TABUK CITY, Kalinga – With the increasing incidents of road accidents and car crashes here, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) has started training its emergency responders in the proper procedures for extricating victims from crashed vehicles.
City responders who are anticipated to be the first on the scene during emergencies like car accidents participated in a four-day vehicle extrication training from December 18–21, organized by the CDDRMO in collaboration with the Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
According to CDDRM Officer Jeremias Ammakiw, each emergency response unit in the city must be proficient in handling emergency situations in order to save the victim’s life.
Responders were instructed by Romanico Daguio of Isabela PDRRMO on how to properly remove victims from various car accidents and how to decide when to employ hydraulic equipment.
According to Daguio, it is not an easy process to remove a vehicle from around a person who has been engaged in a motor vehicle collision when traditional routes of escape are not feasible. It is necessary to carefully push, pull, or cut the vehicle in order to remove the victim from the debris.
He also reminded the participants to check the following on scene before performing extrication like other vehicle involved, victim who has been thrown clear of the vehicle, damages to the structures or utilities that present hazard, and any circumstances that warrant special attention.
Vehicle stabilization, he added, is vital to prevent possible injury to emergency personnel, and further injury to victims or to the vehicle.
The primary goal of the stabilization is to maximize the area of contact between the vehicle and the ground, and to prevent further movement of the vehicle, Daguio said.
Given the importance of this training, Ammakiw stated that the CDRRM Council would like to purchase a variety of extrication equipment, including hydraulic cutters (metal cutting tools), hydraulic rams, hydraulic spreaders, and hand tools.
The Isabela PDRRMO has scheduled a simulation on vehicle extrication tomorrow, December 21 along the provincial road in Appas. By Darwin Serion
