SDO SAN JUAN STRENGTHENS EMERGENCY RESILIENCE BY CONDUCTING BASIC OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND EMERGENCY
The SDO San Juan City recently conducted an Orientation Seminar on Basic Occupational Safety and Health, Basic Life Support and Psychological First Aid with the theme: Today is an Opportunity to be better prepared and resilient, Don’t Waste It last July 3-5, 2019 at the SDO Conference Room.
The training aims to capacitate the participants from the public schools in the division, who are focal persons in disaster preparedness and response, the basics of Occupational Safety and Health, Basic Life Support, and Psychological First Aid procedures.
The training was conceptualized pursuant to Republic Act 10871 (An Act Requiring Basic Education Students to Undergo Age-Appropriate Basic Life Support Training); Republic Act 10821 (An Act Mandating the Provision of Emergency Relief and Protection for Children Before, During, and After Disasters and other Emergency Situation); and Republic Act 101 (An Act Strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, Providing for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework and Institutionalizing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes).
Under the leadership of Dr. Alejandro G. Ibañez, OIC-SDS, the Division of San Juan City has strengthened its Disaster and Emergency Response capability through the conduct of this particular training. “We embark on preparing our schools to be disaster-prepared and resilient in times of calamity and other emergency situations”, Dr. Ibañez said during the opening program.
The Schools Governance and Operations Division took the lead in inviting competent speakers to share their expertise and skills in dealing with emergency situations.
Ms. Maria Anthonette H. Salvador, a registered and a licensed Guidance Counselor III of San Juan National High School, was the speaker on Psychological First Aid which involves humane, supportive and practical help to fellow human beings who are suffering and may need support. She gave important reminders in preparing and providing PFA for distressed people who have been recently exposed to serious crisis, available resources, supports linkages and the safety and security concerns. She also instructed the participants that in applying the PFA, they should follow the action principles of Look, Listen and Link before giving help to the victim.
Dr. Jay F. Macasieb, Assistant Principal II, OIC-Principal of San Juan Science High School, discussed the tenets of 5s of Good Housekeeping as an effective way of avoiding accidents in the workplace. He further stressed that being organized could maximize production output while minimizing unnecessary clutter and doldrums in the workplace.
Moreover, Mr. Erwin C. Dela Cruz, Education Program Specialist II (ALS), was the resource person on the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). He started his session by stressing the importance of PPE as the last line of defense and reminded that PPEs do not eliminate hazard in the work place. He added that the Department Order No. 13, Section 6 of the Labor Code stipulates that every employer shall, at his own expense, furnish his workers with such kind of protective equipment whenever necessary, by reason of the hazardous work process or environment that are capable of causing injury or impairment of the function of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical agent.
The Team of City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office spearheaded by Ms. Jully B. Contante, Florence Israel Mondejar and Richard Lazatin, were the speakers on Basic Life Support and First Aid. They discussed procedures that consist of recognizing respiratory or cardiac arrest and proper application of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), or Foreign Body Airway Obstruction Management (FBAOM) and Rescue Breathing (RB) or to maintain life until a victim recovers or advanced life support is available. They emphasized the proper procedures on when to start and when to stop CPR to the victim. Furthermore, they gave proper BLS sequence to guide the participants in performing their individual Return Demonstration with their assistance.
The Team also shared their expertise in First Aid like Bandaging, splinting, lifting and moving of a victim. Afterwards, a simulation followed for their final presentation, applying what they learned in different emergency scenarios.
The whole three-day seminar was very meaningful to each participant as they all pledge their commitment that they have big responsibilities in times of disasters and emergencies as first-responders in their respective schools.
Article written by:
Roy Dan R. Pido (Division DRRM Coordinator)
