Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) launched its First Aid Competition last July 18 to hone the preparedness of employees to respond in times of emergency.

The competition was perfectly timed with the celebration of National Disaster Resilience Month.

The event was participated in by six groups of Emergency Response Teams (ERT) with seven individuals each equipped with two-week training and preparation in handling first aid and emergency response.

The competition was divided into trivia quiz bee and bandaging technique relay.

The Mechanical CPMFS team won the championship, followed by Minesite and Townsite groups.

“Ang direksyon kasi ng management, bukod sa compliance siya kay Mines and Geosciences Bureau, dapat ay magkaroon din ng continuous training sa ERT, magkaron ng skills ang mga emplyado", explained RTNMC safety manager Donjeorge Lozano.

"Part din ito ng continuous improvement at siyempre iyong pagiging pro-active kung may emergency na dumating ay prepared ang RTNMC," he said.

Lozano said that it was also a challenge to them to execute the emergency response procedures in compliance with the minimum health protocols.

The celebration, he added, was in line with the theme “Sama-samang pagsulong tungo sa katatagan sa gitna ng bagong normal.”

“Iyong challenge doon ay papaano namin hindi ma-violate si new normal so ang social distancing talagang hindi natin masusunod pagdating sa emergency pero nag-provide kami ng face shield, ‘yong sa bandaging performance ay dini-disinfect. Sa bandaging na lang kami nag-focus para less ‘yong exposure ng bawat participants at ‘yong assigned victim,” he said.

It is a moral obligation to respond anytime whenever there is an emergency situation, Lozano stressed.

“Trained tayo at licensed pa ng Philippine Red Cross, ‘yong iba ay internally trained ng safety department, kumbaga it is a moral obligation kahit anong pagkakataon, kapag hiningi na kailangan natin mag-respond ay tutugon tayo,” he said.