The ULL coordinates the preparation of the municipal staff of Guía de Isora for a volcanic emergency drill

The University of La Laguna, through its Chair of Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilient Cities, coordinated a training day today, Wednesday, October 21, for staff of the Guía de Isora City Council to improve their preparedness for a volcanic emergency. The activity, organized by the Tenerife Island Council, through its Department of Natural Environment, Sustainability, Safety and Emergencies, and the municipal council, is part of the VOLCANEX Tenerife 2026 simulation exercise, scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, October 22.

The meeting aimed to publicize the Guía de Isora Municipal Emergency Plan (PEMU), its integration into the Island Action Plan for Volcanic Risk (PAIV), and the roles that the different municipal services must play in an emergency situation.

The day has focused on coordination between the different areas of local government, since responding to a volcanic emergency requires not only the intervention of specialized services, but also those departments responsible for providing personnel, facilities, transport, supplies, social assistance and communications support.

The program was structured in two parts. The first covered the organization of the PEMU (Emergency Management Plan), alert levels, communication systems, and the distribution of roles and responsibilities. The second applied this knowledge to a simulated volcanic scenario, with particular attention to preventive evacuation and temporary housing for the population.

Through working groups, participants analyzed emergency plans, identified available resources, and practiced coordination procedures between municipal and island authorities. The goal was for each service to understand its responsibilities, available resources, and mechanisms for joint action.

The program, developed under the coordination of specialists from the Chair of Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilient Cities at the ULL, has also included content on preventive evacuation, temporary shelters, logistics and social assistance, animal care and education for emergency prevention in schools.