Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VIII
Division of Northern Samar
San Roque

BALNASAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

What: Earthquake Drill

When: June 29, 2016 4:00 pm
Where: Balnasan National High School, Brgy. Balnasan, San Roque, Northern Samar

On the 29th of June, 2016 at 4:00 in the afternoon, an earthquake drill was conducted in
Brgy. Balnasan, San Roque, Northern Samar. This activity was spearheaded by the Balnasan
NHS teaching staff led by the school head, Dr. Crisby C. de los Santos, and participated by its
students from Grades 7-11.

Pre-Drill:

Prior to the drill, it was announced to the students in the morning of that day that the said
activity will be held come afternoon. In line with this, a list of things to do during an earthquake
drill was posted in the hallway for students to read and for them to be familiar with the basics of
the said drill.

At 3:00 in the afternoon, the teachers assigned in the School Disaster Management
Committee (SDMC) called for a meeting with the Grade 11 students. These students were then
tasked as assistants for the drill, and instructions were given to them, i.e. proper ways of
performing Drop, Cover and Hold On, relaying it to the respective classes they are assisting,
acting as photographers to document the activity, and basically helping the other students
perform the drill.

Thirty minutes before the actual drill, all students were called for a pre-drill lecture.
Videos and video clips about earthquake and earthquake drills were shown to the students and
discussed further by the SDMC with the help of the assistants.

At exactly 4:00 in the afternoon, the drill began with the sounding of the emergency
alarm and a teacher instructing everyone to Drop, Cover and Hold On via a sound system using a
microphone.

Scenarios:

On the onset of the earthquake, the Grades 7 and 8 students who were holding their
classes in the 1st floor of the building started coming out into the open where they were presumed
safe. While doing so, they had their head and neck covered, with some students using books or
bags. Reaching the open area, they stayed aground as the shaking continues.

On the other hand, the Grades 9 and 10 students who were staying at the second floor
started dropping to the ground, hid under chairs and tables, and held on to them. They remained
in their positions until the earthquake ceased. As it did, everybody started going their way out of
their rooms, down to the ground floor, and continued to the open area where they joined the other
students who had already been there, all while covering their head and neck with books or bags,
or with their bare hands.

While expecting for a stronger, more destructive aftershock, everyone confined

themselves in the open area. After the second impact, everyone was advised to stay together.

With the absence of a safer evacuation area, the SDMC decided to make the ground as an
Emergency Assembly Area (EAA) where the injured students were attended and treated.
Teachers and students who had background in application of first aids were the ones who assisted
those who were bruised and wounded. Severely hurt students were taken to the nearest
clinics/hospitals.

Post-Drill:

After the drill, a quick survey was conducted, collecting feedbacks from the participants.
After which was a meeting among the teachers led by the SDMC and the school head, looking
into both the positive and negative points of the drill. With this, the School Disaster Preparedness
Plan was reviewed, and initial plans for the next biannual earthquake drill was discussed.

Rationales:

For this drill, steps were patterned from the ShakeOut Drill Manual for K-12 Schools
Level 1 Simple: Drop, Cover, and Hold On Drill and Building Evacuation. However,
scenarios were assumed from supposed actual earthquake situations that may take place in the
area based on its setting and the availability of resources. For example, in performing Drop,
Cover and Hold On, it may not always be best to hide under the available tables and chairs if
they would not serve as strong coverage or protection or may even cause further injury. If it is
safer and easier instead to get out of the room and reach an open area, it is better to do it at once,
as was done by the Grades 7 and 8 students.

Senior High School students were chosen to assist the teachers for this drill so as to serve
as their training in assuming responsibility once emergencies of this sort occur.

The drill was scheduled at the last hour of the afternoon classes so as not to affect the
conduct of classes, which were then reduced to 45 hours each subject for that day only.