Rescue rafts fortified

MANILA, Philippines – Preparedness is the first line of defense against calamity.

With this in mind, the Regional Collaborative Efforts on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in the Calabarzon region, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Forest Products Research and Development Institute recently launched initiatives among government agencies, local government units and private companies to support disaster management.

The event dubbed “Sariling Kaligtasan, Pangalagaan at Paghandaan,” set into sail collapsible bamboo rafts that can be used during calamities.

The raft prototypes, designed by forester Catalino Pabuayon, uses 50 pieces of mature bamboo poles treated with Dacrol TMCE-25 and Dacrol F from Neumann and Mueller Philippines Inc. and Hedge Marketing. 

Dacrol makes the rafts more durable and not susceptible to biological deterioration from termites, fungi and the like. The rafts can carry a load capacity ranging from 300 to 1,000 kilograms.

Formulated in the Philippines by Bayer Cropscience, Dacrol provides topnotch efficiency and effectiveness in wood defense, making it a new standard in wood protection.

Dacrol TMCE-25 is a potent formulation against subterranean and drywood termites. Dacrol F is a wood fungicide that controls decay, rotting, stains and molds.

A combination variant, Dacrol Combi-EC, is also available, both as an insecticide and fungicide.

Test rides and rescue drills were conducted by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) after the launch to test the sturdiness of the rafts.

As part of the activity, the BFP and Marina held test rides and rescue drills using the two prototypes to try out the parameters on buoyancy, stability, maneuverability, and loading capacity.

For more information on Dacrol, log on to http://dacrolphilippines.com/.