Despite the beauty of our world, it is rife with danger -- natural and man-made alike.

At a very young age, children have been taught to be careful of our every step. Parents have tried their best to keep their young ones free from threats of accidents, diseases and other injuries, and taught them basic information on how to keep themselves safe from these threats. 

But injuries, accidents, diseases and man-made or natural calamities are unfortunate events that are also inevitable. Their impact most of the time can be devastating on families and the community not to mention the financial loses… but the what is encouraging is people are beginning to realize that these situations can be prevented and mitigated if not totally eliminated. 

“Knowing” what to do is half the battle won.

Safety happens through the conscious and planned effort of every individual including many sectors of our community – the governmental and the non-governmental alike. Every one of us has a role to play. Among the key layers in efforts on safety-consciousness is the Red Cross but it knows that it cannot do everything by itself – it needs the cooperation and commitment of everyone. It needs active and committed partners.

Like its other units in the country, the Philippine National Red Cross - Negros Occidental Bacolod City Chapter, recognizes the need to initiate safety as among its advocacy programs. For PNRC, knowing is empowerment — to the people and to the community. With this in mind, the PNRC through its Safety and Disaster Management Services, will hold the first-ever Safety and Disaster Management Summit on Jan. 19 and 20 at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol Building . Activities will focus on the theme: “ Red Cross & You: Sustaining a Safer World.”

The summit will gather stakeholders and other partners and raise awareness among the participants on the importance of everyone taking responsibility not only of his or her own safety but also that of the community itself, said PNRC Negros Occidental – Bacolod Chapter Administrator Raul Garganera.

The first day of the summit will be devoted to plenary sessions with speakers focusing on the Role of the PNRC on the Rule 1040, also known as Occupational Health and Safety Standard, and Surviving the Threats of Climate Change. The second day will include the ratification of the Safety Services and Disaster Management By-Laws and Code of Ethics and Election of Officers.

Garganera, in reiterating the significance of the occasion, said, “PNRC, as a major safety proponent, should take the lead in informing and educating the public in preparing and responding to accidents and other natural disasters”. Laying the groundwork for any eventuality is our best weapon against any mishap, he further said, adding: “And perhaps, we should remind ourselves that one cannot be too careful in this world.”

For the past 60 years or so the PNRC through its Safety and Disaster Management Services has been steadfast in its campaign of educating the Filipino community, the workplace and the home through its First Aid and Basic Life Support, Disaster Management and Accident Prevention trainings to name a few. “So with everyone's involvement in the summit, the first ever in the Philippines, Red Cross hopes that at least everyone can see the light at the end of the tunnel when we talk of what we can do and what is our role in the safety of our community and how we can sustain it. After all, this is the only world we got and God made us not only stewards of this earth but our brothers' keepers,” the local PNRC administrator reiterated.

The writer is an active volunteer instructor of First Aid and Basic Life Support of Safety Services of The Philippine National Red Cross in Bacolod City .