide Fire Safety Seminar and Fire Drill from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2023.
After the activity, the Drill Evaluation Report of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of Iloilo City gave WVSU a rating of “8” which is “satisfactory”.
The activity began with the Fire Safety Seminar and Fire Drill Orientation at the College of Medicine (COM) Gym, where the basics of fire safety and instructions for the fire drill were discussed by the BFP and the University Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (UDRRMC) of WVSU.
“Security and safety is actually an item that is not subject to negotiation — it simply means that safety and security in the University are non-negotiable,” said Mr. Julius B. Undar, WVSU chief administrator, in his opening remarks during the morning activity.
Furthermore, FO1 Rodney D. Doronila Jr. from the BFP Community Relations Unit (CRU) discussed the importance of fire prevention, the possible causes of fire, and the BFP’s effort to lessen fire emergencies across the region.
“When fire prevention fails, the result is fire suppression which is more costly and may result in loss of life and irreparable property damage,” said Doronila in his talk, adding that the said seminar is part of their goal in fire prevention.
The second part of the activity at 1:30 p.m. was a university-wide fire drill where a fire emergency was simulated as well as fire accidents and other fire evacuation problems to teach students, faculty members, and staff what to do in case these happen.
“I gained insights on the possible escape routes and evacuation areas when [the fire emergency] happens. It made me realize the significance of strategic planning for smooth evacuations and panic mitigation,” said Rocel Sasana, a third-year Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED) major in Social Studies from the WVSU – College of Education (COE), on her experience in participating in the fire drill.
After the Fire Drill, a debriefing and closing activity was conducted to discuss any weaknesses observed during the drill to plan necessary recommendations.
All photos by SILAK Media: Ma. Ella Nicole Untaran, Lyza Jean Lavado, Shane Salao, and Joseph Nebres of PAMCO