NAMRIA participated in the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-organized National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) with simultaneous drills at Fort Andres Bonifacio in Taguig City and the Hydrography Branch in San Nicolas, Manila on 25 March 2024. The drills are being conducted quarterly to prepare for the "Big One" to ensure that communities and institutions are equipped to respond effectively during times of crisis and enhance the country's preparedness for seismic events.

 

During the drill, NAMRIA personnel demonstrated their preparedness and response capabilities in a series of well-coordinated actions. These included activating alarms to alert the employees, executing the duck, cover, and hold procedure for safety, facilitating orderly evacuations, establishing a safe space, and conducting headcounts to ensure everyone was accounted for.

 

 

 

 

The drill served as a practical exercise for mobilizing the Emergency Response Team and implementing the NAMRIA Public Service Continuity Plan (PSCP). It provided a platform for simulating responses based on the knowledge acquired from the recent Earthquake and Landslide Search and Rescue Orientation Course (ELSAROC) conducted by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for selected NAMRIA personnel and members of the NAMRIA Health, Safety, and Resiliency Program Committee.

 

Activities such as NSED and ELSAROC foster a culture of safety and preparedness and ensure the continuity of the agency's services to the public during and after a disaster.