CCS: Always ready for natural calamities

BY GERALD O. ENGUERO

This city’s Central Communication System (CCS) has recently installed additional Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radios in barangays to monitor disasters, impending calamities, and vehicular accidents.

New CCTV cameras were located along Colgante Bridge in Dayangdang, Delfin Rosales Bridge along Panganiban Avenue, and Tabuco Bridge – now rechristened Puente de Claveria to monitor the condition of the Naga and Bicol Rivers during typhoons, as well as expedite response to traffic and road accidents.

Every barangay within the city received two UHF radios that were handed over to the barangay chairman and chief tanod (watchman). UHF is a communication device directly connected to the police station, fire station, City Health Office, Bicol Medical Center, Naga City Hall, and all the other barangays in the city for swift and reliable emergency response.

CCS Senior Duty Officer Renee Absalon E. Abiada said that at the height of typhoon Pedring, the UHF and CCTV cameras were open 24 hours where all the barangay chairmen and chief tanods were transmitting regular updates in their respective barangays.

When typhoon Pedring was just about to leave Camarines Sur on September 27, a Ms. Cecilio, a resident of Sabang, this city, discovered a burning live wire on a post near their printing press along LCC Mall. She immediately called the CCS office for assistance using UHF radio through their chief tanod and firemen immediately responded to the call for help.

Abiada stressed the importance of UHF radios and CCTV cameras in situations described above which could have erupted into a huge fire along a heavily congested area if not for the quick response.

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDDRRM) Officer Ernesto T. Elcamel said that their office is patterned after the emergency hotline 911 in the USA that responds to any kind of assistance especially during unholy hours.

Abadia said that he hopes the CCS, or its emergency hotline 3000, would someday be extended to other areas and towns around Naga City so that more lives and properties could be saved and protected during abnormal circumstances and emergencies.