Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has activated three city-run hospitals and ten Super Health Centers to treat possible victims of firecracker-related incidents in connection with the New Year’s celebration.

Belmonte said the city-run hospitals — QC General Hospital, Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital and Novaliches District Hospital — and ten Super Health Centers are ready to take in and treat firecracker victims.

“It’s better to be prepared for any eventuality than be caught offguard in case of emergencies,” said Belmonte.

The ten Super Health Centers placed on standby are located in the following barangays:

San Francisco in District

1; Batasan, NGC, Betty Go Belmonte, Payatas and Bagong Silangan in District

2; Murphy in District

3; Kamuning in District

4; and AJ Maximo and Sta. Lucia in District

“Our ten Super Health Centers are open 24 hours and are activated to assist and treat firecracker victims while our barangay health centers are placed on call to assist constituents with minor injuries,” said Belmonte.

Belmonte has likewise tasked the City Health Department to submit to her office centralized data on all firecracker-related cases.

The Mayor has placed the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) office on yellow alert and will monitor the 180 firecracker/fireworks zones and the four major New Year countdown events in Eastwood, Quezon Memorial Circle, SB Plaza in Novaliches Proper, and La Loma.

The DRRM in partnership with the barangays will also ensure that the ambulances deployed in each of the city’s 142 barangays will have medical personnel and drivers on call for immediate response during emergencies.

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD), for its part, will monitor, address and report on any crime-related cases. The QCPD is also tasked to assign police officers per barangay to ensure that the firecracker zones and other related firecracker guidelines are strictly followed.