Davao to lead PH transition to 911 emergency system

CHANGE HAS TRULY COME. Last May 25, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation 56, mandating the standardization of an emergency response number into a single 911 hotline.

That’s why officials from Davao City, who have experience when it comes to the coordination between emergency medicine departments of hospitals and on-scene emergency response teams, are offering a helping hand to local government units (LGUs).

The 911 concept, after all, is based on Davao City’s own 20-year-old model.

Dr. Benedict Edward P. Valdez, Medical Director of Davao City’s Central 911 and the chair of emergency medicine for the Southern Philippines Medical Center, has expressed his willingness to recommend to other LGUs Davao City’s own model as the template to health emergency response protocols.

“If you ask me which model I would use, I would use Davao City’s,” Valdez said.

He added that the implementation of a well-coordinated hospital transfer system is one of his advocacies, which includes instructions from the hospital to the responders and better response of teams in picking up patients from their locations.

Valdez also mentioned that educating the public on the other aspects of the emergency response chain is essential. He believes in empowering communities to make field decisions before emergency response teams arrive, especially important know-hows like CPR and identifying ambulance pickup points.

Emergency medical service (EMS) advocates have been waiting for a law that empowers the nationwide EMS protocols, according to Valdez. He also said that the Central 911 system can only do so much since it’s only designed to coordinate emergency response.

Emergency response teams from all over the world are set to gather this month at the SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang Premier, the Crocodile Park in Maa, and Samal Island for different EMS activities.

via Manila Bulletin / Yas Ocampo