SM City Bacolod joined the 5th nationwide fire drill of SM Supermalls and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) March 3, reinforcing the long-standing public-private partnership of both organizations for disaster resilience and preparedness.
Simultaneously conducted in 89 SM malls across the country, the annual exercise highlights coordinated emergency response and multi-sector collaboration.
In Bacolod, 536 participants, composed of mall employees and affiliates, tenants, security and agency personnel, NU Bacolod students, Park Inn by Radisson guests, and some customers took part in the simulation.
The scenario depicted a fire breaking out at an upper floor of the mall’s North Block. The SM Emergency Response Team, led by incident commander and assistant mall manager Lorenzo Benedicto, activated evacuation protocols and coordinated with external responders. As part of the exercise, the simulated injured individuals were rescued, assessed, treated by the medical team or transported via ambulance.
Responding units included the BFP Bacolod, the Bacolod Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade, and the Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade.
“We give importance to these regular emergency drills because they ensure operational readiness and seamless coordination,” Benedicto said in a statement.
City fire marshal, F/Supt Jenny Mae Masip, emphasized that sustained collaboration between government and private institutions strengthens community safety. “It is through activities like this that we are able to practice and gauge the expertise of the responders of SM City Bacolod.”
SM City Bacolod and the BFP have maintained a long-standing working partnership focused on emergency preparedness and safety standards within the mall complex. The annual drill forms part of this sustained collaboration and is aligned with the city’s observance of Fire Prevention Month. ||
