San Jose de Buenavista, Antique - Students from various schools in Antique's capital town have gathered to demonstrate their emergency response skills in the three-day Junior Rescue Olympics and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Knowledge Quiz Bee. This event, held at Robinsons Place, is part of the National Children's Month celebrations.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Municipal DRRM officer, six public and private high schools are participating in the Rescue Olympics for both Junior and Senior High School categories, with an additional 27 schools in the elementary category. The first day of the event, which focused on junior and senior high school students, involved activities such as bandaging, splinting, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and indoor accident extrication. Participants also demonstrated their firefighting skills through bucket relay, hose laying, and busted hose replacement exercises.
The second day of the Rescue Olympics will cater to the elementary school category. Tacogdoy explained that all participants had undergone training conducted by the municipal DRRM office and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), preparing them to be emergency responders in their schools and as members of the high school Red Cross organization. The trainers, doubling as judges, assessed the students' efficiency and effectiveness in emergency response.
Tacogdoy noted that this training has enabled the learners to respond to simple emergencies confidently. The Rescue Olympics, which has been conducted for three years, serves as a practical platform for students to apply their training. The event will culminate with a quiz bee on November 23, followed by the awarding of winners and a closing ceremony.
The winning schools are set to receive various emergency response equipment, including foldable emergency stretchers, handheld radios, first aid kits, and blood pressure apparatuses, further enhancing their emergency preparedness capabilities.