School Preparedness for Mass Casualty Incidents in Sulop, Davao Del Sur

Preparedness for mass-casualty incidents is essential for schools and other institutions to ensure a well-coordinated plan. This descriptive quantitative study aimed to determine the preparedness of the school heads, school principals, and DRRM coordinators in private and public schools in Sulop, Davao del Sur, to a mass casualty incident. Data were collected using a quantitative-descriptive approach and a modified survey questionnaire distributed to 29 schools via non-random sampling. The findings demonstrated that half of the schools reported having a response plan, but most had a prevention plan. Most schools have an evacuation plan, and most have conducted drills. The majority of schools reported that students evacuate on foot, and parents retrieve their children during the evacuation. Recommendations included using study insights to inform school preparedness plans for mass casualty incidents, improving disaster preparedness, response, and management strategies by DRRM coordinators, and encouraging other researchers to use this study as a reference for further exploration in this field.

DRRM coordinators, mass casualty incident, school preparedness

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