TARLAC CITY, Tarlac (Sept. 7, 2023) — SM City Tarlac joined the rest of the country in participating in the third quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill this afternoon.
The actual earthquake drill, participated by shoppers, tenants, and employees, took place at 2 pm during regular mall hours. Evacuation and rescue drill simulations were carried out to increase and strengthen the mall’s Emergency Response Team preparedness and coordination among tasked units.
On top of the simultaneous nationwide earthquake drill, SM City Tarlac also conducted an annual refresher course for its employees, tenants, and affiliates on fire and earthquake preparedness. Topics like worst-case scenarios during fire and earthquake, evacuation routes, and first aid treatment were taken up to build contingency plans when the quake strikes.
The Office of Civil Defense earlier reminded the public to observe the following steps or protocols when an earthquake occurs:
— When inside a building, stay calm and do the “Duck, Cover and Hold”;
— Duck under a strong table and hold on to it. Stay alert for potential threats;
— Stay away from glass windows, shelves, and heavy objects;
— After the shaking stops, exit the building and go to the designated evacuation area;
— When you are outside, move to an open area, stay away from buildings, trees, electric posts, and landslide-prone areas; and
— If you are in a moving vehicle, stop and exit the vehicle.
