Court employees during the earthquake drill/Photo by Supreme Court PIO
Some 2,100 employees were successfully “evacuated” from the Supreme Court complex to Paco Park in a little over 18 minutes during the metrowide quake drill.
Simulation for the anticipated “big one” included two dead, 18 injured, an explosion in the Printing Division and a collapsed and damaged building because of the earthquake.
At least 500 volunteer members of the high court’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) led by Emergency Marshall Atty. Ma. Carina M. Cunanan were distributed to several sub-teams including Communications, Evacuaton and Rescue, First Aid, Logistics.
The “victims” were transported using ambulances and high court vehicles.
Forty-two minutes from the time the alarm had gone off, the Supreme Court compound was then declared for re-entry.
Atty. Cunanan said this year’s record broke last year’s record of 48 minutes.
BACKSTORY: Court employees simulate escape from building during earthquake drill
In the ERT’s post drill assessment, six internal observers shared their notes in relation to the flow of the drill, the pacing of the evacuation, and the behavior of both the responders and the employees. One observer emphasized, “we should not just have orientations for the volunteers. Our employees also need to be oriented, they also need to be told what to do.” In the end, all the observers were in agreement that the drill was a success, but deemed it fit to have reorientations and refresher courses more often to better prepare the SC community in case a calamity happens.
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