CABUYAO CITY, Laguna – The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported that more than 100 students passed out and taken to the hospital due to dehydration following the conduct of a surprise fire drill at the Gulod National High School-Mamatid Extension here on Thursday afternoon, March 23.
A STUDENT is taken to a hospital after passing out in a fire drill in a public high school in Cabuyao City, Laguna on Thursday, March 23. (Alert Aksyong Leif Emergency Response Team FB)
“Ang lahat-lahat ay 104 na dinala po sa hospital (104 students were taken to the hospital),” said CDRRMO head Sabi “Bobby” Abinal Jr. Based on initial findings, Abinal said that some students passed out because of hunger and dehydration. The fire drill was conducted around 2 p.m. in compliance with Department of Education Order No. 53, Series of 2022 (Mandatory Unannounced Earthquake and Fire Drills in Schools), Abinal added. Abinal said that no coordination was made by the school on the exercise with the city government, CDRRMO, and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). About 3,000 students participated and instructed to convene at the designated open evacuation area in the school grounds while others stayed in their classrooms at 12:30 p.m. amid the scorching heat index which ranged between 39 to 42 degrees Celsius and cramped conditions before the drill started. About 20 students passed out in the open evacuation area and 80 in their classrooms. Abinal said there were no safety officers and medics and only Boy and Girl Scouts were assigned as marshals. As of posting time, some students were still confined in the hospital while the others have been sent home. Cabuyao Mayor Dennis Hain suspended classes on Friday, March 24, as a result, to enable the students to recover and conduct a probe. The school has yet to issue a statement on the incident.
A STUDENT is taken to a hospital after passing out in a fire drill in a public high school in Cabuyao City, Laguna on Thursday, March 23. (Alert Aksyong Leif Emergency Response Team FB)
“Ang lahat-lahat ay 104 na dinala po sa hospital (104 students were taken to the hospital),” said CDRRMO head Sabi “Bobby” Abinal Jr. Based on initial findings, Abinal said that some students passed out because of hunger and dehydration. The fire drill was conducted around 2 p.m. in compliance with Department of Education Order No. 53, Series of 2022 (Mandatory Unannounced Earthquake and Fire Drills in Schools), Abinal added. Abinal said that no coordination was made by the school on the exercise with the city government, CDRRMO, and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). About 3,000 students participated and instructed to convene at the designated open evacuation area in the school grounds while others stayed in their classrooms at 12:30 p.m. amid the scorching heat index which ranged between 39 to 42 degrees Celsius and cramped conditions before the drill started. About 20 students passed out in the open evacuation area and 80 in their classrooms. Abinal said there were no safety officers and medics and only Boy and Girl Scouts were assigned as marshals. As of posting time, some students were still confined in the hospital while the others have been sent home. Cabuyao Mayor Dennis Hain suspended classes on Friday, March 24, as a result, to enable the students to recover and conduct a probe. The school has yet to issue a statement on the incident.