The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) conducted earthquake drills in different schools of the town simultaneously with earthquake drills held around the country on June 29, 2017.

The MDRRMO divided its staff so they could conduct the same drill at the same time in Caturay Elementary School, Moises B. Rebamontan National High School (Carungay), Carungay Elementary School, Tococ National High School, Bayambang Central School, Catalino Castañeda Elementary School (Sanlibo), and Hermoza National High School.

MDRRMO Head Genevieve U. Benebe said these drills were different in that, apart from the usual lecture on the basic do’s and don’t’s, her team was able to get the various classrooms organize themselves so the students would have clearly delineated roles in case an actual earthquake struck. She said the different classes designated their own exit guards, search and rescue people, communicators, monitors, and evacuation guards, and also drew up their own evacuation plan.

Since they were already in the vicinity, the MDRRMO also took the opportunity to do a Risk and Hazard Assessment of each campus they visited.