Lockdown rescuers continue service

CLOSED BUT FUNCTIONAL. Personnel of the Camaligan Disaster Risk Reduction Emergency and Safety Management Office (CADRRESMO) who under quarantine continue to perform their duties inside the building, which was under lockdown to prevent the threat of coronavirus disease infection. (Photo by Paulo DS. Papa)

CAMALIGAN, Camarines Sur---Personnel of the Camaligan Disaster Risk Reduction Emergency and Safety Management Office (CADRRESMO), continue to perform their duties even if they are in isolation inside their office, which was on lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The Camaligan local government unit (LGU) last week ordered the quarantine of six of its 10 emergency responders inside the CADRRESMO after four of them tested positive for Covid-19.

One of the four who tested positive for Covid-19 is the town’s disaster chief, who requested anonimity. He is confined and under medication at the Camarines Sur Provincial Hospital in Banasi, Bula.

Two of the responders who are Covid-19 positive gave permission to be named publicly. They are Edsel Bermudo, Camaligan # 18 (Bicol # 1376) of Barangay Dugcal, and Ronele Agna, Camaligan # 19 (Bicol # 1482) of Barangay San Marcos.

Vice Mayor Diano Ibardaloza Jr., in his Facebook post, said that the two responders revealed their identity in public to fast track the contact tracing of ther close contacts.

The LGU also placed on lockdown the houses of the emergency personnel’s houses until further notice. Meanwhile, the six remaining CADRRESMO personnel are quarantined inside their office while waiting for their swab test results.

One of them, who requested not to be named, said that they continue to work by monitoring the situation in the town by the help of numerous volunteers who are authorized to respond to emergency and in transporting locally stranded individuals (LSIs) who are returning to Camaligan.

He said they continue to receive and coordinate reports about day-to-day incidents that needed immediate response.

Camaligan town, as of Sept. 8 has 25 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 11 of which are active cases, 13 recoveries, and one death.