BFP Fire and rescue trucks, ambulances in SM City North Edsa during the fire drill.
SM Supermalls, the country’s largest chain of malls, in partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) conducted a nationwide simultaneous fire drill on March 13, 2023.
Participated in by more than 15,500 tenants, employees, agency personnel, costumers, the fire drill in more than 90 SM malls is one of the highlights of the celebration of Fire Prevention Month 2023 by both BFP and the SM Group.
A scenario of a strong earthquake hitting Metro Manila causing considerable damage to buildings, occurrence of fire, search and rescue of victims was simulated in SM North Edsa which was the venue of the main drill. The personnel of the BFP demonstrated their capabilities by rope rappelling from the 5th floor to the ground floor in rescuing a victim trapped under collapsed structure. The aerial ladder of the Bureau was used for the high angle rescue. SM fire brigade team members demonstrated their mastery of the evacuation drill and showed their fire-fighting skills with the use of fire extinguishers and fire hose.
SM Executives and BFP officials were present in SM North Edsa during the event. Engr. Liza Silerio, Vice President for Corporate Compliance led the SM team. The BFP contingent was headed by SSUPT Edwin Vargas, Deputy Director for Fire Safety Enforcement and SSUPT Rodrigo Reyes, Asst. Regional Director for NCR.
Other SM malls simulated fire occurrences in restaurants, parking areas, rooftops, mall canopy. There were also scenarios of victim rescue and bringing them to the standby ambulance.
The fire drill is one good example of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) of SM and the BFP which give priority to the constant training of SM’s personnel to respond to disasters including earthquakes and destructive fires. The PPP acknowledges the progress made by the two entities in preventing disaster risks and losses of lives, livelihood and health – in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030.
SM is a member of ARISE- Philippines, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies which is led by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). As a member of ARISE and as a responsible corporate citizen, SM commits to promote a global and national culture of disaster risk reduction and resiliency.
