The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), through its staff and volunteers, distributed hot meals to over 600 individuals who were affected by the fire that hit Sitio Paradise in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City.
Over the weekend, PRC went to Cabahug Elementary School to serve hot meals to 668 people that were victims of the fire last Nov. 23. There was a total of 40 PRC staff members and community-based RC143 volunteers who were responders.
After receiving a report on the fire, the PRC immediately deployed one ambulance unit with trained emergency medical services personnel at the scene.
The fire reached the fourth alarm and damaged 250 houses. It also left 639 families homeless.
PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard J. Gordon said that the Red Cross staff and RC143 volunteers work together in different parts of the country to respond to the needs of people when there is an emergency.
The RC143, he explained, consists of a leader and 43 volunteers in each barangay. “The goal is to have the people of the barangay provide information to the Red Cross about the dangers in the community, the effects of hazard events, and what are the needs of the people after a disaster,” Gordon explained in a mix of English and Filipino.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross Welfare Team also set up a Welfare Desk to provide psychological support to the residents after the crisis event.
The Red Cross Health Team, on the other, also gave hygiene promotion lecture demonstrations, which included topics such as environmental sanitation, proper waste disposal, leptospirosis, and proper handwashing.