(QCOSTARICA) The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted changes in guidelines the National Emergency Commission (CNE) response with the arrival of the hurricane season, for the protection the population.
On Monday, Alexander Solís, president of the National Emergency Commission (CNE) announced that new guidelines were created for the management of temporary shelters, a new modality for declaring alerts, as well as standards security towards institutions.
Now, six lines will be worked to reduce the impact on communities with the greatest vulnerability.
- The first line is the activation of the alert mechanisms, through constant technical-scientific coordination with the National Meteorological Institute (IMN). Likewise, it defined a new alert scheme in the pandemic phase: green alerts for information, yellow for preparation, orange alert for mobilization, and red for major emergencies.
- The second line of action is the organization and coordination structure with the institutions that work in the prevention and attention of emergencies through the Emergency Operations Center (COE) and the 90 Municipal and Regional Emergency Committees across the country, who articulate their work in thematic tables and through a system the use of new technologies.
- The third line is a permanent monitoring and surveillance system through daily monitoring of the weather and the conditions of the rivers and landslides. The information is broadcast by 650 radio stations located at strategic points in the national territory. This surveillance is carried out in the 462 communities in the country identified as vulnerable by floods or landslides.
- The fourth line of work corresponds to the management of shelters that present a particularity since social distancing requires the authorization of more facilities and new verification protocols must be followed by the Ministry of Health to guarantee the protection of the victims.
- The fifth line is the equipment. The CNE has 54 warehouses and an inventory of facilities arranged as temporary accommodation in each canton, which include local resources such as blankets, foams, chainsaws, etc., the acquisition of items for permanent stock such as boats, and the inventory of local suppliers, among other tasks.
- The sixth line is the rescue of people. The rescue work will be with the support of the Bomberos (Fire Department), the Ministry of Public Security and the Red Cross for the preventive transfer of family groups from areas declared under alert to temporary shelters.
Cleaning supplies for personal protection and physical barriers to prevent contagion to first responders will also be provided, and a disinfection approach to rescue units is expected.
The foregoing includes the prior verification of COVID-19 positive persons in the evacuation zone in order to provide them with differentiated treatment and thus avoid contagion.
In addition, Solís asked the population in risk areas to maintain caution and alert about any incident.
On Monday, June 1, the CNE decreed a green alert for the entire country.
