Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Ample military assets deployed during nat'l quake drill

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 22): Ample military assets deployed during nat'l quake drill

Adequate military assets were deployed during the 2nd Metro Manila Shake Drill and National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill.

This was disclosed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla during a press briefing.

This includes three AgustaWestland AW-109 "Power" helicopters which has the capability to detect and transmit on real time videos of devastated areas in Metro Manila and six UH-IH air ambulances which could transport critical injured individuals to treatment centers in the aftermath of 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

These UH-IHs will be coming from the Northern and Southern Luzon Command and Joint Task Group-National Capital Region, Padilla said.

Also deployed are the Army's Libis, Quezon City-525th Engineering Combat Battalion which is the military's premier humanitarian assistance and disaster response unit.

An engineering battalion consists of around 500 - 1,000 officers and enlisted personnel.

It is equipped with a variety of bulldozers, backhoes and other heavy construction equipment.

Padilla said the 525th Engineering Combat Battalion is specialized in urban search-and-rescue and collapsed structure retrieval operations.

The 525th Engineering Combat Battalion was one of the first military units deployed to Leyte during the aftermath of Supertyphoon "Yolanda" in Nov. 8, 2013.

Together with units of the Catbalogan-based 8th Infantry Division, the 525th Engineering Combat Battalion helped clear debris from roads leading to Tacloban City and other parts of Leyte.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=897514

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