CDRRMO ready for IRONMAN 70.3

The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) has laid out its enhanced emergency response measures for the IRONMAN races on March 24-26.

In preparation for the races, the CDRRMO has trained its emergency response teams in partnership with the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), enhanced its medical response and rescue templates, and generated emergency situations to stage rescue operations for the swimming, cycling and running courses.

“We have done the trainings for our emergency medical response team. That was a two-day training so ready na pud sila (they are also ready now). And we’ve also done simulation exercises,” said CDRRMO Head Alfredo Baloran during the I-Speak media forum on Thursday.

The office is set to deploy 70 emergency medical responders on March 24 and March 25 (IRONGIRLS and IRONKIDS), Baloran said.

Maximum deployment will be on March 26 for the IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon race with 398 emergency medical responders from both the CDRRMO and the SPMC.

To ensure the safety of the audience, medical teams from the City Health Office will also be putting up medical tents to cater to emergency concerns of the spectators.

“We divided the team. Dr. Valdez assigned the city health doctors and nurses to the audience. So ang ating doctors (our doctors) from the Southern Philippines Medical Center, ‘yon sila ang mag-cater doon sa mga athletes talaga (they will be catering to our athletes),” Baloran said.

Dr. Benedict Edward Valdez of the Southern Philippines Medical Center is the medical director of the IRONMAN 70.3.

Baloran said five medical stations will be put up along the length of each of the three courses of the IRONMAN 70.3 where ambulances from the Central 911 will be stationed in strategic points.

Foot medics will also be deployed to ensure that medical aid will immediately reach those in need.

The office has also identified helicopter spots in between and near the race routes in case the need for an aerial extraction arises.

Aside from preparing emergency response to potential accidents, Baloran said the office has also prepared for natural disasters and other incidents that may occur during the races.

He said a misting machine will set up at the running course to counter the heat index.

Emergency measures in case of an earthquake were also put in place. The CDRRMO chief explained that a tremor of Intensity 3 or higher will prompt the total suspension of the races.

City Sports Development Division head Mikey Aportadera said that for this year’s hosting of the races (which is the third time for the city), both security measures and emergency medical response have been enhanced to ensure the successful and safe execution of the sport. CIO