PAF trains Naga rescue team

CEBU, Philippines - Naga City through the help of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) conducted rescue drills last Friday.

CEBU, Philippines - "This is important for us kay di man gyud na kapugngan ang mga kalamidad," Mayor Valdemar Chiong said.

For the whole day, 16 Naga Emergency Action Team (NEAT) members underwent search and rescue drills supervised by the PAF's 505th 2nd Search and Rescue Squadron, which involved rope-ladder rescue and heli-rappelling.

The PAF used one of its Huey-UH1H helicopters for the heli-rappel, where from 50 feet the volunteers went down using a rope.

Rescuers, from the sea were also made to climb back to the awaiting chopper also using the same rope.

City Councilor Elmer Lapitan, who leads the rescue team, said they had to master all types of rescue techniques to prepare themselves for calamities, Naga being prone to landslides and flooding.

Just last week, a landslide compelled residents of sitio Naalad to evacuate.

Initially, the team, which was formed in 1998, had more than 20 volunteers, but its membership slowly diminished over the years, leaving only 16 now.