Community action for disaster response in the Philippines

Community-level disaster responders on hand at the scene of a local disaster or emergency – that’s the vision of the new Community Action for Disaster Response course (CADRE), being piloted in the Philippines.

This is the very first CADRE course, which aims at helping victims of earthquakes, floods, landslides, fires, tsunamis and other disastrous events - as well as day-to-day emergencies.

They are shown how to share these skills, train others and build safer communities. The training is being coordinated by the Asian Disaster Preparedness center (ADPC), as part of the Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER) which is funded by USAID and American Red Cross and is running in nine Asian countries. Training modules include assessing hazards, preparing for response, managing mass casualties, fire and water safety and basic search and rescue. Everyone takes part in practical sessions and simulations to encourage active learning.

The course instructors – drawn from the Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Red Cross and volunteers – are experienced and qualified in Medical First Response, Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue, and Disaster Management.