The Holy Week starts on March 22 and despite the prohibitive fuel price hike, families and groups are still expected to travel by land, sea or air.
Whether the chosen destination is near or far, or even if one decides to stay at home, safety should continue to be the top priority.
Summer travelers must make sure to secure their homes by locking all doors and windows, unplugging all electrical cords to disconnect appliances, computers, air conditioners, TV sets and the like to protect them from power surges and to conserve electricity.
Travelers or even those who stay at home should always be alert for incidents of fire, theft, break-ins, medical emergencies or even suspicious activities.
The good news is that calling for help when there are emergencies, accidents or break-ins has never been easier. NGA 911 Philippines, provider of the next generation advanced technology being used by the nationwide Unified 911 System, says citizens all over the country now have unprecedented access to the national police, the Bureau of Fire Protection and emergency services.
Anyone can dial 911 from anywhere in the country for quick, integrated assistance from first responders, says NGA Philippines Country Head Robert Llaguno. Whether calling from a landline or a mobile phone the call will be routed through a single system to the nearest police, fire or medical response unit.
The Unified 911 system can respond to voice, text or video messages and its GPS feature can accurately locate callers wherever they are, Llaguno said.
For mobile phone owners, there is more good news. They can call 911 even without load or an active mobile plan on their phone. 911 calls are always prioritized and are free of charge, regardless of SIM card status.
How does the unified 911 system respond to emergency calls and why is it considered a landmark achievement in emergency response in the country?
Once a caller presses the numbers 911 on his or her gadget, the call instantly goes through an integrated network to a central point. Trained responders pick up the call in just two rings and can converse with the caller in different local dialects, Llaguno said.
The responders can evaluate the call to determine what type of emergency response is needed.
Quick response is guaranteed because the integrated system links the call to the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and local governments for effective coordination. Geo location pinpoints exactly where the emergency is taking place and first responders can arrive on the scene right on time. Police, fire or medical units are dispatched as needed.
Whether in cities or in tourist locations in the country, the 911 call can be placed and first responders will arrive.
However, Llaguno says 911 must be dialed for true emergencies only. Besides, the intelligent system can identify and locate prank callers and address them accordingly.
“Dialing 911 in case of emergency – whether you are on vacation, on the road, or at home – provides a streamlined, efficient way to get urgent help from the police, the fire department or from medical services. This time we have just three universal numbers to remember – 911 – unlike the many different numbers that were unique to various LGU’s before.”
“Today we are at par with countries in Europe and the United States that use the next generation advanced technology. It is a major leap in public safety modernization,” Llaguno said.
