Bohol's TaRSIER 117 suspends ops after staff members get COVID-19

TAGBILARAN CITY - The operations of the Telephone and Radio System Integrated Emergency Response (TaRSIER) 117, the province's emergency response unit, were temporarily suspended for an estimate of 10 days after four employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Anthony Damalerio, head of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRRMO), said the suspension of operations will start on Aug. 10 and last up to Aug. 20 to make way for the testing of TaRSIER 117 personnel at their headquarters in Tagbilaran City.

"This is to allow 1st gen contacts to undergo the required swabbing and quarantine protocols," said Damalerio.

The four TaRSIER 117 personnel who got infected were all asymptomatic and are already isolated.

Damalerio and other 51 personnel of TaRSIER 117 and 14 PDRRMO staff who were first generation contacts are all in quarantine.

Damalerio clarified that only TaRSIER 117's operations for Emergency Response were suspended.

The office’s communications unit and substations in Carmen, Jagna, Talibon, Ubay, Balilihan and Loon towns remain operational and would continue to take calls and dispatch emergency responders from TaRSIER 117 substations.

"All emergency dispatch are forwarded to the city disaster risk reduction and management office (DRRMO) and the respective LGU MDRRMOs including national agencies with DRRM mandates," said Damalerio.

"We are all eager to get back to work and fight this COVID virus," he added. -- BAP, GMA News