The Telephone and Radio System Integrated Emergency Response 117 (TaRSIER 117)’s headquarters in Tagbilaran City suspended its operation starting yesterday, Aug. 10, 2021, as four (4) of its staff members caught the Coronvirus disease (Covid).

The latest development surfaced following the pronouncement of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Anthony Damalerio regarding the suspension of TaRSIER 117’s operations starting yesterday, Aug. 10, 2021 until Aug. 20, 2021.

 “Please be advised that starting [Aug. 10, 2021] operations of TaRSIER 117 main HQ are suspended until August 20, 2021. This is to allow 1st gen contacts to undergo the required swabbing and quarantine protocols,” Damalerio said in an advisory.

However, it is only the emergency response team’s operation that got suspended as

the communications unit and all substations continue with their normal daily operations.

The communications unit would continue to take calls and dispatch emergency responders from TaRSIER 117’s substations, reports say.

Thus all emergency dispatch will be forwarded to the City DRRM [Disaster Risk Reduction and Management] Office and the respective LGU [local government unit] MDRRMOs [Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office] including national agencies with DRRM mandates,” Damalerio added.

The said four (4) personnel are already isolated at the province’s central isolation center, according to reports.

Some 51 personnel of TaRSIER 117 and 14 PDRRMO staff tagged as first generation contacts are also quarantined, the same report adds.