Disaster Simulation

[Admin_03]

Disaster Simulation

The Ministry of Government informs the public that the event called III Regional Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance Drill IS A PRACTICAL EXERCISE, NOT A REAL SITUATION. This DRILL will evaluate our country's capacity to respond to possible disaster events.

During it, evacuation drills will be carried out in previously selected locations starting at 12:05 noon; beginning on Tuesday, June 13 in schools, hospitals and governmental institutions, which have been previously selected and trained.

The evacuation processes will be under the supervision of members of the Joint Task Force, which will be responsible for guiding the participants in the exercises. Likewise, the communities that have been prepared and trained for six months in the provinces of Chiriqui, Cocle, Darien and Herrera will also participate.

June 13 to 16 will be regular work and school days, so there should be no disruption in the regular development of daily activities. The Joint Task Force has taken the corresponding measures so that the drill does not alter the development of the country's activities.

The event, which will simulate a 7.5 earthquake, a tropical wave, a cyber attack and a biological threat, will have several scenarios of collapsed structures, building fire, oil spill and water rescue. Therefore, we reiterate to all Panamanians that the event IS A PRACTICAL EXERCISE, IT WILL NOT BE REAL, and it will take place in several scenarios in the Republic of Panama.

We urge the population to remain calm and without alterations of any kind, in order to follow the recommendations and guidelines of the experts participating in the event, since the purpose of the DRILL is to test the mechanisms, tools and technical guidelines for emergency intervention in disasters.

The original announcement in Spanish can be found here
https://www.sinaproc.gob.pa/comunicado-iii-simulacro-regional-de-respuesta-a-desastre-y-asistencia-humanitaria/.  

[Moderator_03]

Quote

Four-day  Disaster Response exercise begins Tuesday

Posted 12/06/2023

Tuesday, June 13, the III Regional Simulation of Disaster Response and Humanitarian Assistance begins.

Carlos Rumbo, director of the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc), stated that the Amador Causeway was chosen as  only the setting where collapsed structure will be worked on.

“Various groups of national and international rescue experts will be coming to this place to find out how they should act in a situation where buildings collapse and when people are trapped in these structures, using their rescue techniques and it is important that the population become aware that this is an exercise for all the personnel of the joint task force and that they can prepare for emergency

The exercises will be taking place from June 13 to 16.

So far, the joint task force called "Bravo" from the United States is already in the country. The representatives of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras are expected to arrive in the coming days.

He stressed that this will only be an exercise so that the estates of the different countries and of Panama can be prepared for this type of emergency and that it will not be a real situation.

Among the drills that will be carried out are gas leaks, collapse of structures, and hydrocarbon spills, among others. The scenarios will not be affecting any economic activity. Albrook and Calle 50 are some of the other sites that will be part of the drill.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/four-day-disaster-response-exercise-begins-tuesday