Gov. Edgar M. Chatto led the groundbreaking rites for the new command center of the province's quick response team, Telephone and Radio Systems Integrated Emergency Response (TaRSIER117) on Bohol Day, July 22. The new command center, akin to the Office of Emergency Response in New York City will rise at the Camp Esteban Bernido in Dao District, this city. Chatto explained the development came about in order to rise to the challenge of TaRSIER 117's recent recognition from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as a Philippine Army Affiliated Reserve Unit. The move to a new location is part of the enhancement of the quick response team as it strives to effectively carry out its task to aid and assist victims of natural or manmade calamities, as well as help maintain peace and order. Although in principle, TaRSIER117 is coordinative, a mainly call-and-command center that receives calls and directs them to appropriate agencies for the dispatch of apt responses to emergencies anywhere in the province, it has since been equipped with trained medical and rescue-retrieval teams that themselves promptly act on police, fire, medical and lifeline incidents. Chatto, himself brought with him from the US, two cardiac monitors with EKG leads for arrhythmia analysis, respiratory monitoring, non-invasive blood pressure monitor, pulse oxymetry, and temperature for use in the TaRSIER117 ambulance.

The patient monitors are a donation from the Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan through the efforts of Immediate Past Chairperson Betty Veloso-Garcia. Partnerships with Home Reach Foundation have also equipped TaRSIER117 in equipment and even training from the New York Police Department. The strengthening of the TaRSIER117 is a continuing commitment of the Provincial Government as its response to the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2010. In addition, it brings its framework for disaster and risk reduction management down to the municipalities, and is preparing for a program on community volunteerism, benchmarked from Chatto's visit to the New York Office of Emergency Response. Provincial Administrator and Peace and Security Cluster Head Alfonso R. Damalerio II states the new headquarters will provide the TaRSIER117 team adequate space to properly organize its current facilities and equipment, along with its operations, providing also for in-team trainings and for the conduct of trainings for rescue teams across local government units.

Meanwhile, newly distinguished adopted son of Bohol Maj. Gen. John Bonafos, who helped facilitate the affiliation with the AFP through the initiative of Damalerio, said the TaRSIER117 as a public service unit will be most valuable as a front liner, with its capacity to provide immediate medical response an indispensable asset in the army reserve. Also present during the groundbreaking ceremony was Tagbilaran City Mayor Baba Yap who committed to extend any form of support that the City Government can extend in the implementation of the said project. The city mayor acknowledged the services of the TaRSIER117 to a majority of residents in the city, and admitted has himself availed of such, a number of times. Just this week, City Government employees trained with the TaRSIER117 team through a partnership with Cebu-based Emergency Rescue Unit foundation (ERUF). (Leah/EDCOM)