Northwestern University RIDAM hosts Disaster Risk Reduction Drill
Northwestern University, in collaboration with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management of Laoag City, conducted simultaneous earthquake and fire drills in observation of the Fire and Earthquake Prevention Month, on February 26, 2020.
Karl Lenin Benigno, Disaster task force head of the university, coordinated with the employees and the firefighting, search and rescue, security, and the medical teams in the exercise.
RIDAM, an Ilokano term which means “to be alert, or, on alert,” is the university’s advocacy and platform for disaster education, awareness, and preparedness. RIDAM is a special group that functions as the university’s disaster risk reduction and management unit and quick emergency response team.
“The earthquake and fire emergency drills are regularly conducted to enhance the disaster awareness and preparedness of students and personnel. It is also an occasion to test the emergency response capability of the school amid the pandemic,” Prof Karl Lenin C. Benigno said.
The NWU RIDAM preparedness for disaster is evaluated by the Laoag City Bureau of Fire Protection and the Laoag City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. BFP Laoag officials SFO2 Jay Simbol, FO2 Sir Pungtilan from the Department of Public Safety of Laoag, and City Health Officer Dr. Melvin Manuel gave insights into the fire drill to ensure that in the event of a fire-related emergency, all staff and students would know how to evacuate the premises without confusion and in the shortest possible time.
