NDRRMC HOLDS 3RD QUARTER NATIONWIDE SIMULTANEOUS EQ DRILL

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council  (NDRRMC) conducts 3
rd Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) with the ceremonial area at Plaza Burgos, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. Local drills are conducted 
nationwide through the Regional DRRM Councils.
The drill commenced at exactly 2 o’clock in the afternoon where hundreds of residents along Plaza Burgos performed the duck, cover and hold as an initial response to a magnitude 7.2 earthquake generated along the Abra River Fault with intensity VIII. The earthquake drill scenario was derived from the PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale 
(PEIS).

Various scenarios during the drill focused on the impacts of the earthquake to the Heritage Village of Vigan City. Immediately, the Emergency Operations Center of Public 
Safety and City  DRRM Council as well as the Incident Command Post of the Local Incident Management Team were established. Subsequently, the Emergency Response 
Cluster was activated to coordinate response efforts related to the incident. 

Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis Teams were deployed to assess disaster stricken communities particularly at the Heritage Village. Search, rescue and 
retieval operations, fire suppression, vehicle extrication, looting incident, collapsed structure and high angle rescue were among the other incidents depicted. 

NDRRMC Executive Director and Civil Defense Administrator Usec Ricardo B Jalad graced the 3
rd Quarter NSED as guest of honor and speaker.  Usec Jalad  along with Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Luis V Singson, Vigan City Mayor Juan Carlo Medina, Director
Rodolfo Encabo, DSWD and Deputy  Director Bartolome Bautista, DOST-PHIVOLCS joined in the pressing of the ceremonial button at the exactly 2 o’clock in the afternoon, 
signalling the start of the exercise, simultaneous in all the regional pilot areas nationwide.  

Regional DRRM Council I in coordination with the City Government of Vigan and the City DRRM Office facilitated the 3rd Quarter NSED in Plaza Burgos, Vigan City. 
“It is better to be redundant in our preparations than be caught flat-footed, the lives of millions are literally at stake, and we should never leave it to chance. Let us make 
disaster-preparedness part of our consciousness and regular habits,” says Usec Jalad in his message. # Source - NDRRMC