A one of a kind Fire, Emergency and Disaster (FED) Training Center, the first in the Philippines, will soon rise at the Compostela Valley Capitol grounds in Nabunturan town.
Provincial Fire Marshal, Senior Inspector Randolf Arbutante bared during a radio interview in the Kapihan sa Kahanginan aired over Aksyon ComVal Teleradyo that the FED training center will feature replicas on disaster and emergency scenarios for trainees to assimilate actual incidents.
“We will have a replica of different disaster scenarios including vehicular incident or a collapse structure scenario that will be placed within the center” Arbutante said.
The FED Center will have its groundbreaking and signing ceremony on March 5 during the province-wide Firefighting and Rescue Olympics, which will be attended by Bureau of Fire and Protection Director Bobby Baruelo DSC, Compostela Valley Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, provincial officials and municipal mayors.
Arbutante emphasized that the construction of the center, which will cost around P142-million, is a ‘Bayanihan’ effort of the provincial and municipal officials.
“This project is a convergence of resources as different national and local officials have committed to fund the project,” he said.
He disclosed that aside from the pledge of Governor Uy, Rep. Ruwell Peter Gonzaga and Rep. Maricar Zamora also committed to put up a Burn Building and Rapelling tower, which cost around P3-4 million each; while Rep. Karlo Nograles and Rep. Koko Nograles oathed to construct a P28-million dormitory.
“The municipal mayors will also give P2-million each to put up different skill-replicas,” he said.
Arbutante also stressed that one of the reasons for the construction of FED center is to decongest the only fire training institute in Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, Laguna.
“This will be a big help to the fire personnel in Mindanao and Visayas to lessen their cost for the training,” he said. (PIA11, Michael Uy)
