The Bureau of Fire Protection commended La Consolacion College Bacolod for consistently conducting emergency preparedness drills as the school held a localized emergency evacuation exercise Friday, Aug. 7, at its L-Shaped Building.
The exercise covered the Integrated Basic Education Department and administrative offices located in the building and was observed by representatives of the BFP.
SFO1 Jose Samuel G. Lapuz, chief of the Community Relations Unit, cited LCC Bacolod as among the schools the bureau considers consistent in implementing emergency drills.
Lapuz also used the activity to reinforce basic safety procedures among students, including the “duck, cover and hold” technique and other precautions to follow during emergencies.
The localized exercise was designed to test evacuation procedures and the coordination of personnel within a specific section of the campus rather than conducting a full campus-wide drill.
LCC Bacolod President Sr. Flolyn S. Catungal, OSA, said regular drills are part of the institution’s continuing effort to strengthen a culture of safety and preparedness among members of the school community.
“Preparedness becomes meaningful when our students and personnel know what to do, where to go and how to respond responsibly in an emergency,” Catungal said. “These exercises help us develop habits that can protect lives when an actual emergency occurs.”
The school’s emergency evacuation activities are regularly facilitated by its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee, composed of trained non-teaching personnel, in coordination with departmental academic officers.
During drills, the committee helps oversee evacuation routes, movement of occupants, assembly procedures and coordination among different offices and academic units.
The participation of the BFP also provided an opportunity for the school to receive professional guidance and reinforce established emergency response practices.
LCC Bacolod regularly conducts preparedness activities as part of its institutional safety program, with drills involving different buildings and sectors of the campus to familiarize students and personnel with appropriate responses to fires, earthquakes and other emergencies.