#hazardhunterph

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management or DRRM refers to the implementation of ethics and procedures that aim to reduce damage caused by natural hazards such as floods, land ruptures, and fires. Unlike before when it only involves government response and recovery, DRRM urges each member of the community to learn about their areas and its risks and properly prepare before natural hazards occur. It measures the disaster risk of a community by taking hazard, vulnerability, and exposure into account and formulating action plans to be done before, during, and after a disaster. Implementing DRRM significantly lessens the damages on buildings and infrastructures, prevents adverse socio-economical losses, and most importantly, protects the lives of many people.

With the help of HazardHunterPH, I learned that our location is safe from most hazards; only ground shaking and ashfall being the biggest threats. And I believe that the damage these two critical hazards can bring are lessened because our house is built in accordance to the Structural Code of the Philippines (mitigating ground shaking) and can be closed off completely (preventing ashfall from entering).

screenshots from HazardHuterPH assessment

Our barangay also conducts some DRRM activities like Fire Prevention Month during March, drainage and street cleaning, and road and facility reconstruction. Right now as I write this, our street’s drainage system is being fixed by the barangay to prevent potential flooding.

Although our location is safe from most hazards, we will still strictly practice and adhere to DRRM guidelines. Personally, our family will buy a battery-powered radio and start stocking up a food and water bank that we can depend on when we’re forced to stay inside our house during calamities. Besides that, we will be actively participating on barangay DRRM activities like community cleaning and DRRM orientation and education. If possible, I would volunteer as a “teacher” of DRRM that would go house-to-house in our barangay and provide residents hazard assessments through HazardHunterPH, action plans, and first aid and response kits (flashlight, whistle, gauzes, disinfectants). Overall, I aim to shed light on the importance of DRRM in our households and our community.